How Can a Forklift Help In the Union Delivery Process?

This is where a forklift can be very useful. At Iron Horse Transport, we regularly send forklifts along with our shipments to ease the unload process. Read on to learn about how our forklifts can improve the union delivery process.

What is a Forklift?

Often, forklifts can make the difference between spending hours and five minutes on one task. Running off natural gas, properly maintained forklifts can transport supplies for hours at a time.

The standard forklift employs a counterweight to maintain balance while lifting heavy objects. Usually, trucking companies that handle excessive loads use forklifts to offset the risks of unloading.

What are Forklifts Used for?

Most of the time, people envision forklifts as transporting palletized freight. Admittedly, this is a common use of forklifts, especially on union job sites. Companies normally handle forklifts for this purpose. Transporting freight in a palletized unit has a lot of benefits for all parties.

First, transporting each box individually can damage the freight. At Iron Horse Transport, our drivers value the safe delivery of all cargo. They also ensure that it arrives intact. Unloading each box individually is exhausting work, and could easily lead to damage. This is especially true for New York trucking companies, who often work in a hectic environment with other vehicles.

Palletized Freight

Forklifts make loading and unloading palletized freight a breeze. The trained and certified operator will safely load and unload the freight at the union job site. Then, the on-site workers can continue their progress without any further obstacles.

Bulk Quantities of Materials

There are other materials that require forklifts. Bulk quantities of steel sheets or plates will generally be packaged together in a bunk. While it won’t have a pallet, there will be an easy access point for a forklift. Therefore, using a forklift to lift and transfer this steel is the best way to move it.

The same principle applies to other materials, including plywood, piping, and more. New York trucking companies often transport these materials, especially for new construction projects.

Finally, forklifts can also be helpful for unloading machinery from dry van trucks. These trucks, which are constructed with weather protection in mind, are ideal for hauling appliances. For example, washing machines that workers fasten on a pallet can easily be lifted from the truck using a forklift. For the sake of durability, we also ship weather-sensitive materials via dry vans.

Beyond Delivery: Forklifts for Use on Job Sites

Forklifts aren’t just useful during final mile delivery. In fact, there are plenty of reasons that having a forklift around is useful. First, there are occasions where forklifts can easily lower materials into the pit. When offloading bricks, steel, or other bulk materials, it can be helpful to have materials accessible.

New York trucking companies often deliver materials for projects like this. Additionally, forklifts can also suspend equipment in a construction pit. This removes the difficulty of transferring equipment between the ground level and the construction pit.

Alternatives to Forklifts

Without a forklift, your job site operations can experience severe disruption. Rather than a machine that can instantly move materials, your team will have to manually bear the brunt of the work. In some cases, you may have another machine that can do a portion of the lifting.

For example, a pallet jack may help workers transport a pallet through job sites. However, it won’t have the efficiency that a forklift would have. Regardless of the alternative, choosing a company that offers forklift services is ideal.

Forklift Operating Qualifications

Forklifts are dangerous when used incorrectly. To prevent any incidents, we require all of our drivers to undergo forklift training. This is an elaborate process which involves learning, written exam and practical examination phases. Also, it ensures that anyone operating a forklift is doing so correctly. This greatly enhances our capabilities as a New York trucking company.

Knowing about these safety regulations is crucial. This is especially true in bustling environment like the typical union job site. With expert operators and back-office support on hand, we’re ready to handle any forklift tasks.

Iron Horse Transport

As a trucking company, having access to forklifts and good drivers is critical. Not only are forklifts more convenient, but they make the freight transportation process safer overall. At Iron Horse Transport, we are fully prepared to assist your union in successfully completing your project.