Many lift truck fleet managers are increasingly responsible for delivering measurable improvements in workforce productivity, efficiency, and regulatory compliance. Having access to the right data is key for forklift fleet management that balances efficiency and performance in tough handling operations. While this requires human expertise and skill, the addition of the right technology can help amplify performance. Telemetry or telematics systems are one such example.
What is telemetry?
Telemetry is the process of automatically collecting and transmitting data from remote or inaccessible sources to a central system for monitoring, analysis, and decision-making. In the context of materials handling operations, forklift telemetry systems, sometimes known as forklift fleet management systems, are fitted to equipment in the fleet. These systems gather real-time data from the lift trucks such as truck usage and activity, operator behaviour, impact events, maintenance needs, location tracking, and diagnostic codes.
This remote data is then sent to a central dashboard, portal, or software platform where fleet managers and supervisors can view it, analyse trends, and make informed decisions to improve safety, efficiency, costs, and performance.
Forklift telemetry, like Hyster Tracker, can support operators and supervisors with data-driven insights enabling effective fleet management, lift truck tracking, and more.
Here are four ways forklift fleet management with telemetry helps do more than humanly possible.
1. Enhance human decision-making
Hyster Tracker provides real-time visibility into truck usage, operator behaviour, and maintenance needs. From forklift GPS tracking to truck activity and live utilisation metrics. This data is shared via the Hyster Tracker desktop portal or app and enables managers to accurately monitor and measure lift truck data, supporting informed decision-making that may improve maintenance schedules, right size fleets, and maximise operator productivity. An inactivity shutdown feature can also power down a truck when no operator is present, conserving energy, and reducing costs. These solutions can help businesses to achieve a lower total cost of ownership while keeping forklift operations agile.
Discover more in this whitepaper.
2. Support operator accountability
Operator safety and compliance are a critical part of avoiding incidents, damage, and fines. Technology can help businesses better understand what happened and why.
Implementing Hyster Tracker forklift telematics helps operation managers to isolate individual operator data. In the event of an incident, this provides accountability on which operators were involved. Managers can investigate based on accurate data, complementing their own judgement and experience. Real time impact detection alerts and impact lockout (which shuts down the equipment until it is inspected as safe to return to operation) also give managers clear visibility of every impact that occurs. Managers can lean on forklift telemetry for records of data that may help aid compliance.
Find out more in this whitepaper.
3. Reduce cognitive load and streamline supervision
Hyster Tracker telemetry technology can also support operators by digitising routine tasks such as pre-shift / pre-use checklists. There are still important elements that a human operator must check before using a lift truck. However, telemetry reduces the mental load on the operator by automatically providing a checklist of each element step by step. This also supports safety processes by helping ensure nothing is missed.
Capturing pre-shift checklist data also gives forklift supervisors and managers reassurance that the necessary checks are being completed. This supports compliance while making supervision more manageable and efficient.
Learn more in this whitepaper.
4. Remove the guesswork with forklift telematics
Fleet managers may not have the ability to easily oversee operational details for individual trucks – especially in large fleets. Even when functioning properly, inefficiency in a single component, process or piece of equipment can have a major impact on the overall uptime and output. A lift truck tracking system provides real-time tracking of trucks and the operators using them. Hyster Tracker also offers equipment diagnostics, monitoring engine, transmission, hydraulic and electronic functions. It continuously takes a look inside every truck in a way that a human technician cannot, and flags fault codes in real time. This helps support uptime, with no guesswork required.
Download the whitepaper to learn more.
Forklift telematics built in to Hyster lift trucks
The base level Hyster Tracker™ telemetry solution, known as wireless monitoring, is now included as a standard feature on electric and internal combustion engine (ICE) counterbalanced Hyster lift trucks. Wireless monitoring tracks lift truck utilisation, impacts, location and diagnostic trouble codes, giving operations the tools to proactively manage maintenance and understand fleet performance in real time.
Ask your dealer about telematics for forklifts
Forklift telematics empower you to know more and do more. A combination of human expertise with real-time data and insights can help drive performance in demanding materials handling operations.
Learn more about telematics for forklifts in this whitepaper: Cut Total Cost Of Ownership By Monitoring Operational Data. You can also talk to your local Hyster dealer about how Hyster Tracker could benefit your business.
