I would like to see speedometers on lift trucks. Speed limit controls are useful but tend to just have one setting (with the exception of man-up and wire guided vehicles that may have multiple settings). The reality is different areas of your facility likely have a need for different speed limits so using a limiter switch only works for the fastest area (which is still worthwhile). It would be useful to give the operators guidelines such as X mph for racked storage areas, X mph for the dock area, and X mph for the main travel aisles. Currently we sometimes try to do this, but the operator really doesn't know what his speed is so he is estimating. Speedometers would make it obvious. The biggest downside to speedometers would be that we don't want lift truck operators staring down at the dashboard while they are driving. I see the speedometer of greater use during training when you can more precisely describe what "too fast" is.

Certainly the operators still need to use judgment based upon the specific load, traffic conditions, and other variables. So the operator may need to go slower than the limit established, but he should never go over the limit set. Essentially the same thing we do in our cars every day (well, some of us).