Dear Edward
While I definitely agree, that in the upcoming future, the technology will "remove" the humans labor from many production/logistic processess, I wouldn't be so optimistic/pesimistic (you choose) about the forklift trucks.
Of course - in the large logistic centers, where all the routes are plannable and the processess are strictly defined, the solution has advantages.
But, according to my knowledge, about 40-to 60% (depends upon the region) of volume goes to endusers who operate 1-7 trucks in many different applications.
The remote controlled machines will never achieve the flexibility of normal forklift, when one day you unload the lorry, another day you tow the trailer (;-)), or remove the snow with the snowplough.
This would be an universal robot.
Today the multifuncional robots are still in developement stage, millions of dollars are invested to obtain the defect free, self propelled device, which can be used for more than one or two functions (see the Mars Curiosity). I think that within next 20 years none of the smaller users will be able to purchase such sophisticated machine.