Right-sizing your fleet can be a hidden opportunityTom Ryder is Chief Commercial Officer at TFS, an independent, national provider in the United States, of comprehensive, custom-engineered fleet management solutions for material handling equipment that improve safety, productivity and cost.
In my 20-plus years in the material handling industry, I've toured hundreds of warehouses and distribution centres. One pattern stands out: facilities routinely operate with far more forklifts than they need.
Between economic pressures and labor shortages, this overlooked inefficiency has become too costly to ignore. Many facility managers are unaware of how oversized fleets drain resources and hamper productivity. Right-sizing represents a significant opportunity to boost efficiency, improve safety, and substantially reduce costs.
Signs your fleet needs right-sizing
Over the years, I've identified several reliable indicators that a fleet has outgrown its optimal size. If you're seeing equipment sitting idle much of the day, that's your first clue.
Watch specifically for units operating beyond their economic useful life —forklifts running past 15,000 hours without proper maintenance tracking are prime candidates for retirement rather than continued investment.
Battery issues often reveal an oversized fleet as well. Chronic charging problems typically lead to unnecessary fleet expansion as compensatory units are added.
Similarly, growing rental expenses signal an underlying problem— if you're regularly renting additional units because your owned equipment is unreliable, you're paying twice for the same capacity.
Another telling sign is limited equipment sharing across shifts. When specific units are designated for particular shifts or operators rather than being utilised throughout the workday, overall equipment utilisation rates decline significantly.
Implementing effective transition protocols between shifts can dramatically increase utilisation without affecting productivity.
From an administrative perspective, limited visibility into your total costs is perhaps the most telling sign. If you can't quickly determine what each piece of equipment costs to operate or forecast maintenance expenses accurately, you're likely carrying excess capacity as a result.
The roadmap to fleet optimisation
When making major capital investments, businesses typically rely on data-driven analysis. Yet paradoxically, fleet management decisions are too often made without this same rigour.
The solution starts with good data and a clear roadmap for optimisation:
- Full fleet assessment: Document every piece of equipment, including make, model, serial number, and hour meter readings. Many facilities are not clear on what they own and where optimisation opportunities exist. This comprehensive assessment serves as the foundation for all other improvements.
- Actual utilisation analysis: I've visited numerous facilities that report 24/7 operations, yet hour meter readings often show equipment actually operates about six hours per day. This disconnect between perception and reality is where opportunity lies. Track actual equipment usage to understand your true requirements.
- Staffing and shift pattern evaluation: Count how many operators work per department per shift, and break down equipment needs by time of day, week, and month. This identifies peak requirements versus average needs, highlighting periods where equipment sits idle. Consider implementing cross-shift equipment sharing protocols that encourage optimal utilisation of all assets throughout the entire workday, rather than having specific units designated to individual shifts or operators.
- Inventory and maintenance management: Track repair costs by unit to expose problematic equipment and questionable maintenance charges. Identify equipment operating beyond its economic useful life—forklifts running past 15,000 hours without proper maintenance tracking are prime candidates for retirement rather than continued investment. Understand the root causes of downtime and develop corrective actions.
- Rental and ownership structure review: Evaluate your mix of leased, owned, and rental equipment. If you're regularly renting additional units because your owned equipment is unreliable, you're essentially paying twice for the same capacity. Optimise your ownership structure to match actual usage patterns.
By implementing this roadmap and analysing these key areas, you'll understand what's really happening with your fleet, identify the causes of downtime, and create an effective strategy for improvement. This application study approach provides the comprehensive insight needed for meaningful optimisation.