There are certain costs associated with hiring a forklift on a short term which are a given: delivery to site and collection, truck hire fee, fuel, and breakdown are to name a few.

It’s also extremely useful to be aware of all the hidden costs which you can incur. The last thing you want is to be hit with an unplanned post-hire bill which was easily avoidable. To help prevent you running up a bill, we’ve put together some of those less obvious costs attached to renting a forklift.

Don’t Exceed Agreed Number Hours
It’s important to factor in the number of hours of operation as well as the hire period. A week’s hire is usually 40 hours (8am till 5pm, Monday to Friday) so make sure you plan ahead and hire out the truck long the length of time it will take to complete the job. By not sticking to the timeframe, are likely to receive an excess hour’s charge.

Check Lift Height
A forklift load carrying capacity is significantly affected by lift height. It’s therefore important that you inform your rental controller of the maximum fork height and load as it will enable them to supply you with the correct mast size, which will mean you will be able to lift to the required heights, without placing your staff or goods at risk.

Clarify Service Agreements
The operator is liable for maintenance/repairs due to damage caused during the hire. Alternatively, If the truck breaks down make sure you agree beforehand that an engineer is to come out straight away to repair it. if not, at least replace the vehicle. An excess hour’s charge could apply if the truck breaks down after 5pm or the weekend.

Delivery
Most forklift dealers will offer to deliver the machinery to your site, and many prefer to do so because they are experienced at handling heavy machines without damage. But be sure to ask if they charge a fee for transporting, unloading and picking up the equipment. The transport costs can be as much as the hire fee in certain cases, so ensure you pick a local forklift supplier to save on transport costs.

Is the Truck LOLER Certified?
It pays to work with a reputable supplier who provide quality, modern forklift trucks that are LOLER certified (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations) and have been safety checked and serviced properly. The last thing you want is a break down which means nothing gets done and potentially serious cost implications on your business.Did you know – Impact’s average age of its short-term rental fleet is just 23 months, meaning you get a truck which is less likely to suffer from downtime and higher productivity.

Call Upon Completion
It sounds obvious but, don’t forget to call the rental company as soon as you are done using the equipment to avoid getting charged for more rental time than you actually need. By being more organised it will help save you money.

Electric CB vs LPG?
Electric forklifts require a battery charger for refuelling, so it’s important that you have one on site. If you don’t have one, your forklift dealer factor this in as an extra charge. A cheaper alternative is to choose a versatile LPG forklift which can be used inside and out, whilst refuelling is instant (compared to the 8-hour recharging time for an electric counterbalance truck).Also, if you require a truck to work both indoor and outdoor, rather than hiring a diesel for outside and an electric counterbalance to transport goods inside, you can just rent one LPG truck to save on your bill.

Source : https://impact-handling.com/knowledge-hub/7-ways-to-save-on-your-next-forklift-hire/