Narrow Aisle and very Narrow Aisle Trucks: Certain forklifts have NA features or VNA features. To be able to operate efficiently and safely, most counterbalanced trucks require at least 11 feet of aisle width. Narrow Aisle trucks however, are able to function in narrow aisles which are 8 to 10 feet wide. As well, VNA or very narrow aisle trucks could operate in aisles as narrow as 6 feet wide.
The benefit of using an NA and VNA truck over a traditional lift is that it makes it possible for warehouses to be constructed with narrower aisles. The wider aisles within the warehouses enable for more storage of things in a specific space, that improves cube utilization. The loads moved by Very Narrow Aisle and NA trucks usually are limited to about 3000 and 5000 lbs. Reach trucks could operate in narrow aisle. Order selectors, turret trucks and rotating mast trucks can work in very narrow or narrow aisles, depending on the specific unit.
Reach Trucks: Particularly designed for retrieval and storage, reach trucks are made with outriggers and telescoping forks that allows the operator to lift and retract a load over the outriggers. These units are not the best suited for transporting loads quickly over long distances nor for unloading or loading trucks. Similar to the order selector, reach trucks could be available for lifting heights that are higher than 30 feet.
Rotating-Mast Trucks and Turret Trucks: Similar to typical sit-down forklifts, rotating mast trucks have masts that can rotate in one direction, to a 90 degree angle. This feature enables them to operate within a narrow aisle condition. Turret trucks can operate in very narrow or narrow aisle locations. Similar to order selectors, these machines are capable of lifting both the operator and the load. Additionally, they could allow the operator to deal with loads on either side of an aisle without re-entering and exiting the aisle.
Turret trucks are generally rail or wire guided when they are utilized in very narrow aisles. Therefore, the operator can concentrate on the work load at hand because they doesn't have to focus any energy on their driving skills. As turret trucks are considered "operator-up" trucks, they can be utilized for picking items and cases in addition to full pallet handling.