Narrow Aisle and very Narrow Aisle Trucks: Certain forklifts have VNA features or NA features. In order to operate safely and efficiently, most counterbalanced trucks need a minimum of 11 feet of aisle width. NA trucks however, can operate in narrow aisles that measure 8 to 10 feet wide. In addition, very narrow aisle or VNA trucks could operate in aisles as narrow as 6 feet wide.
VNA and NA trucks provide many advantages as they make it possible for warehouses to be constructed with narrower aisles. This results in the warehouse being able to successfully store many more products within a certain space, improving cube utilization. The loads moved by VNA and Narrow Aisle trucks usually are limited to around 3000 and 5000 pounds. Reach trucks could operate in narrow aisle. Order selectors, turret trucks and rotating mast trucks could operate within narrow or very narrow aisles, depending on the particular unit.
Reach Trucks: Specifically designed for retrieval and storage, reach trucks are made with telescoping forks and outriggers which allows the operator to lift and retract a load over the outriggers. These models are not the best suited for loading and unloading trucks, nor for transporting loads quickly over long distances. Like the order selector, reach trucks could be available for lifting heights which are greater than 30 feet.
Rotating-Mast Trucks and Turret Trucks: Rotating-mast trucks are similar to regular sit-down forklifts. The main distinction is that their masts can rotate in one direction, to a 90 degree angle. This particular feature enables them to operate in a narrow aisle situation. Turret trucks can operate in narrow or very narrow aisle places. Like order selectors, these equipment are capable of elevating both the cargo and the operator. Moreover, they are able to enable the operator to handle loads on either side of an aisle without re-entering and exiting the aisle.
Turret trucks are normally rail or wire guided when they are utilized in very narrow aisles. This way, the operator doesn't have to focus any energy on their driving skills and can focus on the work load at hand. Since turret trucks are considered "operator-up" trucks, they are able to be utilized for case and item picking as well as full pallet handling.