On June 4th, our service coordinator and PM dispatcher, Luke Kocher and 65 fellow riders started the Trans Am Bike Race that runs from Astoria, Oregon to Yorktown, Virginia.  This is the longest unsupported bike race in the United States. No drafting, no support crew, the riders pedal and support themselves across 4400 miles and 10 states.

The race was featured in the documentery "Inspired to Ride" which is available through Netflix. You might also enjoy a similar race "Ride the Divide."

You can see Luke's progress mapped live through this link. Or follow us on Facebook for the latest updates.

Many things are important in a parts call. How long did you have to wait on the line, did the person you were speaking to understand what you needed, and did he accurately and at the right price get you the part or parts that you wanted? None of this matters a lick if you do not get the part.

Often overlooked is the person back at the shipping counter and his or her abilities and the role they play in getting your truck up and running. No one wants to receive a "carb gasket" in lieu of a "carburetor", nor will it go well when you receive your shipment only to find the binding has let loose and some of the things you expected are no longer in the box.

The forklift planned maintenance call should be a true partnership between the equipment owner and the servicing company. This partnership should insure that the forklift is safe, and that it continues to operate as efficiently as possible. This partnership will require some sacrifice on the part of both parties; the owner has a forklift taken out of service for the planned maintenance call, while the dealership invests time and materials generally at rates that are far below normal bill rates.

When either party steps back from their responsibility, the partnership deteriorates quickly.

The rate charged by a rental company for a forklift is such a small part of the total cost of running that forklift, that it is almost irrelevant. On a 2.5 T I.C. truck, the rental rate will only be about 10% of the total running cost of the forklift (if you consider wages and on-costs).

Are forklift impacts taking a toll on your budget? Are you still collecting data manually? Do you know if your fleet is operating at capacity? Do you let your best guess drive business decisions?

If any of these questions sound familiar to you, the solution can be found in improved tracking in your warehouse, distribution, or manufacturing facility. Let's explore in more detail why each of these issues drags down your warehouse productivity: