Owning isn't always best: When it comes to lift trucks, renting or leasing is often the better option

摘要

Buying a lift truck is not the only way to acquire a vehicle - lease and rental are also two viable options. In my opinion, more users should look closely at these alternatives and incorporate them into their fleet purchase strategy. One of the more apt ways to summarize the advantages of these alternative forms of lift truck contracting comes from a dealer in the US. They headline their lift truck rental division with the slogan "Variety is the spice of life". The critical advantage of taking the rental tack can be summed up with one word: flexibility. There are many ways the rental option can provide this. Some examples include: 1. Speedy delivery: Over the years I have seen the delivery lead-times for new truck purchases go out as far as six months. By contrast, standard rental equipment can be available in a matter of hours. In addition, most suppliers will give you a special rate if you ask for a rental while you are waiting for delivery of a new vehicle. 2. No maintenance concerns: For rentals and many types of lease contracts maintenance is the responsibility of the supplier. If there is a problem he will fix it. Thus there are no hidden costs. 3. Full use of your owned trucks: In other words, it eliminates the problem of idle equipment sitting around during off-peak times. Rental equipment requires no long-term commitment. It can be hired to cover seasonal peaks in demand. 4. The right equipment for special projects: The issue here is that the best equipment for your special project may not match the key design needs of your existing truck fleet. The list of needs for special projects can be almost endless. They can include facility needs like a warehouse lighting re-layout or the installation or re-layout of racking. There could also be a special promotional display that needs specialized equipment or attachments. Renting offers a short-term solution to getting this equipment. 5. Quality equipment: Most rental equipment is of good quality and in good condition. Most reputable dealers also do a thorough inspection before they provide the equipment. 6. Backup in case of equipment breakdown: Normally, the preferred strategy is to get the broken-down equipment back in operation quickly. Sometimes that is not possible, and rentals can fill the gap.