Forklifting - Any advice?

Jinster81

Jinster81

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Hey all. If you are in the auto service industry, chances are you aren't making all that much right now. I'm in the same boat. I know I have asked about other career paths in the past ( and I appreciate all the information all of you have shared ) The one that sounds more reasonable ( the cost of training ) is forklifting. There are schools in Toronto that are offering 2 Day courses plus test for a reasonable price. For those who have done this or in it right now, is it a good way to make a living and how are the job market? Any insights would be appreciated - thanks in advance.
 
  1. How much do you want to make an hour?
  2. Typically pay isnt all that good.
  3. I do temp for friends once and awhile and enjoy it. For the most part you are on your own and I tend to make a game out of it how quick I can be.
  4. I've even competed in Forklift Rodeo's.
  5. Jobs are plentiful.
 
Pretty much what RB says.

I did the weekend course at Fanshawe... I actually rather enjoyed it as a job. You have to be precise, smooth but quick at it. If you get in with a crew of good drivers, you get a pattern going as you load/unload trailers and it's like butter! Time always seemed to fly by as you were always busy and it took some concentration.

Pay... is ok, considering you're sitting on your arse and your qualification was a weekend course.
I was always able to find work as an operator once I had a couple jobs under my belt, but it was usually just temp stuff.

When you're on the course, you may think it will take forever to get good at it, but once you spend a couple hours in a work environment, it becomes natural if you're someone that catches on to that sort of thing... The weirdest part at first is steering with the rear end, but once you have that figured out it's a blast.

Also, if you can figure out how to get them to do burnouts, you can do a smoke show for as long as you want!
 
I cant see a forklift driver making more then me. A decent auto tech should make minimum 50k p to 80-85k
 
Courses dont really mean to much, as theres no such thing as a forklift license and most decent companies wont let you near their forklifts without taking " their " safety course first.

things to consider- driving a forklift isnt hard at all, and doesnt require much work, so weight gain is easy, as you wont be burning any calories while working. Also, as mentioned earlier, your back. make sure their machines are decent, and have a proper seat.

as far as pay goes..... i make 60k, and could easily clear 90 if i worked overtime*

* i work continental shift, so i enjoy my time off.
 
bunmanchi said:
Courses dont really mean to much, as theres no such thing as a forklift license and most decent companies wont let you near their forklifts without taking " their " safety course first.

things to consider- driving a forklift isnt hard at all, and doesnt require much work, so weight gain is easy, as you wont be burning any calories while working. Also, as mentioned earlier, your back. make sure their machines are decent, and have a proper seat.

as far as pay goes..... i make 60k, and could easily clear 90 if i worked overtime*

* i work continental shift, so i enjoy my time off.
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driving a forklift? where do you work and how many hours per week?
 
bunmanchi said:
12 hr shifts.

mon-tues 8am-8pm
wed-thurs-off
fri-sun 8pm-8am

mon-tues-off
wed-thurs- 8am-8pm
fri-sun- off


there are also shift premiums for nightwork.
Click to expand...

That has to be the high spectrum of the chart as I have only seen forklift operators making $27.50/hr at Honda (And they have been there for quite sometime).
 
jeffjones said:
That has to be the high spectrum of the chart as I have only seen forklift operators making $27.50/hr at Honda (And they have been there for quite sometime).
Click to expand...


ok, thats 62 K

also, remember any overtime is 1.5 and any holidays at 2.5. theeres a ton to made in overtime.
 
bunmanchi said:
ok, thats 62 K

also, remember any overtime is 1.5 and any holidays at 2.5. theeres a ton to made in overtime.
Click to expand...

But you said thats standard time? You said with overtime you can make $90k +
 
bunmanchi said:
ok, thats 62 K
.
Click to expand...

57,200

General rule of thumb is to double the hourly and add the three zeros.

Oh, and you are on the high end. I would say the average forklift operator is looking at 15-18 an hour.
 
I enjoyed the forklift the few summers i worked on one (to pay for university), but the money was not lavish by any means. Imnothng's '15-18 an hour' applied to me (I was closer to the 15 [adjusting for inflation], being a student).

Nostalgia moment:

Unloading skids of ceramic tiles from overseas bins was my favourite, including stacking them 5-6 high (as high as the forklift would allow). Unloading pallets of 16' pieces of house trim was a pain since the door into the warehouse was only 12'.
 
bunmanchi said:
12 hr shifts.

mon-tues 8am-8pm
wed-thurs-off
fri-sun 8pm-8am

mon-tues-off
wed-thurs- 8am-8pm
fri-sun- off


there are also shift premiums for nightwork.
Click to expand...

27$+ per hour to drive a forklift, damn! seems you hit the jackpot!

like someone already mentioned this is not the average, half of it is more like it.
 
Paul1000RR said:
27$+ per hour to drive a forklift, damn! seems you hit the jackpot!

like someone already mentioned this is not the average, half of it is more like it.
Click to expand...
He is doing the Boss
 
Does it make sense that a person can get a high paying job by taking a weekend course? Not to me.

I've driven FLs (Self taught) and enjoyed the challenge of the close in spaces but much of it is boring back and forth.
 
If you want to try out and see if you want to drive a fork lift for a career, start out by getting into one of the big box retailers like
home depot or lowes, they will train you for counter balance, order picker and reach. I have worked driving fork lifts in a number of factories,operating reach and counter balance. Although the training you would recieve in the big box stores is a bit on the relaxed side, it is the most challenging to drive in, tight spaces, really odd shaped pallets, customers in the way.
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