Reach Truck training in Derby
Built for narrow aisles and high racking. The mast or forks reach forward to pick and place pallets without the truck itself moving.
Photo: Reach truck.jpg by Yiddophile, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
About the reach truck
A reach truck is a stand-in or sit-on electric warehouse truck designed for racked storage. Its outriggers (straddle legs) run under the load for stability, and a pantograph or moving-mast mechanism lets the forks "reach" forward into the racking and retract again. That means the chassis stays in the aisle and the truck needs far less room to turn than a counterbalance.
Reach trucks lift much higher than most counterbalance trucks — 10 to 13 metres is common — so operators work with tilting cabs, mast cameras and height pre-selectors on modern machines. Because the forks sit above the operator's eye line for most of the shift, judging fork position at height is the core skill the course develops.
The operator sits side-on to the direction of travel, which takes a little getting used to. Our instructors cover the controls, the limited visibility over the outriggers, and safe practice at height before any racking work begins.
What the course covers
- Pre-use checks including outriggers, reach mechanism and battery
- Sideways seating position, steering and pedal layout
- Reach and retract technique in and out of racking
- Placing and retrieving pallets at full height
- Aisle discipline, pedestrians and racking damage
- Battery changing or charging and parking
On-site, on your truck
We bring an accredited instructor to your premises in Derby or anywhere in Derbyshire. You provide the truck and a safe working area; we provide everything else, including the theory material, test papers and HSE-recognised certificate. Novice, semi-experienced, refresher and conversion packages are all available for this truck.
Reach Truck training questions
Is a reach truck licence the same as a counterbalance licence?
No. They are different categories of truck with different handling characteristics, so each needs its own training and certificate. Experienced counterbalance drivers can do a shorter conversion course onto reach.
What height do you train to?
To the working height of your racking and your truck's maximum lift. Candidates will place and retrieve pallets at the top beam as part of the course.
Do you train on double-deep reach trucks too?
Yes — see our separate page on double-deep reach trucks, which we treat as a distinct category because of the extended pantograph.
Need operators certificated in Derby or Derbyshire?