Stair climbing hand trucks are essential for delivery companies who need to move either heavy or bulky items. They are ideal for taking large, unwieldy items up or down stairs, or over curbs and steps.
The wheels that are fitted to a stair climbing hand truck come in threes – a configuration of three wheels on three spindles 120o from each other. Each wheel has its own axle and can spin independently. Two three-wheel arrangements sit on either side of a central axle, to which the center part of the arrangement is attached.
When the hand truck is pushed along a flat surface, two of the three wheels fall naturally to provide mobility, while the third sits above them unused. This means that stair climbing hand trucks are extremely versatile, as they can be used as a normal truck when it comes to transportation – and not just for ascending and descending stairs.
The real benefit of a stair climbing hand truck comes when a delivery is required to a location that is only accessible via stairwells. Without the stair climbing properties of such hand trucks, boxes would have to be carried by hand. This would of course take a significant amount of wasted time and effort, which in turn could turn into wasted revenue.
The three-wheel arrangement means that there is always a wheel that’s in contact with the stairs at all times, providing helpful traction. This makes it much easier to transport bulky items – or a selection of items all at one time.
Most material handling equipment suppliers will stock a wide range of stair climbing hand trucks, suitable for a large selection of possible step heights. These multiple designs also mean that they’re suitable for different weights and load sizes.
How Stair Climbing Trucks Can Improve Your Efficiency
Stair climbing hand trucks are the perfect choice for heavy loads that need to be carried either up or down stairs. If you’re a delivery company that seems to encounter stairs on a regular basis as you make your deliveries, then you need to consider purchasing a fleet of stair climbing hand trucks. Your delivery drivers will be able to deliver faster and more efficiently, and will be less fatigued at the end of their delivery day. They will also be less prone to injuries sustained by lifting heavy loads and carrying them up stairs – in particular back strains and muscle tears. Effort is still required to carry the items up stairs or steps on a truck, but the use of a stair climbing truck will mean much less effort is required than normal.
The wheel assembly on a stair climbing hand truck rotates as you pull it up the stairs, making the transition between each individual step and the next much easier. Conventional hand trucks do not have this assembly, so even though they have wheels, it still requires a great deal of physical effort to pull them up the stairs. A stair climbing hand truck makes the process much easier.
Common Applications for Stair Climbing Trucks
If you deliver appliances, such as refrigerators, washing machines, or other large products, then having accessible stair climbing hand trucks is a complete no-brainer. It would be nice if all your customers lived on the first floors of their dwellings, but that simply is not the case.
These types of trucks are ideal for delivery companies or couriers. They are also useful for companies that provide home moving services. It’s simple to imagine how much easier it would be to move heavy items using one of these trucks, as opposed to using a conventional hand truck or even worse – by hand. How many hours of productivity has your company lost in the past by your delivery drivers complaining of having a sore back?
By using a stair climbing hand truck, you are shifting the work to the truck itself, and away from yourself and your employees. The effort of delivery is significantly eased when delivery personnel are transporting items up stairs.
Cut Down on Labor With Stair Climbing Trucks
Additionally, moving large items is often seen as a two-man job (or more), whether the items are required to be moved upstairs on not. By using a stair climbing hand truck, you can leave the job to one man – freeing the second person to make his or her own deliveries, doubling your manpower. You’ll be able to make faster deliveries!
Don’t forget that a stair climbing hand truck can also be used to make deliveries that do not require the negotiation of stairs. This will increase the speed of your ‘normal’ deliveries as well.
Douglas Equipment: Helping You Choose the Best Hand Truck
Here at Douglas Equipment we can offer advice on the best stair climbing hand trucks suitable for your business. Not every hand truck is the same, and not every company’s requirements are identical. Some trucks are only capable of delivering light loads, while others have wheels that are not suitable for the environment that you work in. You may, for example, work in an environment where there’s often a significant amount of debris on the floor, or you work in environments where temperatures are hotter or colder than normal. Contact us, and we’ll enable you to make the right decision that will be the most effective for your needs.
Customer Service at Your Service!
At Douglas Equipment, we are always available for you, and your satisfaction is extremely important to us. For any questions on stair climbing hand trucks, or anything you’d like to know about the many material-handling products that we provide, just call our customer service team toll free at 800-451-0030 or 305-888-3700 if you are in the Miami area. You can also contact us through our online form. We look forward to helping you find the best stair climbing hand truck for your company’s needs.
