{"id":13321,"date":"2026-06-08T09:35:32","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T08:35:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/identpro.de\/?page_id=13321"},"modified":"2026-06-08T10:13:37","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T09:13:37","slug":"reduce-empty-forklift-runs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/identpro.de\/en\/practical-questions\/reduce-empty-forklift-runs\/","title":{"rendered":"reduce-empty-forklift-runs"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Warehouse Execution System<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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How can I reduce empty runs of my forklift trucks?<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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And why do so many warehouses operate more vehicles than they actually need?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Where do empty runs come from and why are they so hard to avoid?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Every forklift truck operator driving through the warehouse without a load consumes time, energy and capacity without generating any value. That much is well known. What is less well known: in most warehouses, a significant share of all trips is structurally avoidable \u2014 not because operators are working poorly, but because assignments are not being distributed intelligently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Traditional systems assign travel orders sequentially: an order comes in, the next available operator gets it. Where that operator is currently positioned, which colleague would be closer, which combination of orders could be bundled on a single route \u2014 none of this is factored in by a human dispatcher in real time. The result: vehicles crossing paths in the warehouse, routes that overlap, and a fleet that is structurally larger than it needs to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Empty runs are not a discipline problem. They are a system failure.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n\nTalk to our experts<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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Which measures actually reduce empty runs?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Not every measure works at the same depth. Here is an overview with an assessment of when each approach makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Route optimisation and fixed driving zones<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3><\/div>
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The simplest organisational intervention: fixed zones per operator, clear routing, one-way systems in narrow aisles. Cost: low. Impact: limited.<\/strong> Zone divisions do not respond to actual workload. When Zone A is overloaded and Zone B is idle, no operator automatically switches over.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n

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Classic forklift truck guidance system<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3><\/div>
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Assignment of travel orders via display, sometimes with priority levels. Better than a purely verbal system, but static<\/strong>: order distribution is based on fixed rules, not on the actual position and utilisation of each vehicle at the moment of assignment. The system optimises according to plan, not according to reality.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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AI-based order optimisation in real time<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>
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The system knows the exact position of every vehicle at every moment and assigns orders dynamically: which vehicle is closest? Which orders can be bundled on a single route? Where are bottlenecks forming right now? The answers to these questions change every second and the system responds accordingly. Empty runs are not reduced; they are structurally avoided through more intelligent routing.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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Summary: The first two options improve individual aspects. Only the third addresses the root cause: the missing real-time intelligence in order distribution.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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What do too many empty runs actually cost?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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The visible costs are diesel, electricity and tyre wear. The real costs are far greater.<\/p>\n\n\n