A walkie is a powered pallet jack operated by an operator walking alongside the equipment.
Detailed Definition
A walkie is an electric pallet truck or stacker driven by an operator who walks with it, steering and controlling travel and lift through a handle called a tiller. Walkies fall in industry Class III, electric motor hand trucks. They replace manual pallet jacks where loads are heavier or moves are longer. Some models, called walkie-riders, add a small platform so the operator can ride on longer runs. Operators need training and evaluation under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.178.
Choosing between manual, walkie and rider trucks
A manual pallet jack is cheapest but relies on the operator's effort to start, stop and steer heavy loads. A walkie adds powered travel and lift, which reduces physical strain and makes longer moves practical. A rider pallet truck carries the operator and suits long distances such as cross-docks and order picking. Match the truck to load weight, travel distance, ramps and the number of moves per shift.
Safe walkie operation
- Walk to the side of the tiller, not in front of the forks, and keep feet clear of the truck frame.
- On ramps, follow the manufacturer's and OSHA's rules for load direction and speed, and never ride the forks.
- Know how the belly-button reversing switch on the tiller head and the emergency disconnect work.
- Insert the forks fully so the load wheels clear the bottom deck before lifting.
Walkies in pallet receiving
Walkies are common at docks, in grocery and retail stores and in back rooms. They can move most stringer pallets from the ends and block pallets from any side with open bottom deck spaces, but they cannot use the stringer notches on partial four-way pallets.
Authoritative Sources
- Material Handling Institute (MHI): the largest US trade association for material handling, logistics, and supply chain technologies.
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): the US federal agency whose 29 CFR 1910 standards govern warehouse pallet handling and storage.
Related Glossary Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
Do walkie operators need forklift certification?
OSHA's powered industrial truck standard covers motorized hand trucks such as walkies, so operators need formal instruction, practical training and an evaluation of their performance on that type of truck. The employer certifies this, and performance must be re-evaluated at least once every three years. Training on a sit-down forklift does not automatically cover a walkie, so evaluate operators on the equipment they will actually use.
What is the difference between a walkie and a walkie stacker?
A walkie pallet truck lifts a pallet only a few inches, enough to clear the floor for travel. A walkie stacker has a mast and can lift pallets to stacking or low rack heights. Both are walk-behind Class III trucks, but stackers call for extra training on handling loads at height and on how rated capacity changes as the forks go higher.