Philadelphia sits at the heart of the Delaware Valley's industrial and logistics network, with the Port of Philadelphia, dense warehousing, and manufacturing across the metro area creating steady demand for material handling equipment. The city's forklift market is served by established dealers, national rental chains, multiple training providers, and a robust job market for certified operators.
Forklift Dealers in Philadelphia
Adam's Material Handling (7128 Grays Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19142) is a family-owned business with over 50 years of experience serving the Delaware Valley. Established in 1964, they specialize in new and used forklift sales, rentals, parts, and repair services for all makes and models. They also offer operator training and flexible rental options.
Pengate provides complete material handling solutions across Philadelphia, including emergency service, planned maintenance, rentals, parts, operator training, warehouse automation, and equipment sales. They serve businesses throughout the region with factory-trained technicians and genuine OEM parts.
Independent Lift Truck (410 W Sedgley Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19140) specializes exclusively in lift trucks and material handling equipment. Contact: (215) 634-4454.
Jerry Walters Forklift Sales & Service (4663 Torresdale Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19124) offers truck dealer services for the Philadelphia area. Contact: (215) 535-3344.
PhilaForklifts.com provides quality forklift sales and service in Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley, with nearly 100 used lifts in stock. They offer repairs, rebuilds, operator training, and short/long-term rentals.
Stephenson Equipment serves Pennsylvania with rough-terrain forklifts and construction equipment, representing brands including JCB.
UniCarrier and Combilift are available through a certified dealer serving Lancaster, Chester, and York counties with multiple models in stock ready for sale and rental.
Forklift Rentals in Philadelphia
United Rentals (3880 E Thompson St, Philadelphia, PA 19137) offers a wide variety of equipment including forklifts and telehandlers, aerial lifts, earthmoving equipment, power tools, air compressors, and welders. They also sell used equipment from manufacturers such as Genie, SkyTrak, and CASE. Hours: Mon-Fri, 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Contact: (215) 744-4510.
H&E Equipment Services opened its first Pennsylvania branch at 2500 Wheatsheaf Lane in Philadelphia. The 15,400-sq.-ft. facility sits on 27.5 acres with a fully fenced yard and a repair shop with six service bays. The branch specializes in rentals of telescopic forklifts, aerial lifts, earthmoving machinery, compaction equipment, generators, and more. Brands include Case, Gehl, Genie, JCB, JLG, Skyjack, SkyTrak, Taylor, John Deere, Kubota, and others.
Herc Rentals offers daily, weekly, and monthly rates for construction and industrial equipment from over 610 rental locations.
Equipment Depot serves the Philadelphia metro with electric lift trucks, pallet jacks, and other project essentials, with three locations across the metro area.
Forklift Training and Certification
Forklift operators in Philadelphia must meet OSHA requirements under 29 CFR 1910.178, which requires formal instruction, practical training, and a performance evaluation.
Karl Environmental provides professional training for operators in the Greater Philadelphia and Reading area, as well as Train-the-Trainer certification for employers wanting to train their own staff. Their comprehensive training includes class-based instruction on pre-operations checks, hands-on demonstrations, and performance evaluations. Upon completion, students receive a Certificate of Training and a wallet-sized Training Card. On-site training is available. Contact: 1-800-527-5581.
Pengate offers OSHA-compliant Forklift Operator Training including classroom or e-learning instruction, hands-on forklift practice, and performance evaluations for certification and recertification every three years. They also offer Virtual Reality Simulator Training for risk-free practice of real-world warehouse scenarios.
Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters Technical Center (10401 Decatur Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19154) offers an 8-hour forklift class teaching basic operations and safety measures. Contact: (215) 824-2300. Students must provide their own safety shoes, goggles, gloves, ear protection, and hard hats.
Total Equipment Training provides comprehensive on-site training for forklift and heavy equipment certification in Philadelphia.
Express Employment Professionals partners with ForkliftTraining.com to ensure operators have OSHA-compliant certification when placed at client companies.
Online certification is available through providers like CertifyMe.net ($59.95) and US Forklift Certification, allowing operators to complete OSHA-compliant training online and print their certificate immediately. Certification is valid throughout Pennsylvania and nationwide.
Forklift Operator Jobs in Philadelphia
The Philadelphia job market for forklift operators is active, with wages ranging from $17 to over $26 per hour.
Salary Data:
Average hourly wage in Pennsylvania: **$19.09** (plus $5,204 average overtime per year)
Annual salary range: $41,175 to $51,700
Experienced operators: up to $25.50+/hour
Recent Job Postings:
Allied Tube and Conduit Corporation – Shipping Forklift, 1st Shift (M-F, 7AM-3PM), $21.49/hr
Comprehensive Logistics – Forklift Operator, First Shift 8AM-4PM, Monday-Friday, $41K-$53K annually
Northeast Building Products – Material Handler-Forklift Operator, minimum 3 years experience preferred
Common Requirements:
Current forklift license and certification
1-3 years sit-down forklift experience
Ability to complete daily forklift inspection reports
High School Diploma or GED (preferred)
Major employers include logistics companies, distribution centers, and manufacturing facilities across the Philadelphia metro area. Some employers are willing to train candidates who can pass forklift certification upon hire.
The Bottom Line
Philadelphia's forklift market is served by established dealers including Adam's Material Handling (family-owned since 1964), Pengate (full-service material handling solutions), Independent Lift Truck, and Stephenson Equipment. National rental chains United Rentals and H&E Equipment Services (new Philadelphia branch with telescopic forklift rentals) provide flexible short-term options. Training is available through Karl Environmental, Pengate, the Carpenters Technical Center (8-hour class), and online providers starting at $59.95. The job market is active with wages ranging from $17 to $26+ per hour and annual salaries from $41K to $52K. Certification is required for most positions and can be obtained through local in-person training or online programs valid nationwide.