Call them whatever you want, flat beds, truck beds or flat decks, the truth is, they are nearly perfect for trucks that do real work. At Expertec, we’ve been installing, building, and accessorizing flat beds for years and the current trends in trucks allow fleet managers and tradesmen to finally use all the space they create.
Why?
Simple – remember 30 years ago, when you could actually reach over the sides of the bed on a “regular” truck and get to what you needed in the bed? The old mini-trucks by Nissan and Toyota were perfect for this – you actually reached DOWN to get stuff OUT of the bed!
Tried that with a new truck lately? It’s not happening unless you’re a professional basketball player!
On the other hand, todays trucks with their increased ride height actually support flat decks better than ever. How? With the chassis sitting higher, the company using flatbeds for their fleet or work truck is able to easily add under deck tool boxes and storage and MAKE MORE SPACE.
Think about this: Even if you’ve got a one ton dually, the amount of space in the bed is still limited unless you’re stacking gear. Can you easily fit a pallet in the bed?
Will anything else fit in it easily once you finally get that pallet in place? No! You end up wasting valuable time unloading everything else to (maybe) get the primary load out of the bed.
That doesn’t happen with a flatbed, because you have options. Do you need sides on it? Is it steel? Aluminum? Wooden floor?
You’ll never get those options from the company that built your truck, but you can get them from Expertec with the right flatbed.
Now, you might be thinking, “This is all true about flat beds, but we always haul with a trailer, so there’s no need to covert to a flat deck.”
Funny thing, how hard is it to hook up that trailer with a regular bed? You can’t see the ball! If you’ve ever hooked up a fifth wheel, gooseneck, or even a regular bumper hitch with a flat deck, you can see it easily, navigate it even easier. With the right flat bed, you can just reach over and lock it down. No more clambering up and trying to latch everything and hope you don’t crack your head or your ankle getting down.
There’s one more subtle benefit of flatbeds – they’re tough as can be. Little or no paint to scratch, no tailgate to dent, no body damage to pound out or replace. How many fender flares have you or your company replaced on the dually trucks in your fleet? For the money saved on body damage over the life of a truck, you can have the customized flat bed you want, perfectly suited to your needs, and ensure your fleet always looks great on the jobsite or around town.
Who wants to do business with a company that doesn’t take care of its own assets? The right flatbed gives you a tool you and your team can use, a customized solution that perfectly meets your needs, and long-term durability that lasts as long as the truck is in service.
It’s a no-brainer!
Expertec has been handling flat deck installations for decades and we wanted to communicate the value flat beds offer, but the truth is, opinions are sometimes hard to change. Our advice? Contact us to discuss your requirements and determine if a flatbed makes sense for you and your team.