The back of a pickup truck is called a cargo bed. It is the official area for carrying big or heavy cargo in a pickup truck.
Most of the time, the cargo bed is uncovered. Therefore, it is not suitable for carrying stuff that can be affected by dust or rain.
Only construction materials, landscaping materials like mulch, ranching materials, waterproof equipment or well protected household like mattress, piano are often carried in the cargo bed of a pickup truck.
Vital Info about The Back Cargo Space
You now know what the back of a pickup truck is called. It is called a truck bed. You now need to know about truck beds in general.
The truck bed is the back part of a pickup truck. It is where you carry your topsoil, hay, or equipment in cubic measurement.
It is basically a cuboid with the top part missing. It is made of the same material as the rest of the truck’s body and has a door at the back. The door has a special name – tailgate.
All American pickup manufacturers put a special lining on their truck beds. The lining is often a tough plastic cover that protects the metal base.
It makes the base waterproof and protects it from water and the elements. It also protects cargo from the hard metal bed below it.
So when you are loading, transporting or an unloading items from a pickup truck, the lining provides your cargo with protection.
Because the lining is made of plastic, it is easy to wash. You simply need a pressure washer to blast off any dirt, dust, or grime from the bed of your truck if it has this lining.
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Truck bed cover
As mentioned above, a typical truck bed is a metal cuboid that has the top part missing. Because it is open at the top, it is called a tonneau.
Since it is open and it has a tailgate, the typical truck bed normally traps wind during movement resulting in aerodynamic drag (strong resistance to forward movement).
This is why upon purchasing a pickup truck, most people purchase a truck bed cover or a tonneau cover to cover the open area and improve aerodynamics.
By covering the tonneau, you can improve your truck’s gas mileage by between 10 and 15 percent. Simply put, a truck bed cover will enable you to travel a longer distance than you could without it.
In addition to improving aerodynamics, covering your truck bed with a truck bed cover also protects the truck bed area from wind, rain, dust, and debris.
So if you want to carry items that need protection from dust, rain, wind, or the strong sun, you need to purchase a cover to protect them.
A truck bed cover can be soft or hard. The most attractive covers are those made of hard and sturdy plastic. They are also the most expensive bed covers.
Furthermore, they also protect valuable items better. Soft covers are perfect for those simply looking for a truck bed cover.
What people put in their truck beds
The truck bed is a storage area. People use it to carry anything heavy or wide that cannot easily fit in the driver’s cabin.
Most people who own a pickup truck usually do so to carry cargo such as farm inputs such as hay, topsoil, or fertilizer. They use the truck to carry their equipment and supplies, even firewoods.
For example, many small cleaning companies have a pickup truck and they carry their cleaning tools and equipment plus supplies such as detergents in their trucks.
Lastly, it is not uncommon to see people putting a toolbox in their truck bed. Most toolboxes currently on the market are made of aluminium metal.
They have all types of tools a handyman would need to fix various issues with the truck. Toolboxes are perfect for those using their trucks to pull campers.
This is because such people often travel for long distances and are, therefore, more likely to encounter issues with their trucks or trailers. Moreover, such people are also more likely to be in a place where help if far away.
Is it legal to ride at the back of a pickup truck?
In many states across the US, there are no laws forbidding riding in a truck bed.
They include Mississippi, Minnesota, Kentucky, Illinois, Idaho, Delaware, Alaska, Alabama, Wyoming, West Virginia, Washington, Vermont, South Dakota, Oklahoma, North Dakota, New Hampshire, and Montana.
So you cannot get into legal trouble when you ride in a truck bed in these states. There are also many states across the US with laws forbidding riding in the back of a pickup truck.
They include California, New York, and Florida. In some states, you can ride in the back of a truck for work-related purposes only. These stats include New Jersey, Arizona, Florida, and Nevada.
In a number of states, you are allowed to ride in the back of a truck when you are old enough according to the state. Examples include Georgia, Kansas, New Mexico, Maine, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.
Frequent Questions & Answers
Is it legal to ride in the back of pickup truck?
Yes it is in many states, while in other states it is not. The states where it is allowed include Washington, Vermont Alabama, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, and Minnesota. The states where it is not allowed include New York and California.
What do you call truck trunk?
You call it a cargo bed.
Why is it called the bed of a truck?
It is called the bed of a truck because it is the cargo-carrying part. Previously people used to call the cargo-carrying part of a train a bed so the word was just naturally assigned to the cargo carrying part of a truck.
Is the back of an SUV called a trunk?
Yes, it is.
How big is the back of a pickup truck?
It can be 5-foot, 6-foot, 7-foot, or 8-foot long.
Conclusion
The back part of a truck is called a cargo bed. It is cuboid shaped and made of metal and has a door at the back called a tailgate. The cargo bed can be closed with a hard or soft cover to protect cargo from theft, rain, sun, or debris.
In many states across the US, you can ride in a pickup truck without getting into legal trouble. In other states, you cannot ride in the back of a pickup truck or you can under certain conditions e.g. when you are of a certain age.
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