flatbed truck A flatbed has a solid bed, usually of wooden planks. There is no roof and no fixed sides. To retain the load there are often low sides which may be
hinged down for loading, as a 'drop-side' truck. A 'stake truck' has no sides but has steel upright
stanchions, which may be removable, again used to retain the load. Loads are retained by being manually tied down with ropes. The bed of a flatbed truck has tie-down hooks around its edge and techniques such as a
trucker's hitch are used to tighten them. They can then drive the vehicle away for repair without needing to tow it. This allows a faster journey, does not require a driver in the vehicle being towed, and allows a damaged vehicle to be recovered when it cannot be towed. As these flat beds usually slope gradually to the rear, unlike the level bed of a cargo flatbed, they are known as 'beavertails'. Some tow truck beds are demountable and may be lowered behind the truck for easy loading, then both bed and load winched back aboard as one. == Railway flatbeds ==