What Is a Flatbed Truck? Definition, Meaning and Concept

A flatbed truck, also known as a hand truck, is a flat sheet of metal that has wheels on the bottom and a handle on the back, to allow someone to stand behind it and push it. These trucks are used in industrial settings to help people quickly transport a large number of items or very heavy items. They also have uses in the hospitality industry and other settings where items must be moved quickly.


In most cases, both the handle and the bed of each truck are metal. Some have rubber on top of the flat metal sheet to help keep items in place. Others have raised sides to try to accomplish the same task. Most have wheels that can turn slightly so it's not hard to turn corners.


While most people may not have a flatbed truck in their homes, you will likely find them quite often. One can find a two-tier flatbed truck, also known as a flatbed truck, in schools, hospitals, offices, and libraries. Teachers often use them to move audiovisual equipment, nurses may use them to bring meals to patients, mail room clerks frequently use them to distribute mail, and librarians may use them to store books. Also, restaurants and caterers often use them to move food from one place to another.


Retail store employees can use multi-tier rack trucks, with more than two shelves, to transport merchandise from the back warehouse to the sales floor or unload deliveries from truckloads. Sometimes these trucks don't have traditional handles, but rather a small one that extends from the edge of the top shelf. This helps prevent them from being tall and difficult to operate.


Another type of flatbed truck that can be in a store is a security truck. This is a flatbed truck that has a mesh box around it. Often the box doors are secured with some type of padlock. This ensures that people who have access to the truck can move the merchandise but cannot remove it without proper authorization.


Some varieties of large industrial flatbed trucks can hold more than 2,500 pounds (1,133.9 kilograms). This can allow even a relatively small person to move a large load with little risk of injury. When using a flatbed truck, the operator must remember to push the truck and not the merchandise on it. If the merchandise is pushed, it could come off the front of the truck, which could lead to accidents, injuries, or broken items.