Pickup truck Buyers choose them for a reason: they have to haul stuff.

Pickup trucks are built to carry things in the bed first and foremost. They’re engineered entirely for that reason, especially around the rear suspension, where they have to be high enough and tough enough to carry incredibly heavy payloads. Four-wheel-drive pickup trucks also have to ride high off the ground for good off-road clearance.

Unfortunately, the same traits that make pickup trucks such good workhorses also make it tough to climb way up, high off the ground, into the truck’s bed.

Here are some solutions from the big three pickup truck makers.

FORD

Ford came up with a great solution to solve this problem. Called the Tailgate Step, it was first introduced on the 2008 F-Series Super Duty, and now it’s widely available across Ford’s pickup truck lineup.

Made of high-strength steel, this step is integrated into the tailgate and can be extended to offer an easier step up into the pickup truck bed. It also has grab handles that help make the climb easier.

CHEVY AND GMC

Starting with their new 2014 pickup truck models, Chevrolet and GMC have an even simpler solution. The redesigned trucks have a step carved out of the corners of the rear bumper.

It’s amazing that pickup truck makers haven’t done this before. The notched corners have rubberized bottoms to keep you from slipping, making it easy to get a footing and lift yourself up into the bed.

RAM

For 2013, the Ram 1500 pickup truck makes loading cargo easier with a simple solution: central power locking via a remote control.
The truck’s keyless entry system will unlock the doors just like usual. In addition, though, it also activates the power locks in the tailgate and optional RamBox storage system, so you can lock or unlock all the cargo storage places with just one click.