Loading Dock Levelers are designed to are used to support extremely heavy loads, service a wide range of truck heights, and compensate for tilted trucks. 

Unlike loading dock boards and dock plates that are made to be moved from bay to bay, loading dock levelers are installed onto the bay dock itself and are a permanent fixture.

Mechanical Loading Dock Levelers are spring based upwards and incorporate a hold down mechanism, while Hydraulic Dock Levelers are powered by an electrohydraulic system. While the initial cost of a mechanical dock leveler is less than a hydraulic unit, the long term operating cost for a hydraulic dock leveler is generally lower.

Vertical Loading Dock Levelers are stored or parked in a vertical position.  When loading or unloading a truck, they are lowered at a controlled rate until they rest on the bed of the trailer. After the loading/unloading operations are finished, they are raised back up to the vertical (stored) position.

Edge of Dock Levelers are usually mounted to the face of the loading dock and are an economical alternative to loading dock plates or pit levelers if the dock and trailer bed height difference is minimal.