A dock leveler is variable grade ramp platform that is designed to be used as a bridge between the loading dock floor surface and the surface of the load bed of a transporter vehicle. A dock leveler allows for safe and efficient loading and unloading of goods to/from a transporter vehicle using forklifts or pallet trucks. A dock leveler must be able to support extremely heavy loads. It must also must be able to service a wide range of load bed heights and accommodate unevenly distributed loads. A dock Leveler incorporates a "floating" rear hinge, otherwise known as Maintained Tilt , that allow the deck plate to tilt to accommodate canted load beds. A Dock Leveler is designed to withstand the repeated abuse of dynamic stresses, while maintaining its versatility and structural integrity. It is used for loading docks to compensate for height differences between a truck bed and the dock.