A tail lift, also known as a lifting platform, is a truck's tailboard that may be lowered to the road's level for simpler loading and unloading. The tail lift can be tilted from vertical to horizontal and then lowered or lifted horizontally, which is normally accomplished directly or indirectly through hydraulic cylinders. It can be controlled from the loading platform or via controls on the truck's side.

Many tail lifts are hydraulic or pneumatic in operation, but they can also be mechanical and operated by an operator through the use of an electric relay switch. A tail lift can be used to load large things into a vehicle without the need for machinery such as a forklift truck, or it can be used to bridge the height gap between a loading dock and the vehicle load bed. Tail lifts are available for a wide range of vehicle sizes, from basic vans to articulated lorries, and can help your business in a variety of ways.

Tail-lifts are ideal for professional lorry operators who move products in and out of their vehicles. However, the penalties of not maintaining one efficiently or delaying repairs on a malfunctioning unit can do far more damage to freight carriers than a logistical difficulty.