I've often wondered if cargo rating wouldn't be a more useful figure than payload rating for a particular truck.

For those unfamiliar Cargo Rating is Payload minus 150 lb per available seating position.

With a 2000 lb payload a Regular Cab would have a 1550 lb Cargo Rating and a Bench Seat Crew Cab would have a 1100 lb Cargo Rating. I regularly see the published numbers for 3/4 ton and up but rarely for half tons.

 

"They" will never do that because the common consumer is too ignorant to the actual purpose of the ratings. The Pay Load number is bigger thus more marketable.

 

Why would anyone consider having to perform additional calculations (subtracting 150lb from all present occupants, then adding in 150lb for all empty seats) useful? Just give me the payload so I can subtract all the shiz and aces in the truck to find my tongue capacity.

 

The problem is the typical owner just wants to know how much can I put in the bed or pull. They don't do any math at all.

I concede after thinking about if that the only fix is education.

 

For anyone that doesn't do any math at all, knowing the cargo capacity would be a useless fact.

 

Unfortunately, a good portion of the population either doesn't care, or fits George Carlin's view of the world. Figure a few hundred people, maybe a few thousand, have come to this forum asking for advice. Hundreds of thousands tow totally ignorant of safety. Darwin wins sometimes.