If you drive in Iowa, your truck has to handle a little of everything. Commutes into town, a stop at the hardware store, and a Saturday project that turns into three trips. Picking the right truck bed length is less about bragging rights and more about making your week easier. The common choices are 5-foot-7, 6-foot-4, and 8-foot. Here’s a simple way to choose based on what you actually haul most weeks (not one big haul once a year), especially if you’re shopping RAM Trucks.

Start with what you haul in a normal week, not your biggest “once a year” load

Bed length is about frequency and convenience. The best bed is the one that fits your routine without making daily driving a chore.

Think about what shows up again and again: a couple sheets of drywall for a basement room, fence posts for an acreage repair, or bags of salt and a snowblower when winter hits. Maybe it’s youth sports gear that seems to multiply, or the stuff that goes with a small trailer (straps, jack, ramps, cooler). Those “normal week” loads matter more than the one time you hauled a full pallet of something.

Do one practical check: measure the longest item you carry often, not the longest item you might carry someday. Also keep bed width in mind, especially between the wheel wells, because that can decide whether a toolbox, bike, or sheet good sits flat.

A 2 minute measuring checklist you can do in your driveway

• Measure the longest item you haul at least a few times a month.

• Decide if it must lay flat, like plywood, a mower, or a tote that can’t tip.

• Count the trips per month, not per year.

• Be honest about tailgate-down driving (it’s fine sometimes, but annoying all the time).
   Also glance at payload and whether you have enough tie-down points for how you secure loads.

What each bed length is best at (and what it makes harder)

A shorter bed usually means easier parking, tighter turning, and less stress in downtown lots. A longer bed usually means fewer “how am I going to fit this?” moments.

5-foot-7 bed: easiest to live with day to day, but you will use the tailgate more

This is a great match for commuting, school drop-offs, and light DIY runs. It’s also nice if you park in tighter spots or your garage is short. The tradeoff shows up with plywood and longer lumber; you’ll use the tailgate down more often, and you’ll want good straps.

6-foot-4 bed: the sweet spot for mixed work and weekend plans

For many Iowa drivers, this is the balanced choice. It handles more building materials, bikes, and camping gear without feeling oversized in town. If you’re a homeowner who does weekend projects, tows now and then, or hauls small equipment, this size tends to fit your life well.

8-foot bed: maximum cargo room when the job comes first

If you haul long items often, carry contractor loads, or move farm supplies week after week, the 8-foot bed is hard to beat. The downsides are real, a longer wheelbase, tougher parking, and a higher chance it won’t fit in a typical garage.

Match bed length to your cab, parking life, and towing plans

Cab size changes everything. A bigger cab plus a long bed can feel like a bus in a crowded grocery lot, especially on snowy days when spaces shrink. A shorter bed with a roomy cab can be easier to live with if you’re in town a lot.

Bed length also doesn’t automatically mean more towing. Towing ratings depend on the truck’s build, but bed length can affect stability, hitch access, and where you store gear like chains, blocks, and tie-downs. Before you pick, measure your garage length and think about where you park at work.

Quick picks: which bed fits you best this week?

• Mostly commuting, errands, school runs: 5-foot-7

• DIY projects most weekends, plus family driving: 6-foot-4

• Hauling long materials often, jobsite first: 8-foot

• Bikes, camping, and Home Depot trips: 6-foot-4

Conclusion

Choose a bed length based on the loads you carry most weeks, and your daily parking reality. If you’re constantly dropping the tailgate, you might want more bed. If you’re squeezing into winter-packed lots, shorter can feel better. Compare the sizes in person and ask about tie-downs, bed liners, and add-ons that match your routine. When you’re ready to shop RAM Trucks, Fort Dodge CDJR is a solid place to start.