Abstract: Flat, flexible articles such as carpets are commonly transported on wooden pallets, which are prone to breakage, and which must be returned for re-use after the articles have been delivered to their destination. A simple solution to the problem is to provide a pallet assembly which forms the floor of a truck or tailer, and which includes a casing, a cover on the casing with a load supporting surface, a plurality of support bars vertical slidable in the cover for movement between a lower position substantially flush with the load supporting surface of the cover and an elevated position in which the load is supported by the support bars only, and a drive mechanism at each end of the support bars for simultaneously moving all of the support bars between the lower position and the elevated position. In the elevated position, the forks of a forklift truck can be inserted between the support bars for transferring a load to such bars or for removing a load therefrom.