The going idea here in Texas is that there's work to be done in the back of a truck, so it makes things a little more convenient if the Help doesn't need to be constantly jumping in and out of the bed. And also, sometimes you just plain have more bodies than seats and no vans to move them.
The fact that it makes life easier on families with very little means is a bonus. Though a semi-popular modification is to do what Australians do with their Utes: scavenge a bench or a couple of bucket seats from another truck and bolt them into the bed (making sure they're bolting into the frame rails underneath), just behind the cab and facing backwards. Put a roll bar on for just in case, and you have perfectly safe seating complete with seat belts.
Regarding the cover, I wouldn't want to mess up their costumes with 75mph slipstream.
The fact that it makes life easier on families with very little means is a bonus. Though a semi-popular modification is to do what Australians do with their Utes: scavenge a bench or a couple of bucket seats from another truck and bolt them into the bed (making sure they're bolting into the frame rails underneath), just behind the cab and facing backwards. Put a roll bar on for just in case, and you have perfectly safe seating complete with seat belts.
Regarding the cover, I wouldn't want to mess up their costumes with 75mph slipstream.