Years ago I switched to the pintle style hitch with a ball hitch combined into it. For me it isn't needless since I use several trailers on a regular basis and with this hitch I don't have to change it very often. For risk management of a company, I can see where they want to reduce liability, but the hitch only sticks back there about 8". Logic tells me the only folks upset would be the ones that hit them. If someone does a lot of damage to their vehicle by hitting a hitch on the vehicle in front of them, just think of the extra damage they would have caused to the front vehicle. I think it is the obligation of all of us to limit the risk to ourselves since we can't control the actions of others. Nobody should be within 8" of the rear of your vehicle when driving.
To be very clear, I don't put the hitch back there for the purpose of causing damage to others. I use my hitch on a regular basis with several different trailers and it would be a real pain for me to constantly remove it. My RV trailers are the only trailers that I have that use a different hitch. Having said that, my hitch has saved me from a lot of damage over the decades from other folks who hit me from behind. Besides, if I did remove it, I would have to put it inside my pickup where it would be just laying there for when I need it. With my luck, someone would hit me in a violent wreck and that hitch would become a projectile within the cab, hurting or killing someone. I would rather just leave it in the receiver where it is safe.
