Conventional hydraulic dock levelers are powered up and the hydraulic lip extends, when the push button is released it is gravity down until the extended lip rests on the truck bed ready for use. During loading/unloading it is common for the truck bed to move up and down this is referred to as “float”. Vertical storing dock levelers are powered up and powered down. On the downward travel approximately 24” above the finished floor level a limit switch activates and releases the controlled descent. The dock leveler with the lip extended now softly lowers until the lip contacts the truck bed. The dock leveler is now free to float up and down during loading/unloading. The float zone is the point that the lowering dock leveler switches from powered descent to gravity descent.