Doesn’t anyone actually tow trailers with their trucks anymore? Never understood a receiver plug.
Actually, we buy out trucks to make people THINK we tow and haul stuff.
Seriously, I have two reasons. Since I don't tow all the time, I remove the ball and hitch to reduce weight (I keep it with the trailer) and 2) When backing up in a tight "city" parking spot, I don't worry about hitting someone's bumper with 10" of hitch.
As for the hitch cover, it gives the truck a cleaner look and, on the dirt road we live on, it keeps mud from accumulating in the receiver (how it gets there, I will never know--maybe the mud "jumps" into the receiver hitch?).