Patent ID: 6997506

Claim:
In a service vehicle including a chassis having two spaced frame members extending longitudinally of the vehicle, one on each side of the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle; ground engaging means on said chassis whereby the vehicle may traverse the underlying terrain; a generally horizontal deck mounted on said chassis for receiving and carrying a load to be transported and extending to each side of said centerline; and a loading/unloading apparatus mounted on said vehicle at a location to one side of said centerline and operable to locate on or remove from a load on said deck; the improvement wherein: said deck includes a generally horizontal plate defining an upper deck surface and at least two spaced elongated box beams supporting said plate and extending longitudinally of said centerline generally parallel and in proximity to a respective one of said frame members and secured thereto, and a plurality of cross braces secured to and extending between said box beams below said plate at spaced locations along said centerline, said loading/unloading apparatus being secured to said deck on one side of said centerline at a location on the opposite side of one of said box beams from said centerline.