Vehicle-mountable cargo carrier for portable rumble strips

A method for deploying and retrieving portable rumble strips from a roadway surface, comprising the steps of:

• mounting a support surface on a vehicle having a width dimension, a height dimension, and a depth dimension, the support surface being configured to support multiple portable rumble strips and to move between a deployment position having a first overall width in the width dimension and a transit position having a second overall width in the width dimension that is less than the first overall width, wherein the overall width is distance between a first end of the support surface and a second end of the support surface, wherein the support surface is divided into at least two segments that are movable relative to one another to alter the overall width of the support surface between the first overall width and the second overall width, the width of the support surface being parallel to the width dimension of the vehicle;
• moving the vehicle from a first location to a second location removed from the first location while the support surface is in the transit position;
• moving the support surface from the transit position to the deployment position;
• and
• moving portable rumble strips from a roadway surface to the support surface or from the support surface to the roadway surface;
• wherein the step of moving portable rumple strips from a roadway surface to the support surface or from the support surface to the roadway surface includes remotely controlling a device configured to deploy and retrieve rumble strips from a roadway.

A cargo carrier for portable rumble strips that is mountable to a vehicle, comprising:

• a support surface that is configured to support multiple portable rumble strips and to move between a deployment position having a first overall width and a transit position having a second overall width that is less than the first overall width, wherein the overall width is distance between a first end of the support surface and a second end of the support surface, a frame defining the support surface and one or more upright elements extending in a common direction from the support surface to define an upwardly-opening volume for receipt of one or more portable rumble strips, and the support surface having a depth dimension and a width dimension greater than the depth dimension;
• wherein the support surface is divided along the width dimension into at least three planar segments that are movable relative to one another to remain parallel to corresponding movable portions of a remotely-controlled device to alter the overall width of the support surface, the three planar segments including a center portion and lateral portions extending from opposing sides of the center portion, the lateral portions being pivotable between extended positions aligned with the center portion in a horizontal orientation and retracted positions inclined relative to the center portion,
• the remotely-controlled device includes a center portion and lateral portions pivotally movable relative to the center portion, and is configured to move rumble strips between a roadway and the support surface without changing the orientation of the rumble strip.

A method for deploying and retrieving portable rumble strips from a roadway surface, comprising the steps of:

• mounting a support surface on a vehicle having a width dimension, a height dimension, and a depth dimension, the support surface being configured to support multiple portable rumble strips and to move between a deployment position having a first overall width in the width dimension and a transit position having a second overall width in the width dimension that is less than the first overall width, wherein the overall width is distance between a first end of the support surface and a second end of the support surface, wherein the support surface is divided into at least two segments that are movable relative to one another to alter the overall width of the support surface between the first overall width and the second overall width, the width of the support surface being parallel to the width dimension of the vehicle;
• moving the vehicle from a first location to a second location removed from the first location while the support surface is in the transit position;
• moving the support surface from the transit position to the deployment position;
• and
• moving portable rumble strips from a roadway surface to the support surface or from the support surface to the roadway surface,
• wherein the support surface has three segments, a center portion and lateral portions extending from opposing sides of the center portion, the lateral portions being movable between extended positions aligned with the center portion in a horizontal orientation and inclined relative to the center portion in retracted positions, wherein the deployment position comprises the extended position, wherein the transit position comprises the retracted position,
• wherein the step of moving the support surface from the transit position to the deployment position comprises moving the lateral portions from the retracted position to the deployment position.