Low-floor bus support structure

A support structure for a low-floor bus having front ground-contacting wheels and rear ground-contacting wheels, said support structure comprising:

• (a) a floor support structure having a front end and a read end, wherein said floor support structure configured to receive front side rails on said front end of said floor support structure and rear side rails on said rear end of said floor support structure;
• and
• (b) a first transfer case disposed on said front end of said floor support structure, wherein said first transfer case is configured to receive a first drive shaft from the low-floor bus on a first end of said first transfer case and to receive a second drive shaft on a rear end of said first transfer case,
• wherein said floor support structure further comprises a front manifold, a rear manifold, a support structure connecting said front manifold and said rear manifold and a gap in each of said front manifold and said rear manifold to accommodate the second drive shaft, the second drive shaft is configured to mechanically connect said first transfer case with a differential to drive the rear ground-contacting wheels on a ground and the second drive shaft is configured to be disposed at a first level with respect to the ground, an output of the second drive shaft is configured to be received at the differential at a second level with respect to the ground and the first level is lower than the second level.