A necessity for most roadworks jobs, variable message boards come in a variety of sizes and types can be found in plentiful supply in most small plant dry hire suppliers in Australia. These days, most message boards are powered by solar power and are trailer mounted. This means they can be easily towed into place, levelled using small feet and run without a generator or power supply. The most common type in our industry is the amber LED variants. You can find 5 colour or full colour LED signs, but these are usually deployed as business promotion tools, rather than commuter safety in and around roadworks and civil jobs (unless of course you're a civil project manager with a bit of flair).

On bigger jobs, particularly ones that impact road traffic throughout the duration of the construction, project managers will employ a traffic management specialist supplier. These suppliers will provide all the traffic management equipment and people required to divert and manage traffic around the job. But from time to time, users on iseekplant come to the platform looking for just a variable message board on short or long term hire for use around the site.

Below are the common types of variable message boards available for hire (from a range of suppliers on our site) and average hire rates across Australia that you can expect to pay for weekly hire of these boards.

Typical Trailer Mounted Variable Message Board Hire Rates

• Amber yellow variable message board sign hire rates- trailer mounted, single-sided: $300 per week
• 5 colour LED variable message board sign hire rates- trailer mounted, single-sided: $600 per week
• Full colour electric variable message board sign hire rates- trailer or wall-mounted, single-sided: $1000 per week
• LED electric variable message board sign hire rate- trailer mounted, double-sided: $450 per week
• Portable traffic lights hire rates- trailer-mounted: $500 per week

Trailer mounted variable message boards are super handy to get on and off site because they hook up to a ute's tow bar and can be moved around the site with ease. They do come in a range of sizes, widths and heights. However, the most common sizes are 200cm, 3oocm and 4oocm wide (400cm is a about the widest for a trailer mount).

With the trailer-mounted VMS you can also save yourself the cost of delivery or transport from the hire company if you go to their depot and pick them up. They are fairly durable too, they usually have shatterproof perspex covers and a steel cage so you can lock the sign up at night. A trailer-mounted VMS will easily be the most low maintenance piece of plant on your site.

Other variable message board hire rates

• Arrow board amber LED message board sign hire rate- trailer mounted, single sided: $150 per week
• Fold up (tripod) 5 colour LED variable message board sign hire rate- free standing, single sided: $250 per week
• Speed advisory boards amber LED message board sign hire rate- trailer mounted, single sided: $400 per week

Most of the suppliers on iseekplant who offer variable message boards for hire also offer lighting towers and some offer other site solutions such as generators, welders, air compressors, and site sheds.

How to get the best Variable Message Board hire rates

iseekplant specialises in getting quotes for people looking for construction gear. Click here to use iseekplant's Get Rates tool and we will get you the best quote for your job, completely free of charge!

Learn more about what you should be paying from our comprehensive machine hire rates guide.