Driver Messaging · Variable Message Signs
Portable message signs, up in minutes.
Lightweight, durable message signs that one person sets up on a post, pole, trailer or vehicle hitch, show up to six screens of text, chevrons and images, and update from anywhere.
Choose your sign
The compact folding message sign: 29 lbs, two lines of six characters or one line of four large ones, on a portable post, pole, trailer or vehicle hitch. Battery, solar, AC or trailer power.
Product sheet (PDF) →The larger folding sign: 43 lbs, folds in half to fit a car trunk, and one person deploys or takes it down in a couple of minutes. Welded aluminum, shatterproof Lexan and a graffiti-resistant finish, built to last more than a decade.
Product sheet (PDF) →A larger 30 × 60-inch dual-color LED board for semi-permanent sites: four lines of 6-inch text down to one line of 30-inch characters, animated text or graphics, a speed display and a flashing violator strobe. Mounts on a pole, sign hitch or the Cruiser VMS trailer.
Product sheet (PDF) →Hitch mounted
Your patrol car is the sign stand.
Mount the sign on a vehicle hitch and the message goes wherever the vehicle goes: community events, changed traffic patterns, incident scenes and work zones. It folds back into the trunk when the job's done.
Every Variable Message Signs system is cloud connected
In the field
Proven on real roads
Resources
Frequently asked questions
18 or 24?
The 18 (30 × 20 inches, 29 lbs) suits short messages read at lower speeds. The 24 (60 × 28 inches, 43 lbs) carries more text at a larger size and folds in half for transport.
How long does setup take?
A couple of minutes, by one person. Plug in the battery pack and switch the sign on.
What can it display?
Up to six screens of custom text, chevrons and images: emergency alerts, travel times, detours, parking and event locations, weather updates, pedestrian crossings and more.
Can it show live conditions?
Yes. Messages can change on live inputs such as road or air temperature, water levels, weather alerts, timers or parking availability.
How long will it last?
More than a decade of year-round use: a welded aluminum enclosure, shatterproof Lexan and a graffiti-resistant powder coat.
Tell us where the messages go and how often they change. We'll recommend the size, the mounting and the power.
Talk to a messaging expert →Service agreements put technicians on site for repairs, calibrations and firmware updates, extend warranties and leave detailed records after every visit, and every sign comes with free one-on-one training.
Explore our service plans →Ready to make your streets safer?
A TAPCO engineer looks at your street, your budget and your timeline, and comes back with a plan.