VMS Sign Board Sizes: What's the Difference?

What's the difference between Type A, B & C Trailer mounted message boards?

VMS signs are a common way to advertise road works, but they are equally as useful at promoting festivals, sales and promotions to local customers.

Consisting of a trailer base and a fold out large format digital sign on top, VMS displays come in three standard sizes as specified in Australian Standard AS 4852.2. They use a full LED light display, giving contractors excellent flexibility to program different types of messages.

However, the three different sizes - A, B and C - are used for different applications. Learn more about the specifications and sizes of VMS boards below.

How to work out which sized VMS you need

When choosing which VMS to buy, you’ll need to consider all the situations you could be using it for and whether a single colour or full colour unit would be best.

Next, knowing where your VMS is likely to be placed is going to give you an idea of the size you need.

If you are a civil contractor, road repair company or council, it’s possible that you’ll be using a variable message sign on many different jobs, so consider the likely areas where it would normally be placed. For example, if you work on a lot of motorway and freeway repair and maintenance projects, a larger VMS with a C sized display would be a good choice, as it can be seen from much further away and understood by motorists travelling at higher speeds.

In contrast, a council crew who normally work on smaller local roads might find an A sized VMS board is adequate.

Variable Message Sign Specifications

Colour

Some LED message boards allow for only one colour, usually yellow or amber, and others have up to 5 colours - red, white, blue, green and yellow. These can have a range of simple graphics and animations pre-programmed as well.

Other VMS uits enable full colour displays for videos and complicated high definition animations. These are great for showing high-resolution images of your products.

Board size

The different VMS sign board sizes are commonly referred to as size A, B or C, and each size has a slightly different application. Depending on the approach speed and location of the parked VMS trailer, you can ascertain whether you need a smaller or larger sign board.

Size A VMS

At the smaller end of the scale, the A size variable message sign is better for slower speed limits and closer viewing. The Size A VMS is suitable for 50 – 60km/hr speed zones and can be viewed from 100 metres away. When programming text into your VMS software, the character height should be 200mm.

Size B VMS

The mid sized VMS board is a Type B and it is a good allrounder that is suitable for speed zones ranging from 60km/hr to 90km/hr. These units can be viewed from around 200 metres away, and should have a character height of 320mm when you program in your messages.

Size C VMS

The largest units, these large VMS screens are suitable for speed zones of 90km/hr and above. They can be read from 300 metres away, and the messages you program into them have a character height of 400mm.

(Note the speeds mentioned above are ‘85th percentile approach speeds’, as per the Standard.)

Shop for VMS boards at Jaybro

Jaybro’s traffic team can assist with further information, spec sheets and quotations on variable message signs. Get in touch today for fast and friendly advice.