The HANKUN HK-TMVMS-1618-26-A is a large truck-mounted variable message sign (VMS) with a 96 × 36 amber pixel matrix, single line of 8 characters, or three lines, and a character height of 450.0 mm (17.72 in) on a single line — on a 1728 × 648 mm (68.03 × 25.51 in) active display area, powered from the vehicle it is mounted on.
Model HK-TMVMS-1618-26-A LargeAmberTruck-Mounted
| Active Display Area | Max Character Height | Pixel Structure | Display Colour | Cabinet Dimensions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1728 × 648 mm / 68.03 × 25.51 in | 450.0 mm (17.72 in) single line · 216.0 mm (8.50 in) × 3 lines | 96 × 36 pixels ｜ full-matrix structure (every pixel addressable); per-pixel LED count confirmed per configuration | Amber. A five-colour configuration of the same platform is available: its pixel carries up to 17 LEDs — 4 red, 4 amber, 3 green, 3 blue, 3 white. | 1928 × 848 mm (100 mm border basis; depth 200–250 mm) |
The HANKUN HK-TMVMS-1618-26-A is a large truck-mounted variable message sign (VMS) with a 96 × 36 amber pixel matrix, single line of 8 characters, or three lines, and a character height of 450.0 mm (17.72 in) single line — on a 1728 × 648 mm (68.03 × 25.51 in) active display area, powered from the vehicle it is mounted on.
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The HANKUN Large Amber Full-Matrix Truck-Mounted VMS is a heavy-duty mobile variable message sign engineered for highway escort convoys, moving lane closures, TMA crash attenuator trucks and rapid incident management. Featuring a high-contrast 590 nm amber full-matrix display, this 12V/24V vehicle-powered electronic variable message sign system (PCMS sign) displays dynamic text, arrow board patterns and custom hazard graphics to changeable message sign MUTCD standards. Built with a motorised auto-hoist tilt frame, it is made for rapid operational deployment directly from the truck bed — a 96 × 36 matrix over 1728 × 648 mm of active display area, published from the released engineering drawings.
💡 Contact us for factory-direct VMS price options, or request a custom truck-mount integration quote today.
CMS
In North America this class of equipment is called a changeable message sign, or CMS — and the portable version of it a portable changeable message sign, PCMS.
Truck VMS
In Australia and New Zealand the vehicle-mounted version of this equipment is specified as a truck-mounted VMS board, per AS 4852.2 practice.
Mobile VMS
UK and European road authorities and contractors refer to the vehicle-mounted version as a mobile VMS or a vehicle-mounted VMS in tenders and specifications.
— Core Characteristics
01
Text and graphic symbols on one display. Every model in this range is a full-matrix display — each pixel is individually addressed — so message text, left and right arrows and work-zone warning symbols can all be combined on the same panel. Models differ in pixel matrix, display colour and active display area, not in whether symbols can be shown. Symbol capability is stated as a display capability and is not tied to any compliance claim.
02
Single line of up to 8 characters at 450.0 mm (17.72 in); three lines at 216.0 mm (8.50 in); character size is set by the message format selected. Character height depends on the character matrix selected, so the two are always published together.
03
96 × 36 pixels, full-matrix pixel structure (every pixel individually addressable); per-pixel LED count confirmed per configuration.
04
1728 × 648 mm (68.03 × 25.51 in) — the illuminated area, stated separately from the cabinet.
05
Single line of up to 8 characters, or three lines (variable format; symbols such as arrows included).
06
Amber. A five-colour configuration of the same platform is available; it is linked from this page.
07
Cabinet 1928 × 848 mm on a 100 mm border basis, depth 200–250 mm. Truck-mounted, powered from the vehicle.
08
Automatic dimming — display brightness and grey level are adjusted to ambient light conditions; a manual brightness setting is also available. The display therefore draws less power in low light, which reduces the load on the supply that powers the sign from the vehicle.
09
Display assembly and mounting kit supplied for vehicle installation; the chassis is the customer vehicle.
10
4G; GPS position reporting. Message management from phone, tablet or PC. Open API and SDK protocol provided, for integration into an existing fleet management platform.
11
This page states what is confirmed and what is not. Confirmed for this model: the 96 × 36 display matrix, the 1728 × 648 mm active display area, the character height of 450.0 mm (17.72 in) single line and the pixel structure, together with the vehicle-power arrangement. The remaining items are listed as to be confirmed rather than estimated, so nothing on this page is a placeholder value.
12
Every published dimension — including the 96 × 36 matrix and the 1728 × 648 mm (68.03 × 25.51 in) active display area — is taken from the released engineering drawings and is internally re-checkable, so the figures can be quoted in a project specification.
Vehicle-mounted deployment in minutes. This model carries a 96 × 36 matrix over 1728 × 648 mm (68.03 × 25.51 in) of active display area, single line of 8 characters, or three lines, and a single amber output leaves one instruction with nothing competing against it — the primary warning stays clear while the detail sits beside it.
Mobile and semi-static works. A 450 mm (17.72 in) single-line character height is what the approach speed is read against, and the 96 × 36 matrix is the other half of that decision.
Wide single-line formats for warnings that change as the closure moves. Single line of up to 8 characters, or three lines (variable format; symbols such as arrows included) suits a message that is rewritten through the shift, and power taken from the vehicle removes the towing vehicle and the trailer from the project.
Signs carried on vehicles already in service. The 1928 × 848 mm cabinet and the 96 × 36 matrix are specified against the vehicle, and no separate towing arrangement is needed.
Traffic management alongside moving operations. A single-colour message — one layer of information at a time — separates the instruction that matters from the supporting line, which suits an escort giving one instruction at a time.
Automatic dimming follows ambient light, so the display stays readable through the shift without a fixed brightness programme being set up by the crew.
§ MUTCD Part 6 (Chapter 6F)
§ MUTCD Table 2E-4
US practice sets letter height from the posted approach speed. MUTCD Part 6 (Chapter 6F) gives 18 in (457 mm) as the minimum letter height for a portable changeable message sign and permits shorter letters on low-speed facilities; Table 2E-4 adds that 450 mm (18 in) should be used where speeds are greater than 90 km/h (55 mph), in persistently poor weather, or where the driving task is complex. Messages are limited to two phases, and animation, flashing and scrolling are not used.
§ AS 1742.3:2019
§ State roadworks guidance
AS 1742.3:2019 and the state roadworks guidance size characters to the approach speed, at roughly 120 mm for 60 km/h approaches and 160–200 mm for 80 km/h approaches, with the larger alphabet series applied to high-speed and multi-lane works. The sign face is confirmed with the road authority for each project.
§ NZTA CoP for Temporary Traffic Management
§ Published NZ figures for LED message signs
The NZTA Code of Practice for Temporary Traffic Management sets a temporary speed limit at least 20 km/h below the normal limit, gated across the carriageway, with repeat signs at 400 m intervals. The published NZ figures for LED message signs set characters at not smaller than 300 mm inside a 50 km/h area and not smaller than 400 mm elsewhere.
§ Traffic Signs Manual Ch. 8, Table A1.2
§ TSRGD 2016
The UK sizes characters by x-height rather than cap height. Traffic Signs Manual Chapter 8 (Table A1.2) runs from 62.5 mm at 30 mph to 200 mm on dual carriageways at the national speed limit, and TSRGD 2016 sets the legal x-height limits at 35 mm to 400 mm, so a cap-height figure has to be converted before it can be placed in that table.
§ EN 12966:2014+A1:2018
EN 12966:2014+A1:2018 classifies a variable message sign on luminance, beam width, colour and luminance ratio, with a temperature class. The class required follows the road type, the viewing geometry and the climate at the site, and it is stated per configuration rather than as a single figure.
An unplanned call-out needs the message up before the cones are set, and a 96 × 36 panel at 450 mm (17.72 in) single line is what gets it read on the approach.
The panel is carried on the vehicle rather than towed, so the 96 × 36 display adds a message capability without adding a trailer to the depot.
The work runs on a single line of information, and the 96 × 36 matrix at 450 mm (17.72 in) keeps one short instruction visible ahead of the load.
The site moves every few hours, so a vehicle-mounted 96 × 36 panel removes the tow and set-up step that a trailer adds.
Mobile maintenance operations — such as road sweeping, pavement marking and pothole patching — face constant collision risks from rear-end traffic. The Large Amber Full-Matrix Truck-Mounted VMS provides long-range advance warnings with bright 590 nm amber text and flashing arrow patterns, giving trailing motorists early warning to merge or reduce speed.
Fixed vertical sign boards mounted on trucks create severe aerodynamic drag, increasing vehicle fuel costs and risking mechanical failure at highway speeds. Our vehicle-mounted changeable message sign features a low-profile motorized actuator that folds the sign flat against the cab during transit, raising it vertically only on arrival at the work zone.
Manual sign adjustment puts field crews in harm’s way on active highway shoulders. HANKUN’s truck-mounted portable changeable message sign includes a plug-and-play in-cab controller and 4G wireless connectivity, allowing drivers to switch pre-programmed MUTCD messages and arrow patterns instantly with one touch, without leaving the safety of the vehicle cab.
Mounted on the rear of crash cushion attenuator trucks, the large electronic board display acts as an indispensable shadow vehicle warning system, guiding trailing highway traffic safely around mobile work convoys.
Essential for highway patrol support, hazardous material spill cleanups, and multi-vehicle accident clearing. Response crews can rapidly raise the portable traffic message boards to divert lanes immediately upon arrival.
Functions as a high-visibility variable message sign in tunnel service display, mounted on utility lift trucks to deliver advance warning of low-speed maintenance vehicles inside tunnel lanes.
Paired with Doppler radar, the unit serves as a mobile variable speed limit sign, displaying real-time vehicle speed advisories to calm oncoming traffic before it enters active highway work zones.
“Integrating HANKUN’s Large Amber Full-Matrix Truck-Mounted VMS onto our highway attenuator fleet has vastly improved crew safety during moving pavement operations. The motorized tilt frame is smooth and reliable, and the amber full-matrix display is exceptionally crisp from over 300 meters away. Our drivers love the ease of changing pre-programmed messages right from the cab touchscreen.”
“As a commercial truck upfitter, we demand portable variable message sign kits that handle heavy vibration and harsh weather. HANKUN provided top-tier build quality at a very competitive variable message signs price. The IP65 enclosure handles pressure washing easily, and their technical support team made vehicle electrical wiring completely hassle-free.”
One matrix · layout follows the message
96 × 36 matrix→8 characters a line→450.0 mm
216.0 mm→× 3 lines→same 96 × 36 matrix
Character height and line count are the same decision, and this platform answers it with its matrix rather than with a menu: a 96 × 36 grid laid out for single line of 8 characters, or three lines, giving 450.0 mm (17.72 in) single line. The same matrix can also be arranged as three shorter lines, so height and line count are traded on one panel rather than by ordering a different display.
Full-matrix · every pixel addressed
full-matrix→per-pixel addressable
→LED count per configuration→one layer, amber
The pixel structure is published as full-matrix pixel structure (every pixel individually addressable), per-pixel LED count confirmed per configuration. That is what lets a 450.0 mm (17.72 in) character be assembled from a character matrix rather than drawn as a single line of block letters, because the pixels are large enough to build a character without crowding the strokes at this height.
Power on board · site off the brief
Vehicle power→no generator
no trailer→1928 × 848 mm cabinet
Power comes from the vehicle, so the design brief is not a power system but a fit: a 1928 × 848 mm cabinet and a mounting kit that go onto a vehicle already in the fleet. That is why the published figures for this model are the display figures plus the cabinet, and why the mounting arrangement and the vehicle interface are agreed per vehicle.
North AmericaAustralia / New ZealandUK / EuropeOther
Long-duration highway work zoneShort-term / incident responseSpecial eventsFixed facility (port, airport, utility)
Arrows (left / right)Arrows plus other symbols (work-zone triangle, speed roundel, etc.)
Amber is sufficientWe need five-colour
Answered the four? Send them with your enquiry.
We reply with the configuration that matches your market, duty and message set — the amber truck-mounted model on this page, or the five-colour configuration of the same display if a colour hierarchy is needed.
Colour branch
Identical display geometry, only the colour configuration changes.
This is a colour choice, not a selection branch: it does not change resolution, character size or message format.
Mounting branch
The same display class in the other mounting configuration.
Trailer-mounted suits long-duration deployment with independent power; the truck-mounted model on this page suits vehicle-integrated operation.
If the viewing distance or the message volume is beyond what a 1728 × 648 mm active display area can serve, the HK-TMVMS-1821-24-A is the next step up in the amber truck-mounted range, with a 72 × 42 matrix and a 1530 × 880 mm active display area.
If the sign can be placed closer to the traffic, the HK-TMVMS-1618-14-A covers the same message format at a smaller footprint, with a 64 × 18 matrix and a 1152 × 324 mm active display area.
The other mounting platform is confirmed per project, because no directly equivalent model is published in this size class — the trailer-mounted version carries its own solar array and battery where the site has no vehicle to power it.
Between two sizes? Send the viewing distance and the message set.
We confirm the model against your site geometry — or point you to the next size up before you commit.
The HK-TMVMS-1618-26-A is one of 19 catalogued models — 15 of them published and available for specification — and it is the 5th by active display area among the published models. Within the large amber vehicle group it is the 2nd of 3. It carries a 96 × 36 pixel matrix — 96 pixels across and 36 down — over 1728 × 648 mm (68.03 × 25.51 in) of active display area, with a character height of 450.0 mm (17.72 in) single line.
Those five figures are the whole basis on which this model is chosen: the rest of the range differs in matrix, colour and display area, not in what a full-matrix display can do.
catalogued models
in the HANKUN PCMS range
published & available
for specification
by active display area
among published models
within the large amber vehicle group
Published range · by active display area5 / 15
This model sits in the upper third of the published range — the four units above it step up in matrix and display area.
Large amber vehicle group2 / 3
Second of its own group — one larger amber vehicle configuration sits above it.
Need a different position in the range? Tell us the viewing distance.
We place your requirement on the same scale and name the model — this one, a step up, or a step down.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Model | HK-TMVMS-1618-26-A |
| Mounting | Truck-mounted (vehicle power) |
| Display colour | Amber |
| Active display area | 1728 × 648 mm (68.03 × 25.51 in) |
| Cabinet dimensions | 1928 × 848 mm (100 mm border basis; depth 200–250 mm) |
| Display matrix | 96 × 36 pixels | full-matrix pixel structure (every pixel individually addressable); per-pixel LED count confirmed per configuration |
| LEDs per pixel | Confirmed per configuration (full-matrix structure) |
| Message format | single line of up to 8 characters, or three lines (variable format; symbols such as arrows included) |
| Character height — standard matrix | single line of up to 8 characters at 450.0 mm (17.72 in); three lines at 216.0 mm (8.50 in) |
| Character height — extended matrix | character size is set by the message format selected |
| Compliance path | MUTCD configuration options · North AmericaEN 12966 compatible configuration · Europe & UKAS 4852.2 configuration options · Australia & New Zealand |
| Still to be confirmed for your configuration | |
| Mast & deployment | Mast type, lift height and deployment method |
| Controller | Controller model and NTCIP 1203 support |
| Ratings & warranty | Wind rating, IP rating, operating temperature range and warranty terms |
| Vehicle interface | Complete mounting-kit dimensions and vehicle interface |
| Not published on this page | |
| Not stated | Visual range, luminance value, contrast ratio, dimming levels, autonomy days, wind rating, IP rating, operating temperature range, warranty, complete mounting-kit weight and dimensions, controller model — none of these are estimated. Automatic dimming is published as a display capability; its threshold values and step count are not. |
— System & Operation
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Power | |
| Supply | Powered from the vehicle; the standalone power configuration for this model is confirmed at the configuration stage |
| Mounting | |
| Mounting | Display assembly and mounting kit supplied for vehicle installation |
| Coating | Powder-coated and oven-baked (display cabinet) |
| Automatic dimming | |
| Ambient light control | Automatic dimming — display brightness and grey level are adjusted to ambient light conditions; a manual brightness setting is also available. |
| Remote operation and integration | |
| Connectivity | 4G; GPS position reporting |
| Operating terminal | Message management from phone, tablet or PC |
| Fleet integration | Open API and SDK protocol provided, for integration into an existing fleet management platform |
| Symbol display | |
| Text + graphic symbols | Text and graphic symbols on one display. Every model in this range is a full-matrix display — each pixel is individually addressed — so message text, left and right arrows and work-zone warning symbols can all be combined on the same panel. Models differ in pixel matrix, display colour and active display area, not in whether symbols can be shown. |
| Options | |
| Vehicle speed radar | Available as a configuration option |
| Telemetry | GPS position reporting; 4G remote monitoring and control |
| Mounting | Mounting-kit dimensions agreed per vehicle |
Trailer-chassis specifications apply to trailer-mounted models. Truck-mounted and vehicle-mounted models carry the display assembly and its mounting kit.
— Compliance & Regional Configuration
MUTCD configuration options; NEMA TS-4 testing available on request.
✓MUTCD
✓NEMA TS-4
EN 12966 compatible configuration (class confirmed per project); CE marking and Declaration of Conformity available.
✓EN 12966
✓CE + DoC
AS 4852.2 configuration options; vehicle installation to applicable ADR requirements.
✓AS 4852.2
✓ADR
— Procurement Case
01
A 96 × 36 display over 1728 × 648 mm of active display area mounts on a vehicle already in the fleet, so the job carries no trailer, no towing vehicle and no site power arrangement.
02
The five published figures for this large vehicle model — 1728 × 648 mm active display area, 450.0 mm (17.72 in) single-line character height, 96 × 36 matrix, amber display colour and a 1928 × 848 mm cabinet — can be quoted straight into a project specification, because each one is traceable to the engineering record.
03
The amber output carries one message layer on this 96 × 36 display, so a crew is briefed once and there is no colour decision to make in service — and the same-platform options mean one spare-part set and one training path across a mixed fleet.
04
At 1728 × 648 mm this model is the 5th largest active display area among the 15 published models, and the 2nd of 3 in the large amber vehicle group — so it can be placed against the other models on published figures rather than on a sales description.
— Before You Specify
Mounting, Structure & Compliance
A Large Amber Full-Matrix Truck-Mounted VMS mounts directly onto utility trucks, flatbeds, or Impact Attenuators (TMA). It provides immediate, mobile protection for moving highway operations — such as striping, sweeping, or emergency crash response — without requiring a separate towed trailer chassis.
The vehicle-integrated variable message sign board utilizes a heavy-duty 12V/24V electric linear actuator. Operators can raise the sign to a vertical position for active traffic advisory, or lower it flat against the truck cab to minimize aerodynamic drag during high-speed highway transit.
Yes. As an experienced variable message signs manufacturer, our vehicle-integrated electronic highway message boards communicate warnings that adhere strictly to changeable message sign MUTCD guidelines for character heights, flashing arrow functions, and legibility distance on public highways.
Power, Control & Fleet Integration
The system connects directly to the vehicle’s 12V/24V DC battery architecture with integrated low-voltage disconnect protection. Because ultra-bright 590nm amber LEDs draw minimal current, the LED variable message sign operates continuously during long escort shifts without depleting vehicle alternator reserves.
Absolutely. Fleet managers can change text alerts, toggle arrow board patterns, and dim light intensity via a ruggedized in-cab touchscreen controller, or remotely update messages on the mobile variable message sign through 4G cloud telematics.
Designed for harsh highway conditions, the VMS board features a heavy-gauge aluminum housing rated IP65, vibration-isolated LED driver boards, and a powder-coated steel mounting frame capable of withstanding severe road vibration and wind forces up to 100 mph.
Truck-mounted units eliminate the extra cost of trailer axles, tires, and brake assemblies. HANKUN offers competitive factory-direct variable message signs price packages for highway maintenance fleets and commercial variable message sign upfitters.
Applications, Price & Procurement
Yes. The controller connects directly to vehicle-mounted Doppler radar sensors to operate as an automated variable speed limit sign, dynamically alerting drivers to slow down when approaching tailgating traffic or active mobile work zones.
Yes. Its high-intensity amber matrix acts as an effective variable message sign board in tunnel maintenance, alerting following motorists to lane shifts, low overhead clearance, or mobile sweepers inside subterranean passageways.
HANKUN is a trusted variable message signs manufacturer producing heavy-duty vehicle-mount VMS sign systems engineered with heavy-duty actuators, weather-sealed enclosures, and long-term technical engineering support worldwide.
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