Resources
Portable Changeable Message Boards—Insights, Applications, Performance.
Focused knowledge, reliable practices, and information designed for traffic safety professionals.
Message Boards
Operation. Planning. Use.
Considerations that influence PCMS management, deployment, power, and operational efficiency across different applications.
Articles
What Cleated Footplates Do That Ballast Weight Alone Cannot
Ballast weight is how the industry has historically answered the PCMS...
How Slope Capability Determines Where a Message Board Can Legally and Safely Sit
Slope is rarely the first thing an operator thinks about when selecting a PCMS...
PCMS Trailer Theft: What Gets Stolen, Part by Part
If you manage a PCMS fleet long enough, you stop being surprised by what turns...
What the AASHTO 18-Foot Guideline Actually Means for Your Operation
There is a number that shows up in roadside safety guidance that most traffic...
Why PCMS Placement Distance From Traffic Is a Design Problem, Not a Site Decision
Ask most traffic control operators where they place a PCMS unit, and the...
What An MPPT Is— And Why It Matters For PCMS Units
An MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) controller is a smart solar charge...
Why PCMS Tip-Overs Are Not Weather Events — They’re Engineering Failures
When a portable changeable message sign goes over in a windstorm, the incident...
PCMS Lead-Acid and LiFePO4 Batteries Cold and Hot Weather Ops
Bottom line in general: Lead-Acid does not handle heat well, requires lowering...
How to Read Controller Data to Predict Lockouts
Most lockouts don’t “just happen.” The controller almost always warns you...
Cold and Hot Weather Lead-Acid Battery Tips
Many modern PCMS/BMS controllers and industrial lead‑acid chargers include...
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