The lighted signs with flashing arrows that alert drivers that highway construction is ahead are just one item in a long list of traffic control products that can produce consistent income for rental centers.
Besides directions, boards display warnings and messages about road conditions - some models can even be programmed remotely. A-frame barricades, flashers (some of which operate on solar power) mounted on barricades, traffic cones and signs that attach to cones, plastic barrels, reflective warning triangles, safety flags, "Stop/Slow" paddle signs, and mesh roll-up signs to warn "Utility Construction Ahead," "Men Working," portable plastic fencing and grid panels, fiberglass fence posts and sand and snow barriers are needed on highway construction sites and for many other purposes.
This equipment is an ideal investment for rental centers. They have few or no moving parts and with proper care and cleaning, they can last for years.
Relatively new to the market are trailer-mounted, solar powered and solar-assisted message boards capable of operating for extended periods without direct sunlight.

Who rents traffic control equipment?
Federal, state and local regulations governing work along roadways are becoming increasingly strict; this growing concern should increase the demand for warning signs and equipment.
Municipal street repair crews and state highway maintenance departments use arrow boards, barricades, flashers and other warning equipment every day. Paving, road-repair and striping contractors may own their own traffic control equipment, but even so, heavy workloads often require renting.
Much of the work on streets and adjacent rights-of-way is for utility construction, not road work. Gas, electric, telephone and cable television companies and the contractors who serve them are prime candidates for traffic control rentals.
Sports complexes, amusement parks, shopping malls, industrial complexes, convention centers and fairgrounds have frequent need for traffic control equipment, often to direct the flow of pedestrian as well as vehicular traffic. Traffic control equipment may be used at all kinds of special events, fairs, festivals and corporate functions.
Message boards can display any type of message, so consider shopping centers, auto dealerships and retail businesses that may wish to announce new products, store openings, sales, special discounts and promotions of all kinds.

Operation
Lives of rental store personnel would be much easier if everything in the inventory were as easy to use as traffic control equipment.
Mobile, programmable, lighted signs are the most complicated. Counter personnel need to provide towing instructions, explain how to position signs for maximum visibility, how to program messages and how to turn signs on. Most are simply put in position and turned on.
Show customers how to connect trailer-mounted signs to the towing vehicle and emphasize the importance of safe hauling procedures.

Maintenance on the job
Depending on the length of rentals, arrow board and message sign batteries may need to be recharged or bulbs replaced. Solar panels must be cleaned when they get covered with dust or road film.

Opportunities
Customers who rent traffic equipment usually have other equipment needs. Highway construction and repair crews often require portable lighting. They also may need breakers and tampers, larger compaction and concrete equipment, generators, compressors, hydraulic power sources, skid-steer loaders and other construction machines. Safety-related sales items include plastic barricades and warning tape, colored flagging tape, surveying tape and small wire-mounted survey flags. Protective clothing commonly needed includes hard hats, helmet liners, eye and hearing protection, respiratory masks, mesh vests with reflective panels, back support belts, work gloves, rain suits and rubber boots.

Comments from the industry
Allmand Bros., Holdrege, Neb., Russ Stratton: "Solar arrow boards are a relatively new product in the traffic safety market. Therefore, there is little hard data to build on. However, there is no reason to believe that with reasonable maintenance, these products will not have a useful life of five to 10 years. Always level trailer-mounted flashing signs with the tongue jack and jacks at the corners of the trailer, and align the sign with the roadway using the side-mounted sight. Burned-out lamps or electronic failure are not common problems, but they could cause the light to be taken out of service. Spare lamps and controllers should be kept in the rental store's stock of parts."
Solar Technology, Allentown, Pa., Diane Zerphy: "Arrow and message boards are required safety equipment on many road construction projects. In addition, message boards are used for advertising purposes. They even can be used indoors. Some shopping centers have rented time on message boards to tenant merchants to display advertising messages. Rental yard personnel can program the message before the board goes out or messages can be controlled by cellular remote control."