Truck-mounted platform rental – flexibility for work at height

A truck-mounted platform brings the working height straight to the job: no low-loader delivery, no set-up area, no lead time. The platform drives up, deploys its outriggers and lifts. For church tower renovations, street lighting, tree pruning in public spaces or large installations up to 57 metres, this is the decisive operational advantage over stationary work equipment. Luibl rents out truck-mounted platforms from 16 m to over 50 m working height – periodically inspected, with brands such as Ruthmann and Palfinger, with delivery throughout the Netherlands. Whether a truck-mounted platform or a self-propelled design is the better choice is shown in the overview Aerial work platform rental – which platform for which job; all aerial work platforms in the rental fleet can be found under Aerial work platform rental.

Truck-mounted platforms differ from self-propelled aerial work platforms in one key respect: they are road vehicles. This means:

High mobility between job sites: a truck-mounted platform drives from job site A to job site B during the lunch break. For municipal services that visit several street lights or trees every day, this is the decisive economic factor compared with stationary machines.

Fast automatic set-up: modern truck-mounted platforms deploy their outriggers automatically at the push of a button. Set-up times of under five minutes are standard – no manual set-up work, no separate set-up technician.

Large outreach: truck-mounted platforms from 20 m working height achieve an outreach of 12 m and more. This reaches work areas that self-propelled machines could only reach by repositioning several times – for example facade work over hedges, fences or parked vehicles.

Below-ground operation: certain truck-mounted platform models can swing the boom below the set-up level. For bridge undersides, retaining walls and slopes, this is the only technically safe solution that requires no special equipment.

The light class of truck-mounted platforms is built on carrier vehicles up to 3,500 kg gross vehicle weight. For driving, a category B licence is sufficient – no truck licence, no driver card, no restrictions from driving and rest times under EU rules.

Key technical data for this class:

• Working height: 16 m to 22 m

• Outreach: up to 11 m

• Basket load: 200 kg to 230 kg

• Carrier vehicle: van or light truck up to 3.5 t gross vehicle weight

• Outrigger spread: variable, typically 4.5 m to 5.5 m – outrigger pads required on soft ground

Applications:

• Street lighting maintenance by municipal services

• Facade and painting work on buildings of up to three storeys

• Tree pruning and tree care in public green spaces

• Signage and sign installation on business parks

• Electrical installation on building facades and hall roofs

The light-class platform is particularly relevant for trade businesses and municipal bodies that do not have, or do not wish to keep, a truck licence holder on the team. The vehicle is driven like a normal van – with the licence the staff already hold.

Above a gross vehicle weight of 3,500 kg, a C1 licence (up to 7.5 t) or a C licence (over 7.5 t) is required. This class is intended for projects where working height and reach exceed the limits of the light class.

Key technical data for the large-unit class:

• Working height: 30 m to 57 m and above

• Outreach: up to 30 m on large units

• Basket load: up to 300 kg (two-person operation)

• Outrigger spread: up to 8 m – only on load-bearing ground or with outrigger pads

• Below-ground operation: available on several models (boom can swing below the set-up level)

Practical example: a 57 m unit was used for a church tower renovation in Passau. Despite extremely confined space on the market square, the variable outrigger configuration allowed a standard-compliant set-up with maximum stability – a stationary solution would not have been feasible on this ground and in this space.

Applications of the large-unit class:

• Church towers, industrial chimneys, silos

• Bridge inspection and bridge maintenance

• Installation of wind turbine ancillary facilities and line infrastructure

• Installation work in industrial high-rise construction

• Event stage rigging and sound systems at major events

Which driving licence is required depends solely on the gross vehicle weight of the carrier vehicle, not on the working height of the platform:

• Category B licence (up to 3,500 kg gross vehicle weight): sufficient for all light-class truck-mounted platforms.

• C1 licence (3,501 kg to 7,500 kg gross vehicle weight): required for medium-sized truck-mounted platforms. Depending on the journey, the EU rules on driving and rest times also apply.

• Heavy class (over 7,500 kg gross vehicle weight): required for large units from 30 m working height upwards.

For operating the platform itself, the following applies regardless of the driving licence: the operator must have been demonstrably instructed, in line with applicable Dutch health and safety rules. A driving licence for the carrier vehicle does not replace instruction in operating the platform. Luibl provides a documented operator briefing on every handover.

Using a truck-mounted platform on public roads, pavements or squares is subject to the Dutch Road Traffic Act 1994 and RVV 1990. The following points must be clarified before use:

Set-up permit: using public roads as a set-up location usually requires a permit or exemption from the road authority (usually the municipality). Processing times vary by municipality – apply in good time.

Traffic management and barriers: the set-up area must be cordoned off in line with the applicable Dutch guidelines for road works. Proper barriers, warning lights and traffic signs where necessary are the user's responsibility – not a Luibl task, but can be coordinated on request.

Ground and load-bearing capacity: on pavements, paved areas and green areas, the load-bearing capacity of the ground must be checked before deploying the outriggers. On soft ground or where the load-bearing capacity is unknown, outrigger pads (min. 1 m × 1 m per outrigger) must be used. Luibl recommends requesting outrigger pads as standard with every truck-mounted platform rental.

Wind speed: safe operation of truck-mounted platforms is limited to a maximum wind speed of 12.5 m/s (Beaufort 6) – in accordance with EN 280. In weather conditions above this limit, work must be stopped. For work at heights above 40 m, local wind measurements are advisable, as wind speed increases with height.

Ruthmann: Ruthmann platforms are the standard for truck-mounted platforms in the municipal and commercial sectors in Germany. The Ruthmann mast system is designed for intensive duty cycles – engineered for durability rather than minimum weight. The basket controls respond proportionally and precisely, which matters for work on building facades with tight tolerances. Ruthmann models cover the range from 16 m to 57 m working height.

Palfinger: Palfinger platforms are known for their small footprint when deploying outriggers. Compact outrigger spreads allow use on streets with parking on both sides without fully closing oncoming traffic. This makes Palfinger models the preferred choice for urban jobs with limited set-up space.

Both brands are serviced regularly in the Luibl rental fleet and undergo the periodic inspection of work equipment under the Working Conditions Decree before every delivery. The inspection certificate is available on handover.

All truck-mounted platforms are covered for third-party damage in road traffic by the motor third-party liability insurance (WA insurance) of the carrier vehicle. For damage to the rental machine itself (machinery damage, accident damage during operation), machinery breakdown insurance with an excess is required. This can optionally be included in the rental contract through Luibl.

In the event of damage: report it to Luibl immediately, do not attempt repairs yourself, initial assessment by a Luibl technician on site.

Luibl delivers truck-mounted platforms throughout the Netherlands and also to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, the Czech Republic, Italy, Hungary and other European countries.

Request a quote via our contact form: state the working height, location, rental period and the driver's licence category. For projects requiring a set-up permit in public spaces: enquire early so that the delivery date and the permit process can be coordinated.