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TRUCK COMPARISON GUIDE

Compare Billboard Truck Types

Choosing the right truck for your campaign depends on your target area, viewing distance, creative format, and budget. This guide compares every truck type in the Lonestar Billboards fleet so you can match the vehicle to your campaign requirements. Each format serves a different purpose, and selecting the right one affects visibility, route flexibility, audience reach, and cost.

TRUCK TYPES

Side-by-side comparison of every unit in the fleet.

Each truck type is designed for a specific set of campaign scenarios. The standard LED billboard truck is the most versatile option for general outdoor advertising. Compact units handle urban environments and tight routes. Glass box trucks support experiential activations. Trailer-mounted displays serve fixed-location campaigns and event staging.

Standard LED Billboard Truck

Screen 12 ft x 6 ft Pitch 3.9mm
Best for

General brand awareness, retail campaigns, political advertising, and broad-reach outdoor media

Advantages
  • High brightness for daylight visibility
  • Large display area for maximum impact
  • GPS tracking for route documentation
  • Available nationwide
Considerations
  • Requires road access for standard vehicles
  • Fixed screen size limits creative format options

Compact LED Billboard Truck

Screen 8 ft x 4 ft Pitch 4.8mm
Best for

Neighborhood campaigns, event activations, downtown areas with tight streets, and targeted local promotions

Advantages
  • Access to narrow streets and urban areas
  • Lower operating cost per day
  • Faster maneuverability in dense traffic
  • Ideal for hyperlocal targeting
Considerations
  • Smaller display reduces visual impact at distance
  • Lower pixel pitch means less fine detail

Glass Box Display Truck

Screen Custom LED panels Pitch Varies
Best for

Product launches, experiential marketing, trade show activations, and interactive brand experiences

Advantages
  • Full glass enclosure for product display
  • Interior lighting for immersive presentations
  • Custom configurations for specific campaign needs
  • High engagement at events and activations
Considerations
  • Higher production cost than standard units
  • Requires more setup time for custom builds

Trailer-Mounted LED Display

Screen 16 ft x 8 ft Pitch 3.9mm
Best for

Fixed-location campaigns, event staging, stadium perimeter, and high-traffic corridor placement

Advantages
  • Largest display area in the fleet
  • Stationary deployment for extended presence
  • High resolution at longer viewing distances
  • Suitable for outdoor events and festivals
Considerations
  • Requires towing vehicle for transport
  • Less mobile than truck-mounted units
COMPARISON FACTORS

Six questions that determine the right truck.

Rather than comparing specs alone, start with the campaign questions that actually affect truck selection. The right answer depends on where the truck will operate, who the audience is, how long the campaign runs, and what creative the display needs to support.

Screen Size

How large does the display need to be for your audience distance?

Viewers at 50 feet need different resolution than viewers at 200 feet. A 12x6 foot screen works well for street-level visibility in most urban environments. Larger formats suit event venues, highway corridors, and stadium perimeters where the viewing distance is greater.

Pixel Pitch

What resolution does your creative require at the expected viewing distance?

Pixel pitch measures the distance between LED centers. A 3.9mm pitch produces sharp imagery at moderate distances. A 4.8mm pitch is more cost-effective but loses fine detail beyond 60 feet. For text-heavy creative, a tighter pitch ensures legibility.

Vehicle Class

Do you need a truck that can navigate tight urban streets or a unit optimized for highway corridors?

Full-size billboard trucks are ideal for major corridors and event perimeters. Compact units work better in dense downtown areas, residential neighborhoods, and venues with restricted vehicle access. The vehicle class affects where the truck can operate and how the route is designed.

Deployment Duration

How long does the campaign need to run?

Short-term campaigns of one to three days are common for event promotions and product launches. Multi-week and monthly campaigns suit brand awareness, political advertising, and retail promotions. Duration affects pricing, creative rotation options, and route variety.

Creative Format

Will the campaign use static images, rotating creative, or dynamic content?

Static displays are cost-effective for consistent messaging over extended periods. Digital LED screens allow creative rotation, daypart scheduling, countdown timers, and real-time updates. Dynamic content requires a digital display and creative assets prepared for screen delivery.

Route Complexity

Does the campaign require a single corridor or multiple market areas?

Single-corridor routes provide repeated exposure on one high-traffic road. Multi-route campaigns cover different neighborhoods, districts, or cities. Route complexity affects vehicle count, scheduling, and total campaign cost.

QUICK DECISION MATRIX

Match your campaign to the right truck in seconds.

If you know your primary campaign objective, use the matrix below to identify which truck type fits best. Most campaigns fall into one of four categories, and each category maps to a specific vehicle format.

Campaign Goal Recommended Truck Why
Broad brand awareness across a city Standard LED Billboard Truck Largest screen, highway-capable, maximum street-level visibility
Downtown or neighborhood targeting Compact LED Truck Narrow-street access, lower cost, faster in dense traffic
Product launch or experiential event Glass Box Display Truck Product display capability, immersive presentation, high engagement
Fixed-location event or festival Trailer-Mounted LED Display Largest format, stationary deployment, extended viewing distance
COST CONSIDERATIONS

What affects pricing when comparing truck types.

Truck type is one of several factors that determine campaign pricing. Understanding the full cost picture helps you allocate budget effectively and avoid surprises during planning.

Vehicle Class and Screen Size

Larger trucks with bigger screens cost more to operate and deploy. Standard LED billboard trucks are priced higher than compact units because of the screen size, power requirements, and vehicle operating costs. Trailer-mounted displays have the highest production cost due to their size and deployment complexity.

Campaign Duration

Multi-day and multi-week campaigns offer lower per-day rates than single-day deployments. Longer campaigns also provide more route variety and creative rotation options. Short-term event promotions are priced at a premium because of the mobilization and demobilization costs involved.

Market and Route Complexity

Pricing varies by market. Urban areas with high traffic density and limited parking may require different routing than suburban corridors. Multi-route campaigns that cover different neighborhoods or cities add scheduling and logistics complexity that affects total cost.

Creative Requirements

Static creative is loaded once and displayed for the campaign duration. Digital campaigns that use rotating creative, daypart scheduling, or real-time updates require additional creative preparation and loading. Production services are available if you need creative designed for LED display format.

Number of Units

Multi-unit campaigns that deploy several trucks simultaneously or across different markets reduce per-unit cost in some scenarios. Combining truck types, such as a standard LED unit for highway corridors and a compact unit for downtown, provides broad coverage while managing budget.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Common questions about truck comparison.

  • 01 How do I choose between a standard LED truck and a compact unit?

    Consider your target area. If the campaign focuses on major roads, event perimeters, and highway corridors, a standard LED truck provides the largest display and maximum visibility. If the route includes narrow downtown streets, residential areas, or venue interiors, a compact unit gives you access that larger trucks cannot.

  • 02 What is the difference between static and digital billboard displays?

    Static displays show a single fixed creative for the duration of the campaign. Digital LED displays can rotate multiple creatives, change messages by time of day, and update content in real time. Digital offers more flexibility but requires creative assets prepared for screen delivery.

  • 03 Can I switch truck types mid-campaign?

    Yes, subject to availability. If your initial unit choice does not meet campaign needs, we can reassign a different truck type. There may be a transition period while the switch is arranged, so early planning helps avoid gaps.

  • 04 Do glass box trucks work for outdoor campaigns?

    Glass box trucks are designed primarily for experiential activations, product launches, and event marketing where audience interaction is the goal. They can operate outdoors but are best suited for controlled environments such as trade show floors, parking lots, and event staging areas.

  • 05 How does pixel pitch affect my campaign?

    Pixel pitch determines how sharp your creative appears at different distances. A tighter pitch like 3.9mm produces finer detail for viewers within 100 feet. A wider pitch like 4.8mm is more affordable but loses sharpness beyond 60 feet. The right pitch depends on your viewing distance, creative detail, and budget.

  • 06 What creative formats are supported on LED trucks?

    LED trucks display static images, rotating slideshows, dayparted schedules, countdown timers, QR codes, and video content. Creative is loaded digitally and can be updated throughout the campaign. File specifications are provided before deployment to ensure your assets display correctly.

  • 07 Can I deploy multiple truck types for the same campaign?

    Yes. Multi-unit campaigns can mix truck types to cover different areas or audience scenarios. For example, a standard LED truck can run major corridors while a compact unit handles downtown streets. We design the fleet mix based on your target areas and campaign objectives.

  • 08 How far in advance should I book a truck?

    Standard lead time is five to ten business days. For campaigns during peak periods such as election season, major festivals, or holiday retail windows, booking two to three weeks ahead ensures the best availability. Expedited bookings can sometimes be arranged on shorter notice.

NEED HELP CHOOSING?

Talk to a truck specialist.

If you are not sure which truck type fits your campaign, our team can assess your target market, audience, and objectives and recommend the right unit. Most consultations take 15 minutes.

Book a truck consultation → Request a quote