“Just send me the truck” is a statement that is easy to say, but difficult to do when a TMA rental isn’t simply a truck. It’s an entire safety package all wrapped up in one deployment – and if you have no idea what you’re looking for, you could end up getting quotes that really aren’t comparable. TMA rental may be only equipment, depending on the provider. Another’s may also refer to all equipment, operator, insurance and support, combined into one. Same word, different price.

This guide will tell you exactly what should be in your truck mounted attenuator rental, what to expect, what you should ask for and what you should not have in your quote if you do not want to be surprised at the end of your rental.

The Attenuator Unit Itself Truck Mounted Attenuator Rental

The obvious, but the details are important. A good TMA rental comes with the crash cushion unit attached to the back of the host truck itself and this is not just any old crash cushion. It must be certified for crash testing in either the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) or the NCHRP 350 (formerly known as the National Cooperative Highway Research Program Report 350). That certification, in turn, must come from Test Level 3 (TL-3), which is a rating for impact on faster-moving traffic, and is applicable to high-speed roads.

A reliable rental company will state what the standard of the unit is and provide the proof of certification with no hesitation. If a provider is unsure or hesitant of what standard applies, it’s a red flag and not something to ignore.

The Host Truck

The attenuator cannot be used independently. It is designed to be mounted on a truck that has specific weight and mechanisms that make it safe to absorb impact while not being pushed forward out of control if struck. This host vehicle is not a vehicle you are bringing along separately, but rather a host vehicle that must be properly maintained, otherwise it will defeat the entire safety system, no matter how good the attenuator is.

Warning and Visibility Equipment

The visual warning system that makes all of the above work is usually included in a TMA rental because the entire purpose of a TMA is to prevent an impact from occurring in the first place, through clear, early warning. This commonly comprises an LED arrow board on the truck to direct traffic out of the closed lane and reflective chevron markings on the rear of the truck that comply with local road authority specification.

Also standard are amber warning lights, and on a well-equipped unit a properly installed unit will have these lights visible around the entire truck, not just from directly behind. This is more important than it sounds; drivers coming in from a side street, or drivers merging on the lane must get the same warning as one who is coming straight on the highway.

A Trained Operator

This is where the rental packages really begin to vary. Some operators are trained and licensed and come with the equipment, others simply rent the equipment and you are required to provide your own trained and licensed operator. The drivers of TMA trucks are not just any drivers who are working on-site; they must know the distance he/she needs to maintain between the truck and the mobile work crew, what to do if hit by another vehicle on the site, and how to use the arrow board and lighting control remotely from the cab without getting out into traffic.

If you don’t already have an employee that has been trained to operate the TMA, check in advance if the rental company provides a driver or doesn’t, as this is an expensive shock when you get to the start of your project.

Insurance Coverage Truck Mounted Attenuator Rental

With a well-designed TMA rental, most of the time, the rental provider will have third-party liability insurance coverage to ensure that the provider’s equipment and driver are protected in case of an incident. This is a point that should be stated clearly and not assumed; coverage details may differ from one insurance company to the next and no one would want to end up at the expense of having coverage that was not explicitly announced before the start of a road works project.

Specifically ask about what is covered in the insurance, if this includes damage to the project as a result of the impact being absorbed by the attenuator, and whether the project has any liability exposure that is altered by the way it is covered by the provider.

Support for Maintenance, Inspection, and Swap-Out

Equipment breaks down. Trucks get impacted. If a truck is hit or has a mechanical problem during the project, a rental agreement that is worth its terms should involve continuous maintenance and inspection during the entire duration of the rental period, as well as a definitive process for swapping out the truck. A trusted UAE equipment hire broker will typically provide breakdown assistance and be able to get a machine on the road in a few hours, not leaving your crew vulnerable to the elements for a day or more while waiting for a replacement.

It’s one of the least anticipated clauses that may get overlooked until you need it, and that’s too late to negotiate. Do not sign up for a swap-out plan until after it has problems; inquire beforehand.

Compliance Documentation Truck Mounted Attenuator Rental

If you are using a rental car in Dubai or in the UAE in general, you should have documentation to support the submission of your Right of Way permit, as well as the certification paperwork for the attenuator’s crash-test rating. RTA specifically mandates that the TMA units on traffic diversion layout drawings be certified for MASH or NCHRP 350 TL-3 level for roads with 80 km/h or higher speed limits, and the availability of this document, along with having it accurate, significantly speeds up the approval process for your own permit.

When a provider can get this information ready and easy in a timely fashion, they are conveying a message: they know more about the regulatory aspects of the business than the equipment aspects.

Mobilisation and Logistics

Often the delivery of the truck to your site and sometimes retrieval after the project is completed is included in the rental agreement. When calling out for an emergency or same day callout, enquire along these lines: How quickly can the provider mobilise on site? The time it takes to mobilise varies greatly between companies and one that is on site within a few hours is worth more than one that quotes a lower price with a much longer lead time.

Before Signing, You Should Make Sure You Have Straightened Out These Issues

With so many differences among providers, it is important to do a quick check before booking any TMA rental.

• Ensure the correct certification level and standard of the unit is confirmed.
• Inquire for an operator, or if you don’t have one, request one.
• Explain the coverage of the insurance.
• When the unit is affected or goes down, get a definite answer regarding the swap out timeline.
• Ask the compliance paperwork you will need for your permit when you first submit your application, not after the deadline!

The Bottom Line Truck Mounted Attenuator Rental

Knowing what each truck mounted attenuator rental covers will help you avoid the trap of quoting to quote which appear the same but actually provide completely different protection and support. This is just a start, the certified attenuator and host truck. All that makes a rental truly safe, and permit ready for your road works project is the appropriate warning equipment, trained operator, proper insurance, maintenance support, and compliance documentation. Just ask the right questions in the beginning, and you’ll be certain you know what you’re paying for before the trucks ever hit the ground.