Truck-mounted platform: use, driving licence and rental costs

A truck-mounted platform (also called a truck platform or cherry picker) is an aerial work platform permanently mounted on a truck chassis. On site, the vehicle is stabilised on outriggers, then the articulated or telescopic boom extends the basket. It brings working height by road on its own wheels to wherever it is needed - without a low-loader.

What makes the 3.5-tonne class special: it may be driven with a standard category B licence. In the Luibl rental fleet, this class reaches 16 to 22 metres of working height with outreach of up to 11 metres. On heavier chassis, the range extends up to 57 metres with outreach of up to 30 metres.

The decisive limit is the vehicle's maximum permissible gross weight:

• Up to 3.5 t → category B. This is exactly what the 3.5 t platform class is built for: up to 22 metres of working height, drivable with a standard car licence.
• Over 3.5 to 7.5 t → C1, above that C. The large units from around 30 metres sit on correspondingly heavy chassis.

Regardless of the driving licence, operating the platform requires a valid operator certificate (Section 17(1)(b) Decree No. 508/2009 Coll.) - more in the guide to operator authorisation for aerial work platforms.

Roof and facade work

Gutters, repairs, lightning protection, window cleaning - the large outreach bridges front gardens, pavements and obstacles in front of the building.

Tree care along roads

Move quickly between locations, set up briefly, work, move on: with many position changes per day, no platform type is more efficient.

Signage and lighting

Installation of signs, banners, street lighting and traffic signals, often in public traffic areas with tight time windows.

Building cleaning and maintenance

Regular jobs at changing properties, where the platform arrives in the morning and is back at the depot in the evening.

Guide ranges from Luibl's rental business, net and excluding transport:

Class	Working height	per day	per week
3.5 t class (category B)	16-22 m	€450-700	€1,800-2,800
Large units	30-40 m	€700-1,100	€2,800-4,400

Guide values as of 08/2026. Prices net, excluding VAT. Transport, insurance and accessories charged separately.

Price drivers are working height, outreach, season and rental period; with weekly rental the daily rate drops noticeably. All platform types compared by price: Aerial work platform rental: cost per day.

• Truck-mounted platform: many locations per day, jobs in road areas, no towing vehicle needed - but it requires firm ground.
• Trailer-mounted platform: the most economical solution for single locations if a suitable towing vehicle is available.
• Spider lift: narrow access, sensitive floors, courtyards - wherever a truck cannot go.

An overview of all types is provided in the guide Aerial work platforms: types and selection criteria.

Before every lift: check the bearing capacity of the ground, use outrigger pads, level the vehicle. Modern platforms monitor the outriggers with sensors and release different working envelopes depending on the outrigger width - this variable outrigger setup (narrow, one-sided, two-sided) is what makes jobs on narrow pavements possible in the first place.

In public traffic areas, traffic safety measures and, where necessary, a permit from the competent authority under applicable regulations are added; both belong in job planning, not on the day of delivery.

Luibl Rental rents out truck-mounted platforms from 16 to 57 metres of working height - from the 3.5 t class for category B licences to large units for industrial installation, with valid inspections and tests (Decree No. 508/2009 Coll.) and variable outriggers.

Truck-mounted platform rental → · Cost guide → · Request a quote →

Truck-mounted platforms fall into two very different worlds in practice:

	3.5 t class	Large units
Working height	16-22 m	30-57 m
Outreach	up to 11 m	up to 30 m
Driving licence	B	C1 or C
Typical use	buildings up to 6 storeys, tree care, signage	industrial installation, high-rise facades, special structures
Space required	van-sized	considerably larger, often closure needed

The 3.5 t class is the everyday workhorse: it moves in normal traffic, parks in a car space and can be driven by any driver in the company. As soon as working height rises above around 22 metres, you move into a different logistics class - with driver qualification, more space and often a permit from the competent authority.

A large share of truck-mounted platform jobs take place on roads, pavements and parking lanes. What this involves:

Permit from the competent authority. Anyone using traffic areas generally needs a permit from the competent authority under applicable road traffic regulations. It defines signage, barriers and, where necessary, no-stopping zones, and must be applied for in advance.

Prepare no-stopping zones. Without a free space, the platform will not stand in the right place. Temporary no-stopping signs must be set up and documented in good time, otherwise it may not be possible to remove obstructing vehicles.

Safety and visibility. High-visibility clothing, barriers around the danger zone under the basket, protection against falling parts. The area under the extended boom is not a walkway.

Pedestrian routing. If a pavement is closed, a safe diversion must be provided - in pedestrian zones and on school routes this regularly becomes the main condition.

Variable outriggers help twice here: they allow work on narrow strips and reduce the area that has to be cordoned off.

Operation normally takes place from the basket; a second control station on the vehicle is used for rescue and set-up.

Before the first lift: set the outriggers and wait for release, put on the safety harness in the basket, check the basket load, test the emergency stop and emergency lowering.

During operation: do not leave the basket unless the machine is expressly approved for this; do not lever loads over the basket rail; watch out for overhead power lines and minimum distances.

Rescue plan: if the operator in the basket becomes incapacitated, a second briefed person must be able to lower the basket from the lower control station or via emergency lowering. This scenario belongs in the risk assessment and should be talked through once before the job - not only in an emergency.

Details on the required qualification are in the guide Operator authorisation for aerial work platforms.

These seven details shorten any enquiry to a short conversation:

1. Working height at the highest point - not the building height, but the reach position.
2. Distance between set-up area and work point - this determines the outreach.
3. Obstacles in between - canopy, balcony, trees, overhead line.
4. Set-up area - surface, slope, width, bearing capacity, access.
5. People and material in the basket - determines the required basket load.
6. Job duration and time window - daily, weekly or monthly rental, closure times.
7. Public traffic area yes/no - determines the permit and lead time.

Experience shows that a photo of the site showing the set-up area and the target point replaces half an hour of description.

Which driving licence do you need for a truck-mounted platform?

Category B is sufficient for the 3.5 t class. Heavier chassis require C1 or C. Operating the platform additionally requires a valid operator certificate (Section 17(1)(b) Decree No. 508/2009 Coll.).

How high does a truck-mounted platform reach?

In the 3.5 t class, 16 to 22 metres of working height with outreach of up to 11 metres. On larger chassis, up to 57 metres is possible.

What does a truck-mounted platform cost per day?

In the 3.5 t class, a guide of €450-700 net per day; large units €700-1,100 (as of 08/2026), depending on height, model and rental period.

Is a qualification required for operation?

Yes - a valid operator certificate (Section 17(1)(b) Decree No. 508/2009 Coll.) plus written authorisation from the employer.

Can a truck-mounted platform work on unpaved ground?

Only to a limited extent. It needs a stable set-up area for the vehicle and outriggers. For soft ground and narrow access, a spider lift is the better choice.