A mobile lifting apparatus includes (a) a bottom tower section having a first bottom sidewall and an opposed second bottom sidewall; (b) a top tower section coupled to and vertically translatable relative to the bottom tower section; (c) a work platform coupled to and vertically translatable with the top tower section; and (d) an elevating assembly operable to translate the top tower section relative to the bottom tower section between a raised position in which a work surface of the work platform is at an elevation above the bottom tower section, and a lowered position in which the top tower section and the work surface are at least partially nested within the bottom tower section with the work surface at an elevation below upper edges of the first and second bottom sidewalls for reducing the entry and exit height of the work platform.