Dump Truck Hauling Calculator
Estimate how much material a dump truck can haul per hour, per day, or per unit cost using payload, fill factor, cycle time, efficiency, and material density.
Calculate
Calculate
Measurements convert when you switch units
Result
The formula
Haul production equals payload × fill factor × trips per hour × operating efficiency. Trips per hour are 3,600 ÷ cycle time. Tonnes per hour come from payload-based output, while m³ per hour comes from dividing by bulk density. Unit cost divides hourly operating cost by production.
Worked example
- Payload 25 t, fill 95%, cycle 6 min 0 s, efficiency 80%
- Trips/h = 3,600 ÷ 360 = 10 · Q = 25 × 0.95 × 10 × 0.80 = 190 t/h
- At 1.6 t/m³, volume = 190 ÷ 1.6 = 118.8 m³/h
Result: ≈ 190 t/h · ≈ 118.8 m³/h
How dump truck hauling is estimated
This calculator is a planning model for dump trucks hauling loose or stockpiled material. Real output depends on route length, road condition, queueing, loading method, and operator skill.
Payload and fill factor
Use a realistic payload or rated body capacity, then apply a fill factor for spill, heaped loading, and what your site actually allows. Wet sand, clay, and blasted rock all load differently.
Cycle time
Cycle time is the full hauling loop: loading, loaded travel, dumping, return, waiting, and maneuvering. You can enter a direct cycle time or build it from the parts.
Road condition and grade
Haul roads, grades, and passing space change real cycle time quickly. A short but rough haul road can perform worse than a longer smooth one.
Tonne versus cubic metre
Trucks are usually planned in tonnes, while site quantities may be in cubic metres. Density converts between the two so you can compare haul tickets with excavation quantities.
What we do not model
No tire wear, payload limits by axle, legal road weight checks, standby delays, weather downtime, or fleet matching are included. For bid work, measure the route and check the truck class.
Interesting facts
Queue time can dominate haul production
A truck with a strong payload still underperforms if it spends minutes waiting to load or dump. On busy sites, the bottleneck is often the loader or the dump point.
Road maintenance pays back quickly
Keeping the haul road graded and drained can cut cycle time enough to raise tonnes per hour without changing the truck.
Payload is not always usable payload
Heaped material, moisture, and site rules can all reduce the usable load versus the truck’s nominal rating.
Density changes what the same truck moves
A truck hauling dense rock may move far fewer cubic metres than one hauling topsoil, even when tonnes per hour stay similar.
Cost per tonne is the contractor’s shortcut
Once you know tonnes per hour, dividing hourly cost by production gives a simple number to compare routes, machines, or subcontractors.
Frequently asked questions
Multiply payload by fill factor, trips per hour (3,600 ÷ cycle seconds), and operating efficiency. The result is tonnes per hour; divide by density for m³ per hour.
Use the real average from your haul route if possible. Otherwise, add loading, loaded travel, dumping, return, waiting, and maneuvering times.
Divide the required tonnes or cubic metres by the production rate. If you also enter hours per day, you can estimate workdays too.
Add fuel, operator, and truck operating cost per hour, then divide by tonnes per hour.
Payload drives the haul rate in tonnes; density lets you convert that rate to cubic metres. Enter both when you need both views.
References
- Caterpillar Performance Handbook General earthmoving production and hauling context.
- Construction Planning, Equipment, and Methods Standard framework for equipment productivity and haul planning.
- RSMeans Data Commercial estimating context for truck productivity and cost.