How Many Yards in a Dump Truck?
Quick answer: a standard tandem (10-wheeler) dump truck holds about 10–14 cubic yards and 12–18 tons. A single-axle truck holds 5–8 yd³, a tri-axle 12–16 yd³, and a semi end dump 18–26+ yd³. With heavy material like wet clay or gravel, the truck usually reaches its weight limit before the bed is full, so plan on about 10–12 yd³ of dirt per tandem load.
“How many yards fit in a dump truck” has two answers: how much the bed can hold by volume, and how much the truck can legally carry by weight. Light material such as topsoil or mulch fills the bed first. Dense material such as wet clay, gravel, or crushed stone hits the payload limit first, and the bed rides partly empty.
To work out your own loads, measure the hole or pile with the dirt removal calculator or the excavation calculator, then divide the haul volume by the yards per load for your truck and material.
Dump truck sizes and capacity chart
| Truck type | Capacity (cubic yards) | Payload (tons) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small / pickup dump | 1–5 yd³ | 1–5 | Residential mulch, topsoil, tight access |
| Single-axle | 5–8 yd³ | 6–8 | Small jobs and deliveries |
| Tandem (10-wheeler) | 10–14 yd³ | 12–18 | Most residential and site work |
| Tri-axle | 12–16 yd³ | 18–25 | Heavy aggregate, paving, DOT work |
| Quad-axle | 14–18 yd³ | 20–25 | Maximum legal straight-truck payload |
| Semi / end dump trailer | 18–26+ yd³ | 25–40 | Large earthmoving and highway jobs |
Ranges are typical industry figures. Ask the hauler for the actual bed size and legal payload of the truck they will send.
Volume vs. weight: which limit do you hit first?
Divide the truck’s payload in pounds by the material’s loose weight per cubic yard. If the result is smaller than the bed size, weight is the limit. If it is larger, the bed fills first.
Example: a tandem with a 15-ton (30,000 lb) payload and a 14 yd³ bed hauling wet clay at about 2,800 lb per loose cubic yard: 30,000 ÷ 2,800 = 10.7 yd³. The truck is full by weight with more than 3 yd³ of bed space left.
Yards per load by material (tandem example)
This table assumes a tandem with a 15-ton (30,000 lb) payload and a 14 yd³ bed. Loose weights come from Caterpillar’s earthwork reference tables.
| Material | Loose weight (lb/yd³) | Yards per load | Limited by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topsoil | 1,600 | 14 | Bed volume |
| Loam / common earth | 2,100 | 14 | Bed volume |
| Dry sand | 2,400 | 12.5 | Weight |
| Dry packed earth (excavated) | 2,550 | 11.8 | Weight |
| Wet excavated earth | 2,700 | 11.1 | Weight |
| Crushed stone | 2,700 | 11.1 | Weight |
| Wet clay | 2,800 | 10.7 | Weight |
| Gravel, ¼–2 in, dry | 2,850 | 10.5 | Weight |
Weights change with moisture. A rain-soaked load can weigh noticeably more than the same soil dry, so leave a margin when you are close to the limit.
How many truckloads do I need?
- Measure the hole: length × width × depth in feet ÷ 27 = bank cubic yards.
- Add swell, because dug soil fluffs up. Common earth swells about 25%, so multiply by 1.25 for loose cubic yards. See the soil swell factor table for other soils.
- Divide loose yards by the yards per load from the table above, and round up.
Example: a 30 × 20 ft pad dug 2 ft deep is 1,200 ft³ ÷ 27 = 44.4 bank yd³. × 1.25 = 55.6 loose yd³. At about 12 yd³ per tandem load of dirt, 55.6 ÷ 12 = 4.6, so book 5 loads.
Legal weight limits
On the US Interstate system, federal rules cap a single axle at 20,000 lb, a tandem axle group at 34,000 lb, and gross vehicle weight at 80,000 lb, with the Federal Bridge Formula limiting weight by axle spacing. States set their own limits on other roads and issue permits, so a hauler’s legal payload depends on the truck and the state. Overloads mean fines and extra wear, which is why drivers stop loading at the scale weight, not when the bed looks full.
Frequently asked questions
How many yards of dirt are in a dump truck load?
A tandem dump truck typically carries about 10–12 cubic yards of dirt. The bed may hold 14 yd³, but most excavated soil weighs 2,500–2,800 lb per loose cubic yard, so the truck reaches its weight limit first.
How many yards does a tri-axle dump truck hold?
A tri-axle dump truck holds about 12–16 cubic yards and can carry 18–25 tons, depending on the truck and state weight rules.
How many tons are in a dump truck load?
A single-axle carries about 6–8 tons, a tandem 12–18 tons, a tri-axle 18–25 tons, and a semi end dump 25–40 tons.
How many yards of topsoil fit in a dump truck?
Topsoil is light, about 1,600 lb per loose cubic yard, so a tandem usually fills its whole bed: about 10–14 cubic yards.
How do I calculate how many truckloads I need?
Divide the loose (hauled) cubic yards by the yards per load for your truck and material, then round up. Loose yards = bank yards × (1 + swell), about 1.25 for common earth.
Related calculators and guides
Sources
- HomeGuide: Dump Truck Sizes, Types & Capacity Guide (July 2026)
- Caterpillar: Material Density Tables to Help Estimate Earthwork Volumes
- 23 CFR 658.17: Federal vehicle weight limits
Updated: October 17, 2026 by the YardsCalculator editorial team. Figures are planning estimates; confirm weights, truck capacity, and prices with local suppliers and haulers.