Truck Load Calculator
A half-ton pickup can safely carry about 0.4 cubic yard of topsoil, 0.3 yard of crushed stone or 2 yards of bark mulch. A tandem dump truck carries about 10.8 yards of topsoil. Heavy material runs out of weight before the bed is full, and light material runs out of room, so the answer depends on what you are hauling.
Ordering a delivery? Dump truck sizes compared shows which truck suits your job.
Work out your load
| Vehicle | One trip holds | Trips | Limited by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half-ton pickupF-150, Silverado 1500 | 0.4 yd | 8 trips | weight |
| ¾-ton pickupF-250, Silverado 2500 | 1 yd | 3 trips | weight |
| 1-ton pickupF-350, Silverado 3500 | 1.6 yd | 2 trips | weight |
| Single-axle utility trailer3,500 lb axle | 0.8 yd | 4 trips | weight |
| Single-axle dump trucksmall delivery truck | 5 yd | 1 trip | weight |
| Tandem dump truckstandard delivery truck | 10.8 yd | 1 trip | weight |
| Tri-axle dump trucklarge delivery truck | 16 yd | 1 trip | room |
Figures use the heavy end of the weight range and cautious payloads, so treat them as a planning guide. Your vehicle's door-jamb sticker or trailer plate is the real limit, and it includes passengers and anything else on board. Trailers are also limited by what your vehicle can tow.
How much one trip carries, by material
Cubic yards per trip, dry, using the heavy end of each material's weight range. Bold figures are limited by room rather than weight.
| Material | Half-ton pickup | ¾-ton pickup | 1-ton pickup | Single-axle utility trailer | Single-axle dump truck | Tandem dump truck | Tri-axle dump truck |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topsoilup to 2,400 lb/yd | 0.4 | 1 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 5 | 10.8 | 16 |
| Fill dirtup to 2,200 lb/yd | 0.4 | 1.1 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 5.4 | 11.8 | 16 |
| Mulchup to 800 lb/yd | 1.2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 16 |
| Pine bark mulchup to 500 lb/yd | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 16 |
| Compostup to 1,600 lb/yd | 0.6 | 1.5 | 2 | 1.2 | 6 | 12 | 16 |
| Sandup to 3,000 lb/yd | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 4 | 8.6 | 13.3 |
| Pea gravelup to 2,900 lb/yd | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 4.1 | 8.9 | 13.7 |
| Crushed stoneup to 2,900 lb/yd | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 4.1 | 8.9 | 13.7 |
| Gravelup to 3,000 lb/yd | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 4 | 8.6 | 13.3 |
| River rockup to 2,700 lb/yd | 0.3 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 4.4 | 9.6 | 14.8 |
| Decomposed graniteup to 3,000 lb/yd | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 4 | 8.6 | 13.3 |
| Stone dustup to 2,900 lb/yd | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 4.1 | 8.9 | 13.7 |
| Landscape rockup to 2,800 lb/yd | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 4.2 | 9.2 | 14.2 |
Before you load up
Pickup or delivery?
If the table shows more than two or three trips, get a delivered price before you commit a Saturday to it. Most yards charge one trip fee whether the truck carries two yards or twelve, which is why small orders cost the most per yard.
Picking up yourself
Tell the yard your truck and what it can carry before they load you. A front-end loader bucket often holds a yard or more, so ask for a partial scoop, and do not let them keep going because the bed still looks empty. Bring a tarp, since an uncovered load can be a ticket as well as a hazard.
Having it delivered
Ask which truck is coming, because a loaded tandem is heavy enough to crack a driveway. Read whether a dump truck will damage your driveway and where the driver should tip the load first.
Truck load questions
How many yards of topsoil can a pickup carry?
Plan on about 0.4 yard in a half-ton, 1 in a ¾-ton and 1.6 in a 1-ton. The bed has room for more, but a yard of topsoil weighs up to 2,400 lb and more when it is wet. Your door-jamb sticker gives your truck's real limit.
How much can a half-ton truck carry?
Many half-tons are rated around 1,500 lb or more, but that includes everyone in the cab and anything else on board. We plan on 1,000 lb of material. Check the sticker on the driver-side door jamb and enter your own figure above.
How many yards are in a dump truck?
A single-axle dump truck usually carries 5–7 yards, a tandem 10–12 and a tri-axle 15–18. With heavy material, the legal weight limit can stop the truck before it is full, and limits vary by state, so ask the yard.
Is it cheaper to pick up or have it delivered?
Picking up saves the delivery fee, often roughly $50–150, but only on a small job. Count the trips above and the time and fuel they take. Past a yard or two of soil or stone, a single delivery usually makes more sense.
Does wet material weigh more?
Yes, and by a lot for some materials. Topsoil can reach about 125% of its dry weight after heavy rain, and bark mulch about 180%. Tick the rain box above to see the difference.