How many cubic yards fit in a dump truck?
10–14cubic yards
standard tandem dump truck
A standard tandem dump truck holds 10 to 14 cubic yards. Smaller dumpers carry 5–8 and a tri-axle 15–20, but weight is usually the real limit: 14 yards of gravel is over 20 tons, which exceeds what many trucks may legally haul.
load in tons = cubic yards × tons per cubic yard
- Standard tandem dump truck: 10–14 cubic yards
- Tri-axle dump truck: 15–20 cubic yards
- Small dumper: 5–8 cubic yards
- Half-ton pickup: 1–1.5 cubic yards
- Weight caps the load first: 14 yards of gravel is over 20 tons
Typical capacity by truck
| Truck | Cubic yards |
|---|---|
| Pickup truck (½ ton) | 1–1.5 |
| Small dump / dumper | 5–8 |
| Standard tandem dump truck | 10–14 |
| Tri-axle dump truck | 15–20 |
Cubic yard calculator
Any area and depth — in cubic yards, feet, metres and tons.
Weight limits before volume
Heavy material fills the legal payload long before the box is full. A truck rated for 10 yards of mulch may only take 6 yards of wet gravel, so suppliers quote loads in tons for aggregate and yards for mulch.
Plan the delivery, not just the order
Ask for the truck size, the drop footprint and the tipping height. A tandem needs roughly 12 ft of clearance to raise its bed, and a dropped load spreads over more ground than people expect.
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic yards is a standard dump truck?
10 to 14 cubic yards for a tandem, 5 to 8 for a small dumper and 15 to 20 for a tri-axle.
How many tons can a dump truck carry?
Commonly 12 to 15 tons for a tandem. With gravel at 1.5 tons per yard, that is only about 8 to 10 yards.
How many yards of mulch fit in a dump truck?
Mulch is light, so volume decides: a tandem can carry its full 10 to 14 yards.