How Many Tons of Gravel in a Dump Truck? Loads and Coverage
How many tons of gravel in a dump truck? It depends on the truck. As rough ballparks, small single-axle trucks often carry somewhere around 6 to 8 tons, tandem-axle trucks around 12 to 16 tons, and tri-axles around 18 to 22 tons. Gravel is heavy, so the legal weight limit usually fills up before the bed does. Ask your supplier what their trucks carry for the stone you are buying, and use the numbers below to plan.
Gravel tons calculator →Why weight, not bed size, sets the load
A cubic yard of crushed stone weighs roughly 1.2 to 1.5 tons. A tandem truck with a bed that could hold 15 yards of light material would be badly overweight with 15 yards of stone. Trucks are limited by the weight their axles may carry on public roads, minus the truck's own empty weight.
On the federal Interstate System, the general limits are 20,000 pounds on a single axle, 34,000 pounds on a tandem axle group, and 80,000 pounds gross vehicle weight, subject to the bridge formula (23 CFR 658.17). States set rules for other roads and issue their own permits, which is one reason two tandems from different companies may carry different loads.
Typical gravel loads by truck type
| Truck | Common payload range | ≈ Cubic yards at 1.4 t/yd³ |
|---|---|---|
| Single-axle dump | ~6–8 tons | ~4–6 yd³ |
| Tandem-axle (10-wheeler) | ~12–16 tons | ~9–11 yd³ |
| Tri-axle | ~18–22 tons | ~13–16 yd³ |
These are planning ranges, not legal limits. The truck's empty weight, axle spacing, state law and seasonal road postings all change the real number. Many yards also deliver partial loads, usually with a minimum delivery charge.
How far a load of gravel spreads
Square feet covered = tons ÷ tons per yard × 27 ÷ depth in feet. At 1.4 tons per cubic yard:
| Load | 2 in deep | 3 in deep | 4 in deep | 6 in deep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 tons | ~810 ft² | ~540 ft² | ~405 ft² | ~270 ft² |
| 10 tons | ~1,160 ft² | ~770 ft² | ~580 ft² | ~385 ft² |
| 15 tons | ~1,740 ft² | ~1,160 ft² | ~870 ft² | ~580 ft² |
| 20 tons | ~2,310 ft² | ~1,540 ft² | ~1,160 ft² | ~770 ft² |
Compaction makes a spread layer thinner, so plan a cushion if the finished depth matters. How much a ton of gravel covers walks through the same math one ton at a time.
Planning deliveries
- Figure total tons first. Use the base calculator or the 100-foot driveway example, then divide by the load size your supplier quotes.
- Think about access. A loaded tri-axle is very heavy. Soft lawns, septic areas, older asphalt and narrow gates may call for smaller trucks or tailgate spreading from the road. See how much weight an asphalt driveway can hold.
- Ask about tailgate spreading. Many drivers can spread stone in a strip as they pull forward, which saves hours of wheelbarrow work.
- Layers. If the job has a coarse base and a finer top, schedule them as separate loads.
For hot mix asphalt rather than stone, see tons of asphalt in a dump truck.
Questions people ask
How many tons of gravel does a tandem dump truck hold?
Commonly around 12 to 16 tons, depending on the truck's empty weight, axle setup and local weight rules. Ask the supplier what their tandem carries.
How many yards of gravel are in a dump truck load?
Divide the tons by the stone's weight per yard. At about 1.4 tons per yard, a 15-ton load is roughly 10 to 11 cubic yards.
How much area does a 10-ton load of gravel cover?
At about 1.4 tons per cubic yard, roughly 580 square feet at 4 inches deep or about 1,160 square feet at 2 inches.
Why can't a truck be filled to the top with gravel?
Stone is heavy enough that axle and gross weight limits are reached long before the bed is full.
Related guides
- How much does a ton of gravel cover?
- Gravel weight per yard
- Gravel driveway cost
- Live bottom trailer
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