Hourly to Per-Ton Rate Converter for Dump Trucks

Turn your hourly rate into per-ton and per-load prices, and check what a per-ton offer pays per hour.

Truck type

Starting numbers are examples. Enter your own.

In dollars per hour.

What you charge, or want to charge, per hour.

In tons.

Typical for this truck, varies. Check your state's limits and your registration.

In minutes.
In minutes.
In minutes.
In minutes.
More options
In dollars per ton.

See what a per-ton offer pays per hour.

In dollars per load.

See what a per-load offer pays per hour.

In dollars per load.

Tolls and scale fees you pay and don't get back.

In hours per day.

Approximate. Ask your supplier for the exact weight.

In tons per cubic yard.

Approximate. Ask your supplier for the exact weight.

Charge per load

$146.67/load

  • Per ton$6.98/ton
  • One round trip1.33 hours
  • Loads per hour0.75
  • Full loads per day7 loads

Hourly pay covers every hour. Per-ton and per-load pay count only completed loads, so a part-load at the end of the day earns nothing. That's why loads per day is rounded down.

How this is calculated

  • Round trip (hours) = (loading + haul + dump + return minutes) ÷ 60.
  • Per load = hourly rate × round trip hours + extras per load.
  • Per ton = per load ÷ tons per load. Per yard = per ton × material weight per yard.
  • Full loads per day = work day ÷ round trip, rounded down.
  • What a per-ton offer pays per hour = (offer × tons per load − extras) ÷ round trip hours.

Worked example: $110 an hour; 10 minutes loading, 65 minutes hauling, 10 minutes dumping and 65 minutes back is a 2.5-hour round trip. That's $275 per load and, at 22 tons, $12.50 per ton (or $17.50 per yard for gravel at 1.4 tons per yard). With $20 of tolls per load, it's $295 per load and $13.41 per ton.

A $14-per-ton offer pays $123.20 an hour ($115.20 with $20 of tolls). In a 10-hour day you finish 4 loads: $1,232 per ton against $1,100 hourly, so per ton pays $132 more.

Questions

When does a per-ton rate pay more than hourly?

When the trips are quick enough that you complete many loads. At $110 an hour with a 2.5-hour round trip and 22 tons a load, the hourly rate is worth $12.50 a ton. A $14-a-ton offer works out to $123.20 an hour, and over a 10-hour day (4 full loads) pays $1,232 against $1,100 hourly. On longer hauls the same per-ton offer can pay less than your hourly rate.

Why are loads per day rounded down?

Per-ton and per-load pay only count finished loads. If a round trip takes 2.5 hours, a 10-hour day fits 4 full loads, not 4.2. Hourly pay covers every hour, including the part-load at the end of the day.

What goes in "extras per load"?

Costs you pay on every load and don't get back, such as tolls and scale fees. They are added to the per-load price, and taken off a per-ton or per-load offer when working out what it pays per hour.

How do I get a per-yard price?

Choose a material under More options. The per-ton price is multiplied by that material's weight per cubic yard. Weights are approximate, so ask your supplier for the exact figure.

How many tons per load should I use?

Use what you actually haul. As a guide, typical legal payloads are 6–8 tons for a single-axle, 12–16 tons for a tandem and 18–25 tons for a tri-axle, depending on configuration and state law (The Upfit Insider).

Sources

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