Belly Dump Trailer: Capacity, Costs & Hourly Rate
A belly dump trailer typically carries 22–25 tons and 18–25 cubic yards. At example costs it costs $112.76/hr to run.
Capacity and running costs
| Spec | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Payload | 22–25 tons | Typical, varies (not yet verified) |
| Bed volume | 18–25 yd³ | Typical, varies (not yet verified) |
| Fuel use | 6 gal/hr | Site estimate, varies |
| Maintenance | $10.00/hr | Site estimate, varies |
| Tires | $4.00/hr | Site estimate, varies |
Typical. Check your state's limits and your registration.
How it dumps
Gates underneath the trailer open and the material drops out while the truck moves forward slowly, leaving it in a row (a windrow). Suited to free-flowing materials like sand, gravel and aggregate base that need to be laid in a row, for example on road building.
It dumps while moving and needs a clear path, and generally can't place material in a pile or in a hole. These are general points; check them with dealers and experienced operators in your area. See the end dump vs side dump vs belly dump comparison.
What to charge
At this site's example costs ($3,000 truck payment and $900 insurance a month, 160 billable hours a month, diesel at $6.13/gal), a belly dump trailer costs $112.76/hr to run. A 20% markup gives $135.31/hr. Enter your own numbers:
Example numbers. Enter your own. Fuel, maintenance and other costs use typical values for the truck.
Charge at least
$135.31/hr
- Your cost per hour$112.76/hr
- Profit per hour$22.55/hr
Loads for common jobs
| Job | Loads | Limited by | Days, 1 truck |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 tons of gravel | 5 | Weight | 1 day |
| 50 yd³ of topsoil | 3 | Weight | 1 day |
| 500 tons of fill dirt | 21 | Weight | 3 days |
| 25 tons of asphalt | 2 | Weight | 1 day |
| 40 yd³ of mulch | 2 | Volume (bed fills first) | 1 day |
Using a 24-ton payload, a 22 yd³ bed, approximate material weights, a round trip of 10 minutes loading, 30 hauling,10 dumping and 30 returning, and a10-hour day.
Calculators for this truck
Guides for this truck
Questions
How many tons can a belly dump trailer carry?
About 22–25 tons. This is the typical range this site uses; it has not been checked against a published source yet, so treat it as an example and check your registration.
How many cubic yards does a belly dump trailer hold?
About 18–25 cubic yards. This is the typical range this site uses; it has not been checked against a published source yet, so treat it as an example and check your registration.
What does a belly dump trailer cost to run per hour?
At this site's example costs it comes to $112.76/hr. That includes a $30.00/hr driver wage, so it's the break-even if you drive it yourself. Your own payment, insurance and hours change this a lot: use the cost per hour calculator.
What should I charge per hour for a belly dump trailer?
At the example costs with a 20% markup, $135.31/hr. For comparison, one industry source puts average dump truck hourly service rates at $85–$130 per hour, varying by region (Dump Truck Dispatcher). Start from your own costs in the hourly rate calculator.
How many loads is 100 tons of gravel?
5 loads at this site's typical payload of 24 tons. See the table above for more jobs, or use the loads calculator.
Sources
- Dump Truck Dispatcher: how to calculate the cost of a dump truck company start-up
- U.S. Energy Information Administration: weekly U.S. No. 2 diesel retail price
- Example diesel price (August 2026): FleetMaintenance.com on ATRI trucking costs
- Starting costs (truck payment, insurance, permits, fuel use, maintenance, tires, driver pay) are DumpTruckRates examples, not survey data. Enter your own.
- Truck capacities and material weights marked "typical" are approximate and vary. Check your registration, your state's limits and your supplier.
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