Cycle-Time Math: Turn Dump Truck Loads Into Dollars Per Hour
Cycle time = load + haul + dump + return + wait. Divide per-load rate by cycle time to get true hourly. If it doesn't beat your local hourly benchmark, quote hourly instead.
Every operator has a story about a per-load rate that looked great until the third trip took 90 minutes.
Worked example
You quote $310 per load, 14 tons of stone from a quarry to a site 11 miles apart. Load time 8 min, haul 22 min, dump 5 min, return 22 min, wait 8 min = 65-min cycle. That's 0.92 loads/hour × $310 = $285/hour. Solid tandem number. If the site turns muddy and cycles stretch to 90 minutes, you're at $207/hour — below the $85/hr tandem floor.
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