Frequently Asked Questions
A 10-yard pile of dirt holds 270 cubic feet, about a box 10 feet long, 9 feet wide and 3 feet high, though loose dirt slumps into a wider, lower mound. Spread out, 10 cubic yards covers about 3,240 square feet at 1 inch deep, or about 810 square feet at 4 inches.
Owning a dump truck takes no CDL, because federal CDL rules in 49 CFR 383 apply to the person driving a truck rated at 26,001 lb GVWR or more, and to the employer. An owner can hire CDL drivers. Trucks rated under 26,001 lb generally need no CDL, though state license classes still apply.
A thousand cubic yards takes about 84 to 100 loads in 10 to 12 yard trucks, or 63 to 67 loads in 15 to 16 yard tri-axles. If the yards are measured in the ground, excavated earth swells about 25%, so plan on roughly 1,250 loose yards, or 105 to 125 smaller-truck loads.
A 10-yard dump truck holds about 10 cubic yards by volume, but material weight decides its legal load. Hauling guides put it at 7 to 8 yards of heavy clay, 9 to 10 yards of dry fill and 11 or more yards of loose topsoil. Dense or wet loads reach the weight limit first.
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