Ram Babu

How Many Yards in a Concrete Truck?

Concrete trucks come in a variety of sizes and designs. They’re basically a truck with a huge cement mixer in the back that spins to keep the concrete from getting hard while it’s being delivered. Most concrete trucks also carry water tanks so they can wet the concrete or clean up after the pour. Once on site, the truck has shoots that can pour concrete to specific areas of the job.

Some trucks offload concrete from the front and some from the back. There is an average of 8-10 yards of concrete in a truck. But concrete trucks come in different sizes. Large trucks can hold upwards of 14 cubic yards, while mini truck carry around 4.

An average size 8-10 yard concrete truck weighs 20,000 to 30,000 pounds (9,070 to 13,600 kg), and can carry roughly 40,000 pounds (18,100 kg) of concrete. Because of the high cost of fuel and concrete trucks being diesel, there’s usually a delivery charge and a fee for the amount of time the truck spends on the job pouring past a certain time.

My local concrete company charges $150 for delivery and $75 per hour past the first hour. They also charge an additional flat fee of $75 for small loads which are called “short loads”. Small loads cost more because the truck costs more per hour/mile to operate because they’re not selling you much concrete.

The average 8-10 yard concrete truck is great for residential work like pouring a driveway, footings or a patio. Large 14 yard concrete trucks are better for commercial or industrial work that may require 1,000+ yards of concrete. Mini trucks are best for small jobs or when streets are tight to drive in.

Ahead we’ll talk more about how much concrete an average truck holds along with some tips on ordering concrete.

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Concrete Trucks Come In Different Sizes

The average size concrete truck holds 8-10 cubic yards of concrete. But there are larger and smaller size concrete trucks. An 8-10 cubic yard truck is the right size for residential work like patios, foundations, driveways or steps.

Larger concrete trucks can carry upwards of 14 yards of concrete. These trucks are usually found on large scale commercial or industrial projects that need to pour a lot of concrete fast.

In many cases, such as bridges, damns and large foundations, the concrete pour needs to be done all at once before the concrete can set up. A single footing can easily contain over 100 yards of concrete. I’ve been on commercial jobs that poured over 100,000 yards of concrete. Bigger trucks are better for this scale work because you don’t need as many of them. The less trucks you bring in, the less chance there is for mistakes or mechanical issues.

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As a construction manager, an important part of the job is managing the concrete deliveries and pours. All large scale construction projects require lots of concrete so builders prefer the large trucks.

Mini concrete trucks hold around 4 yards of concrete. These are great for cities where streets and properties can be tight. Larger concrete trucks are really heavy and terrible on gas, so you can save money using a mini truck for small deliveries. These trucks are great if you’re pouring a set of concrete steps or setting fence posts. The trucks are more maneuverable and easier to drive.

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