DUMP TRUCKS / HOURLY, PER TON, PER LOAD
Dump truck dispatch that fills the calendar
Dump work is local, fast and paid three different ways. We find the jobs, pick the pay model that fits each one, keep your tickets straight and confirm every job to you in writing before your truck rolls.
Keep my dump truck busyPAY MODELS
Hourly, per ton or per load: which pays more?
The same day of work can pay very differently depending on how the job is priced. Hourly protects you from slow sites and long lines at the pit. Per ton and per load reward fast cycles and short hauls.
Put in an example day and see the three side by side. The numbers start as examples; change them to match a job you are looking at.
EXAMPLE DAY / EDIT ANY NUMBER
- Hourly
- $1,100
- 10 h x $110
- Per ton
- $1,188
- 6 loads x 22 t x $9
- Per load
- $990
- 6 loads x $165
With these numbers, per ton pays best. Change the tons, the loads or the hours and watch it flip: short hauls with fast loading favor per load or per ton; long waits and slow sites favor hourly.
WHERE THE WORK IS
A dump truck dispatcher who knows the jobs
Dump work comes from a handful of places. We keep contacts in each one so your truck isn't waiting on a single contractor.
Construction
Site prep, fill, base rock and dirt moves. Usually hourly, often long days in season.
Aggregate and asphalt
Quarry and plant runs to paving jobs and stockpiles. Often per ton or per load.
Demolition
Hauling debris and concrete off sites. Steady work that keeps going when building slows.
Municipal and public
Road and utility projects. Paperwork-heavy, with set rates and certified payroll on some jobs.
A DISPATCHED DAY
How a dump job runs with us
Dump dispatch is a daily rhythm, not a weekly load list. This is how a normal job day goes when the desk is handling it.
DAY BEFORE
Job confirmed
Site, material, pay model, start time and contact sent to you in writing.
MORNING
Roll to the pit or site
Start time logged. We know the plan if the site isn't ready.
ALL DAY
Cycles and tickets
Every scale ticket photographed and sent in.
END OF DAY
Hours and tickets matched
We check totals against the rate and flag gaps.
WEEKLY
Paperwork ready
Tickets and hours organized for invoicing or your factor.
WHAT WE NEED ON FILE
Your truck, in detail
- Body type: tandem, tri-axle, quad, end dump, side dump, transfer
- Body capacity in cubic yards and your legal payload
- Tarp system and any liners
- Authority: your own MC/DOT, or intrastate only
- Certificate of insurance, including general liability if you carry it
- The area you will work in and how far you will travel
INSURANCE, PLAINLY
What contractors ask for
A for-hire truck over 10,000 lb hauling across state lines needs at least $750,000 in liability under federal rules. A lot of dump work is local, so state rules decide the minimum there, and they vary.
Contractors and public projects often ask for more than the legal minimum: higher liability limits, general liability, and being named as additional insured. We check each job's requirement against your certificate before we confirm it, so you never find out at the gate.
SOURCE: eCFR, 49 CFR 387.9, CHECKED OCTOBER 2026. NOT INSURANCE ADVICE; ASK YOUR AGENT.
YOUR CALL, ALWAYS
Nothing booked without your yes
When a job runs through a broker, the broker sends the rate confirmation straight to you. When it comes from a contractor or a supplier directly, we send you the job sheet with the same details: site, material, pay model, rate, start time and who to call. Either way you read it and say yes or no.
We never commit your truck to a job you haven't seen, and passing on a job costs you nothing. If a contractor changes the plan on site, call us before you agree to anything new, and we get the change written down.
PICKING THE MODEL
How we choose hourly or per ton
Hourly fits jobs where you can't control the pace: busy sites, long lines at the pit, slow loaders. Per ton or per load fits short, fast cycles where a good driver can turn more loads than the hourly rate would pay for.
When a contractor offers a choice, we run the numbers on their real cycle times before we agree. When they don't, we tell you whether the rate makes sense for the model they set, and you decide.
WHAT WE WON'T BOOK
- Jobs that put you over your legal payload
- Sites with unpaid hauler complaints we can't clear up first
- Per-load jobs with cycle times that make the rate a loss
THE YEAR
Busy season, slow season
Most dump trucks earn the bulk of their year between spring thaw and late fall. Planning for the other months is part of dispatch.
Spring and summer
Paving, site work and building. Long days, plenty of hourly work. Book ahead.
Fall
Contractors push to finish before freeze. Short notice, good rates, long hours.
Winter
Demolition, aggregate stockpiling and southern work. We look further out for you.
TICKETS THAT PAY
Where dump money goes missing
Most short pay in dump work comes from paperwork, not rates. These are the gaps we watch for every week, on every job, for every truck.
Missing scale tickets
One lost ticket on a per-ton job is a load you hauled for free. Photograph each one before you leave the scale.
Start time not logged
Hourly jobs get paid from the time the contractor agrees you started. Text the start time and get it acknowledged.
Standby not written down
Waiting for a loader or a paver is often billable on hourly work, but only if someone notes it.
Wrong material code
A ticket coded for the wrong material or job number can stall payment for weeks.
FEE AND QUESTIONS
Dump truck dispatch at 5%
Same rate card as every truck we dispatch. Full details on dispatch cost. Waiting 30 days or more on contractor pay? Factoring can close the gap.
- Five job days
- $5,800
- Our fee at 5%
- $290
- A 10% desk
- $580
01How does dump truck dispatch work?
We find work from contractors, aggregate suppliers, brokers and haulers who need extra trucks, agree the pay model and the job details, and line up your days. Each job is confirmed to you in writing with the rate, site and hours before you commit. You track tickets on site; we keep the paperwork straight.
02How do you track tickets and hours?
You photograph every scale ticket and your start and end times each day and send them to us. We match tickets against the job's rate, flag anything missing before the invoice goes out, and keep a running total so you know what each week should pay.
03Do you dispatch end dumps and side dumps?
Yes, plus tandems, tri-axles, quad-axles and transfer dumps. Each body type suits different work: end dumps and side dumps for longer aggregate and asphalt runs, tandems and tri-axles for job sites with tight access. We match the job to what you run.
04What insurance does a dump truck need?
It depends on where you run. For-hire trucks over 10,000 lb in interstate work need at least $750,000 in liability under federal rules, and many states set their own minimums for local work. Contractors often ask for general liability too. We check each job's requirements against your certificate.
05Is dump truck work seasonal?
In much of the country, yes. Construction and paving slow down in winter in cold states, and spring and summer are the busy months. Southern states stay steadier. We plan the slow months around demolition, snow-related work where it exists, and aggregate stockpiling.
06How much does dump truck dispatch cost?
5% of gross for one truck with an MC at least 6 months old, 7% while your authority is newer, 4% for two trucks or more. No setup fee and no contract.
07Do you find work for dump trucks without their own authority?
Some local dump work is intrastate and runs under state rules rather than an MC number, and some contractors hire trucks directly. We work with your setup as it is: your own MC and DOT, intrastate only, or leased on. On the intro call we sort out which jobs your paperwork allows.
08Can I turn down a job?
Yes. Every job comes to you with the rate, site and hours written down first, and you accept or pass. We don't commit your truck to anything you haven't agreed to.
TRUCK READY FOR MONDAY?
Tell us the body. We'll find the jobs.
Apply in two minutes with your body type and work area. Every job comes to you in writing first, and you decide.