🚛 Haul Truck Match Calculator

How Truck-Shovel Matching Works

Truck-shovel matching is one of the most critical factors in open-pit and earthmoving production. An excavator that sits idle waiting for a truck burns money — a large excavator can cost $300–$800/hr in ownership and operating costs whether it's digging or waiting.

The Formula

Trucks needed = Truck cycle time ÷ Loading time per truck (rounded up). If your cycle is 20 minutes and loading takes 2 minutes, you need 10 trucks for continuous excavator operation.

Practical Tips

• Always add 1 spare truck to the fleet — breakdowns, flat tires, and fueling pull trucks out of rotation.
• Steep haul grades increase cycle time significantly. A 10% grade can add 30–50% to haul time.
• If you have fewer trucks than needed, the excavator will sit idle between loads — this is usually the most expensive inefficiency on a job.
• Too many trucks means trucks queue at the excavator, wasting fuel and adding spotting delays.
• Track payload vs. rated capacity — overloaded trucks increase cycle time and maintenance costs.