If you're sizing up a driveway, foundation pad, or fill project and trying to figure out the budget, "how much does a dump truck of gravel cost" is the right question to ask. The answer isn't a single number - it depends on the truck, the material, and how far we're hauling. The variables are all knowable, and once you've got them, you can ballpark any project quickly.

Breakdown for East Tennessee in 2026.

The Short Answer

For a typical residential delivery in Blount or Knox County:

Small single-axle dump (5-7 tons): $250 - $500 delivered
Standard tandem-axle dump (10-14 tons): $400 - $900 delivered
Tri-axle dump (16-22 tons): $600 - $1,400 delivered

All-in number including material and delivery. Mileage, material grade, and current fuel prices push it up or down.

What Goes Into a Dump Truck Price

Four things:

Material cost - per-ton price of what you're hauling
Truck capacity - how many tons fit
Delivery distance - round-trip from our yard in Maryville
Sales tax - Blount County is 9.75% on residential deliveries

A walk through each.

Material Cost: Cheaper Than You Think

The material itself is usually the biggest single line item. Rough ranking from cheapest to most expensive per ton in East Tennessee:

Recycled concrete aggregate (RCA): The cheapest option. Sold as crusher run, #57, #411, and other grades.
Crusher run (virgin limestone): Slightly more than RCA.
#57 stone (virgin limestone): A bit more than crusher run.
#7 / pea gravel: More expensive.
Decorative landscape stone: Most expensive.

Current rates are on our pricing page. Bottom line: if you want to keep cost down, RCA is the move. We dig into the cost difference in our RCA vs. gravel post.

Truck Capacity: Buy the Biggest Truck You Can Use

Where homeowners often leave money on the table. Per-ton delivery cost goes DOWN as truck size goes UP. A tandem dump delivering 12 tons is way cheaper per ton than two smaller trucks delivering 6 tons each.

Breakdown:

Single-Axle Dump (5-7 tons)

The smaller residential truck. Good for tight driveways and small loads. Cost per ton is higher because you're spreading the delivery fee across fewer tons.

Use it when: You have access constraints or a small job (under 8 tons total).

Tandem-Axle Dump (10-14 tons)

The workhorse. Most residential and small commercial deliveries go in a tandem. Best balance of capacity and access.

Use it when: You have a normal residential driveway and need 8-14 tons.

Tri-Axle Dump (16-22 tons)

Bigger truck, biggest load. Lower per-ton cost when you can take the full load.

Use it when: You have wide access (easy turn-around) and need 15+ tons. Common for large rural driveways, building pads, and contractor jobs.

Tractor-Trailer / Belly Dump (22-25 tons)

For bulk projects. Best per-ton economics but requires great access.

Use it when: You're moving 22+ tons and have room for a full-size rig to maneuver.

Delivery Distance: The Real Variable

We're at 245 Brookdale Rd, Maryville. Delivery cost is driven by round-trip drive time and fuel. Rough sense of distance-based pricing for a tandem dump truck:

Within Maryville / Alcoa (5-10 mi): ~$80 - $130
Greater Blount County (10-20 mi): ~$100 - $180
Knoxville and Knox County (20-35 mi): ~$150 - $250
Loudon, Lenoir City, Sevierville (25-40 mi): ~$180 - $280
Further out (40+ mi): Call for quote

Mileage adds up fast on long hauls - it's not just fuel, it's driver time, equipment wear, and the truck not being available for other deliveries.

A Real Example: Tandem Dump of RCA to Maryville

You want a single tandem load (12 tons) of RCA crusher run delivered to your house in Maryville. Math:

Material: 12 tons x RCA per-ton rate (see pricing) - roughly $200 - $325
Delivery (local Maryville): ~$100
Subtotal: ~$300 - $425
Tax (9.75%): ~$30 - $40
Total all-in: ~$330 - $465

That's enough RCA to put a 4-inch surface on a roughly 600 square foot driveway (about 12' x 50'). For comparison, the same project in asphalt would run $3,000+.

A Bigger Example: Tri-Axle Dump of #57 to Knoxville

Now you want a 20-ton load of #57 stone delivered to a job site in Knoxville. Math:

Material: 20 tons x #57 rate (see pricing)
Delivery (Knoxville): ~$200 - $250
Subtotal: Higher than the RCA example, both because #57 costs more per ton and because Knoxville is farther
Tax: Depends on jurisdiction (Knox County also has local tax)
Total: Call (865) 999-0857 for the exact number - we'll quote it on the spot

For tighter budgeting, use our aggregate calculator to nail down your tonnage, then add delivery from our rate guide.

What If I Don't Need a Full Truck?

Two options:

Pick it up yourself. Bring a pickup truck or trailer to our yard and we'll load you up. No delivery charge. Don't overload - a 1/2-ton pickup tops out at about 1.5 tons of gravel safely.
Pay the half-load delivery price. We'll still send a truck with whatever tonnage you need, but you're paying the full delivery fee divided across fewer tons. Usually less economical than picking it up yourself.

For small projects (under 3 tons), DIY pickup almost always wins on cost.

Tonnage Per Cubic Yard (Rough Reference)

When suppliers and contractors talk gravel, they sometimes use cubic yards instead of tons. Quick conversions:

| Material | Tons per Cubic Yard | |---|---| | RCA / crushed concrete | ~1.3 - 1.5 | | Crusher run | ~1.4 - 1.5 | | #57 stone | ~1.3 | | Pea gravel | ~1.3 | | Sand | ~1.4 |

So a 12-yard dump truck of crusher run is roughly 17 tons. A 6-yard load is roughly 9 tons. For a full breakdown of when to use which unit, read our companion post on tons vs. cubic yards.

Hidden Costs to Watch For

A few things that can sneak into a delivery quote elsewhere (but won't at SMSG):

Wait time fees - some yards charge if the driver has to wait for you to be ready to receive
After-hours surcharges - we deliver during business hours; off-hours costs more wherever you go
Difficult access fees - very tight driveways, soft ground, low overhead. Call us before you book if you've got concerns
Minimum charges - most yards (us included) have a minimum delivery fee that makes very small loads less economical per ton

We're up front on all of it. Call (865) 999-0857 with your specifics and we'll give you the real number.

What To Expect

A dump truck of gravel in East Tennessee runs from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand depending on truck size, material, and distance. For most residential projects, you're in the $400-$900 range for a full tandem load delivered locally.

To get an exact quote:

Use our calculator to estimate tonnage
Check current pricing for per-ton material rates
Call (865) 999-0857 for delivery on top, or hit the contact form

We're open Monday-Friday 7am-5pm and Saturday 8am-12pm at 245 Brookdale Rd, Maryville. We deliver throughout Blount and Knox counties and the surrounding region.

Driveway, pad, fill, drainage - we'll get the gravel there.

How Much Does a Dump Truck of Gravel Cost in East Tennessee?