Small tipper trucks vs dump trucks - do good things come in small packages?
Date Published 11 February 2021
A small tipper truck is the compact sibling of the more well-known and larger dump truck, but is used for the same purpose - the transportation of construction materials around, as well as to and from worksites. Their smaller size can come in handy on sites that offer less room to manoeuvre, or for projects that only require the moving of relatively small loads.
Small tipper trucks are also generally all-wheel drive vehicles, making them adept at navigating just about any terrain as well as reaching any difficult spots on your site.
How much can our small tipper trucks hold vs. a standard dump truck?
Our small tipper trucks have a capacity of two tonnes. This is on the smaller end of the spectrum when it comes to tipper and dump trucks, with the average dump truck holding between 10 and 16 tonnes. In a practical sense, this means that one of our small tipper trucks could hold:
- Approximately 1.25m³ of sand, or;
- Approximately 0.8m³ of concrete, or;
- 1.2-1.5m³ of soil (depending on density and dampness)
Or a combination of all three plus whatever other materials you need moved. Two tonnes of capacity is more than enough to move earth, backfill soil, transport equipment, and clear waste materials. Paired with one of our mini vacuum trailers or small vacuum trucks, you shouldn’t have any difficulty recovering and transporting construction waste off-site.
Why choose a small tipper truck vs. a dump truck?
Space
If your worksite isn’t accessible to larger dump trucks or other heavy vehicles, two-tonne tipper hire may be an option worth considering. Our small tipper trucks are small and robust enough to be a practical material transportation and removal solution on even the trickiest of worksites.
Cost
All other things being equal, a small tipper truck will generally be cheaper to hire than a larger dump truck. We exclusively offer dry hire for our small tipper trucks, meaning you won’t have to pay for operating services on top of the equipment hire.
License requirements
Due to their relatively compact and lightweight nature, small tipper trucks are generally easier to drive and maneuvre than their larger counterparts. With a straightforward rear dump function and drop sides, our small tipper trucks are easy to operate, with none of the mechanical complexity that can come with some larger dump trucks.
Due to their relatively compact and lightweight nature, small tipper trucks are generally easier to drive and maneuvre than their larger counterparts. With a straightforward rear dump function and drop sides, our small tipper trucks are easy to operate, with none of the mechanical complexity that can come with some larger dump trucks.
Standard dump trucks will generally require the operator to hold a heavy vehicle license, which means either acquiring one yourself or paying for the labour and services of a licensed operator. Small tipper trucks only require a standard driver’s license to operate, making hiring and utilising them a much simpler affair.
Ease of operation
Due to their relatively compact and lightweight nature, small tipper trucks are generally easier to drive and maneuvre than their larger counterparts. With a straightforward rear dump function and drop sides, our small tipper trucks are easy to operate, with none of the mechanical complexity that can come with some larger dump trucks.
Our two-tonne tipper hire services
We offer dry hire options on our range of small tipper trucks. All our trucks come with a tow bar, UHF radio, and air-conditioning - and can be legally operated by individuals who hold a standard Australian drivers licence.
If you think one of our tippers could be of help on your project, you can request a quote and one of our two-tonne tipper hire specialists will be in touch as soon as possible.
If you need to hire additional plant and equipment for your project, you can take a look at our other P&E hire offerings, including:
