Truck Load Capacity Calculator

Work out truck load capacity instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Truck Load Capacity Calculator

Payload is the gross vehicle weight limit minus everything already on the vehicle: chassis, body, equipment, fuel and crew. Body and equipment weight is what operators most often forget, and a heavy tail lift or fridge unit can cost a tonne of payload.

Formula

Payload

payload = GVW - (tare + body + equipment + crew and fuel)

Worked example

With the default values below, Truck Load Capacity Calculator returns Available payload of 9,050.00. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Gross vehicle weight limit: 18,000 kg
Unladen weight: 7,200 kg
Body and equipment: 1,400 kg
Crew, fuel and equipment: 350 kg

Results

Available payload: 9,050.00 kg
Available payload: 9.05 t
Payload as share of GVW: 50.28% %
Total unladen weight: 8,950.00 kg

Step by step

1Values used
2Payload
3Available payload= 9,050.00 kg
4Available payload= 9.05 t
5Payload as share of GVW= 50.28 %
6Total unladen weight= 8,950.00 kg

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 2 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the body weight matter so much?

A tail lift is 400-600 kg and a refrigeration unit similar. Both come straight off payload, so specification choices directly reduce revenue capacity.

Does fuel count against payload?

Yes. A full 400 litre tank is over 330 kg, which is why weight-critical operations run part-full tanks.