Asphalt, Road Materials & Paving Products worked example

Aggregate Loader Cycle Rate at 59% loader operating efficiency: a worked example

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop loader operating efficiency to 59%, then walk the calculation through step by step. Calculate effective loader tons per hour from bucket cycles, tons per bucket, and operating efficiency.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Loader bucket cycles per hour: 42 cycles / hr (held at the documented default)
  • Aggregate per bucket: 5.5 tons / bucket (held at the documented default)
  • Loader operating efficiency: 59 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 82)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Gross loader feed rate = loader bucket cycles × aggregate per bucket.
  • Rate works out to 764 tons / hr loaded at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Gap to target works out to -705 points at these inputs.
  • Affected count works out to 42 count at these inputs.
  • Total count works out to 5.5 count at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where loader operating efficiency sits at 82% and the headline result is 764 tons / hr loaded, this scenario lands almost exactly on the baseline at 764 tons / hr loaded.
  • The practical read: the gap between this scenario and the baseline is entirely attributable to loader operating efficiency, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. It assumes a steady cycle and consistent bucket payload; in practice payload varies with material moisture, pile face condition, and bucket fill factor, so spot-check against truck-scale tons when you can.

Results at a glance

  • Rate: 764 tons / hr loaded (headline result)
  • Gap to target: -705 points
  • Affected count: 42 count
  • Total count: 5.5 count

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Aggregate Loader Cycle Rate calculator, set loader operating efficiency to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.