Fleet
Match factor explained: too many trucks or too few?
Match factor (MF) compares the trucks you have with the trucks a loader can keep busy. It is the quickest check on whether a loader-truck fleet is balanced.
The formula
N is the number of trucks, Ts the loading time per truck, L the number of loaders and Tc the truck cycle time. It is the ratio of the loading capacity the trucks demand to the loading capacity the loaders have.
A worked example
Six trucks, one loader, 2.5 minutes to load a truck, 15 minutes for a truck's full cycle: MF = (6 × 2.5) / (1 × 15) = 1.0. The loader is exactly as fast as the trucks need. Drop to five trucks and MF is 0.83: the loader waits for trucks.
How to read it
| MF | What happens | Typical fix |
|---|---|---|
| Below about 0.85 | Loader idles waiting for trucks | Add a truck or shorten the truck cycle |
| 0.85 to 1.00 | Balanced: a little loader waiting, almost no queueing | Hold the line and watch |
| Above 1.00 | Trucks queue at the loader | Remove a truck, or speed up loading |
CycleStudy Pro uses the 0.85 to 1.00 band as its target and suggests a fleet size when you fall outside it. Your site may prefer a different band; the logic is the same.
Why a perfect 1.0 is a trap
Match factor uses averages. Real cycles vary, so a fleet at 1.0 on paper still queues and idles in turns. Cost also matters: a loader often costs more per hour than a truck, so a slight bias toward trucks can be cheaper than idling the loader. Use MF as a guide and confirm with measured queue time.
Get clean inputs
MF is only as good as Ts and Tc. Measure loading time from truck in position to truck exit, and truck cycle from load to load, across enough cycles to be representative. Study mixed haul routes separately.
Time your own cycles. CycleStudy Pro records loader and truck cycles offline and does this maths for you. Get the Android app or try the free calculators.