Motorcoach Census Research

An ongoing study of the size and scope of the motorcoach industry in the U.S. and Canada

The American Bus Association Foundation (ABAF) commissions the annual Motorcoach Census study to measure the size and activity of the motorcoach transportation service industry in the United States and Canada.

Each report examines the number of motorcoach industry companies, services provided, employment figures, number of passenger miles traveled, and more.

2025 Motorcoach Census Findings

A cover image for the Motorcoach Census 2025 research. The cover features a dark blue background with a series of dots connected with semi-transparent lines, visualizing a bus network. The report title 'Motorcoach Census 2025' appears in the middle of the page with white text. Below is the research subhead 'A Study of the Size and Activity of the Motorcoach Industry in the United States and Canada. May 2025." The logos of three organizations are shown at the bottom of the page: American Bus Association, ABA Foundation, and Tourism Economics an Oxford Economics Company.

Executive Summary

About the Report: The 2025 Motorcoach Census explores the size and activity of the motorcoach transportation service industry in the United States and Canada in the calendar year 2024. The study reveals the scope and impact of the motorcoach transportation industry in the U.S. and Canada. It shows an industry that serves a broad range of customers and moves people with great fuel efficiency. It shows an industry that provides charter, tour, and sightseeing services, which are vital to the travel and leisure industries, and intercity and commuter services, which are essential components of the passenger transportation systems in both the U.S. and Canada.
Key Highlights:
- Motorcoach companies provide many services. In 2024, about 77.8% of motorcoach companies provided charter service. Additionally:
  - 31.6% provided tour service
  - 26.5% provided sightseeing
  - 11.7% provided urban scheduled service
  - 13.1% provided rural scheduled service
  - 11.3% provided commuter services.
- Most companies (87.1%) were small and operated fewer than 25 motorcoaches. These firms operated 16,363 motorcoaches and accounted for 41.9% of motorcoach mileage.
  - Mid-sized companies that operated 25 to 99 motorcoaches ran 7,547 motorcoaches, accounting for 25.7% of the industry’s motorcoach mileage.
  - Large companies that operated over 100 motorcoaches accounted for 50.9% of the industry’s fleet and 32.4% of the industry’s motorcoach mileage.
- The motorcoach industry provided jobs to 75,859 people in 2024. On average, a motorcoach company provided 39 jobs or 1.6 jobs per motorcoach.
  - Small companies that operated fewer than 25 motorcoaches accounted for 34.6% of motorcoach industry jobs.
  - Mid-sized companies that operated between 25 and 99 motorcoaches provided for 18.6% of motorcoach industry jobs.
  - Large companies that operated more than 100 motorcoaches provided for 46.9% of motorcoach industry jobs.
- On average, a motorcoach provided 0.8 million passenger miles, employed 1.6 people and traveled 35,692 miles.

Citation

How to Cite This Report: American Bus Association. (2025). 2025 Motorcoach Census. Retrieved from https://www.buses.org/aba-foundation-research-summary/motorcoach-census-industry-size-and-scope-research-2025/.
Report Author: American Bus Association.
Sponsored by: American Bus Association Foundation.
Contact information: For inquiries, email research@buses.org or call (202) 218-7227.

Methodology

The study’s target population is the motorcoach transportation service industry in the United States and Canada in 2024.
Several sources of information were used to construct estimates of industry size and activity for this study. Names of potential motorcoach carriers were assembled using information from the American Bus Association Foundation, Dun and Bradstreet, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and Motor Coach Canada.
Information about the potential motorcoach carriers and the motorcoaches that they operated was collected through a survey questionnaire distributed to motorcoach carriers. A total of 288 usable survey responses from motorcoach carriers were returned to Tourism Economics.