ABA Foundation 4th Quarter Motorcoach Sales Report Shows Smaller Buses in Demand

Today the American Bus Association Foundation (ABAF) released the fourth quarter/full year 2019 Motorcoach Builder Survey. Based on surveys of the major motorcoach manufacturers that sell vehicles in the United States and Canada, motorcoach sales from the participating manufacturers saw a modest 0.1 percent increase over the same quarter in 2018. In the fourth quarter of 2019 1,022 units were sold versus 1,021 in 2018 (671 units were new coaches in 2019 versus 677 new coaches in 2018). The largest group of sales was the 30- to 40-foot coaches which saw a 60 percent increase over the same period (64 versus 40).

Pre-owned sales over the same period grew by 2 percent with 351 units sold in 2019 versus 344 units in 2018.

“As we have been predicting for a few years now, smaller more intimate trips are what travelers want and that is highlighted in the growth in the 30- to 40-foot coach market,” said Peter Pantuso, president of the ABA Foundation. “Year over year in total sales this coach size has grown by more than 50 percent. Passengers are looking to take more personalized trips with their families and friends.”

In year over year sales from 2018 to 2019, in addition to the growth of the 30- to under 40-foot size market for 2019 (184 new units sold), the 45-foot size market, manufacturers sold 1,930 new units; and in the 40- to under 45-foot size, 29 new units were sold. The pre-owned market saw nearly 6 percent growth over 2018 with 1,059 units sold in 2019, to total of 3,202 units.

“As more people see the value and convenience of traveling by motorcoach, these sales will continue to be healthy in the years to come,” said Pantuso. “The motorcoach group tour and travel sector is seeing a renaissance as more people want to travel with less hassle and in a more environmentally friendly manner and we provide both.”

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About the Report

Data were collected by John Dunham & Associates for the American Bus Association Foundation. John Dunham & Associates is a leading New York City-based economic consulting firm specializing in the economics of fast moving issues. Data – which reflect updated results from prior reports – were collected by John Dunham & Associates for the American Bus Association Foundation.  Changes in data definitions and reporting occurred over the past quarter and are reflected in these figures.

About the ABA Foundation

The American Bus Association Foundation (ABAF) is the scholarship and research arm of the motorcoach, tour and travel industry. The largest non-profit in motorcoach group travel, the ABAF distributes $100,000 a year in scholarships to industry families and invests in research to demonstrate the important role motorcoach transportation plays in society. https://www.buses.org/aba-foundation