ABA Foundation Second Quarter Coach Builder Survey Shows Signs of Life for Manufacturers

Industry Worries about DELTA Effect on Slowing Down Travel and Job Recovery

Washington, D.C. – The American Bus Association Foundation – the largest non-profit organization in the group travel industry, with an emphasis on research and scholarships – released its second quarter 2021 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 significant increase over the same quarter in 2020, with 276.5 percent increase in sales, growing from 132 in 2020 to 497 in 2021.

The biggest jump in sales came from the 45-plus foot bus sales with an increase from 55 in 2020 to 307 sold in the same quarter in 2021. Bus sales for the 40’-45’ fell from 7 in 2020 down to 5 in 2021 and 30+ foot bus sales were up 3 from 2020. Pre-owned bus sales grew from 70 in the second quarter of 2020 to 182 in 2021, a 160 percent increase.

“While the uptick in sales this past quarter is encouraging, the fact is that we are still hundreds behind where sales were pre-pandemic,” said Peter Pantuso, president of the ABA Foundation. “The industry is trying to make ground from devastating losses suffered in 2020 and while the spring picked up and looked promising the DELTA variant has once again slowed travel down and is hindering recovery. Tens of thousands of motorcoach company workers and suppliers are still furloughed and will continue to be until recovery moves forward, which may not happen until 2023.”

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