American Bus Association Foundation Releases Q1 2025 Motorcoach Builders Results
WASHINGTON, DC / AGILITYPR.NEWS / May 09, 2025 / Sale of new motorcoaches are up 10% over the prior year’s quarter
The American Bus Association (ABA), the leading voice in North America’s motorcoach, charter bus, group travel and tourism industries, today announced the First Quarter 2025 Motorcoach Builders Survey. The survey, which is produced by the ABA’s research arm, the American Bus Association Foundation, produces the report each quarter with data collected from surveys of the major motorcoach manufacturers that sell vehicles in the United States and Canada.
This quarter the participating manufacturers sold 393 new and 64 pre-owned coaches, for a total of 457 motorcoaches. This compares with 425 during the first quarter of 2024. Sales of new motorcoaches have increased by 9.5% compared to the same quarter in 2024, with the sale of pre-owned motorcoaches 3.0% lower.
“A 10% year-over-year increase in new motorcoach sales is a clear sign that our industry is regaining strength and confidence,” said Fred Ferguson, President & CEO of the American Bus Association. “Operators are reinvesting in their fleets to meet rising demand for group travel. But that momentum is at risk. Proposed tariffs on imported motorcoaches, steel, aluminum, and other critical parts could drive up costs and slow future investment. ABA will continue advocating for policies that support growth for the motorcoach industry.”
According to the data, Q1 data for 2025 show a 27.7% decrease compared to the same quarter in 2019. While Q4 2024 showed a somewhat stronger recovery, with a smaller percentage decrease from the 2019 baseline, Q1 2025 demonstrates a step back. However, comparing the performance to the same quarter last year, we see that Q1 2024 total sales were 32.8% lower than the same quarter in 2019, indicating an improvement of 5.1 percentage points when comparing the same quarters across the two years.
“These strong sales reflect the motorcoach industry’s commitment to innovation, safety, and sustainability—driving growth across the travel and tourism ecosystem,” said Lew Myers, Director of Research, Policy, and Impact for the ABA Foundation.
Sales to both private and public entities increased in Q1 compared to the same quarter in 2024, increasing by 6.3 and 54.2%, respectively.
About Us
About the American Bus Association Foundation
The American Bus Association Foundation (ABAF), the philanthropic arm of the American Bus Association, is dedicated to advancing the motorcoach, travel, and tourism industry through research and education. The Foundation’s mission is to support the motorcoach travel and tour industry with research and scholarships that benefit the ABA, policymakers, and the public. The ABA Foundation has awarded more than $1 million in financial support to more than 300 scholars since the program began after the passing of then ABA President and CEO George T. Snyder Jr. in 1995. Our scholarship programs help ABA members and the public earn degrees that support the motorcoach travel and tour industry, as well as promote academic excellence and diversity.
For more information about the ABA Foundation and its scholarship program, please visit www.buses.org/aba-foundation.
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