The top five largest school bus contractors this year include First Student, National Express, Student Transportation of America, Beacon Mobility in Massachusetts, and North America Central School Bus in Chicago.
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The results are in from this year’s annual contractor fleet operations survey! With no further ado, they are …
Top 5 School Bus Contractors
Rank
Company
Fleet 2024
Fleet 2023
Loss/Gain
District Contracts
Students Transported
1
First Student (Cincinnati)
45,000
43,000
+2,000
1,250
2,700,000
2
National Express (Lisle, Ill.)
20,000
20,500
-500
400
1,200,000*
3
Student Transportation of America (Wall, N.J.)
16,000*
16,000
N/A
300*
1,250,000*
4
Beacon Mobility (North Reading, Mass.)
7,000*
7,000
N/A
500*
400,000*
5
North America Central School Bus (Chicago)
5,700
5,402
298
100
400,000
* Latest data available.
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This year’s results mimic the same top five compared to those of 2023.
Average Contractor School Bus Fleet Size: 214
Average Number of School District Contracts: 33
Average Number of Students Transported Daily: 48,363
Average Annual Salary for Terminal Managers: $62765
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The driver shortage was marked as largely mild to moderate this year:
None: 11%
Mild: 28%
Moderate: 44%
Severe: 11%
Desperate: 6%
Additionally, there was a decent spike in driver pay this year:
Did you miss the bus on participating in this year’s contractor fleet survey? Be sure to come along for the ride in 2025. Watch for emails and announcements on our website to make sure your voice is represented! Your insights are invaluable when it comes to understanding the challenges, successes, and innovations within the industry. Your input helps identify areas for improvement, highlights best practices, and fosters collaboration among fellow contractors. Whether your fleet is small or large, your perspective is crucial.
Searching for the right equipment, technology, or services for your school transportation program? This industry guide brings together manufacturers and suppliers across the entire school bus market, all in one place. Download it to find the partners who can help move your operation forward.
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