NAICS 485210: Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing bus passenger transportation over regular routes and on regular schedules, principally outside a single metropolitan area and its adjacent nonurban areas. Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in--Show more
NAICS 485210 – Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation covers the operation of scheduled and on-demand bus services connecting urban centers with surrounding rural communities, as well as between non-metropolitan regions. This sector includes contracted transportation services for public transit, school transportation, medical transport, and workforce mobility programs, often funded through federal grants or interagency agreements.
Industry Spending Overview
Federal obligations, top contractors and agencies, and related industry codes for NAICS 485210.
AI Industry Description
NAICS 485210 – Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation covers the operation of scheduled and on-demand bus services connecting urban centers with surrounding rural communities, as well as between non-metropolitan regions. This sector includes contracted transportation services for public transit, sc...
NAICS 485210 – Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation covers the operation of scheduled and on-demand bus services connecting urban centers with surrounding rural communities, as well as between non-metropolitan regions. This sector includes contracted transportation services for public transit, school transportation, medical transport, and workforce mobility programs, often funded through federal grants or interagency agreements. Services may involve fixed-route scheduling, paratransit operations, vehicle maintenance, driver staffing, and compliance with ADA and FMCSA regulations. In the federal contracting landscape, this NAICS supports mobility initiatives for veterans, seniors, low-income populations, and federal employees in remote or underserved areas, frequently integrated into broader social services or infrastructure resilience programs. No contractor data is available to identify top performers in this NAICS code. However, contractors typically include regional transit operators, small businesses specializing in rural mobility, and large primes with dedicated transportation divisions that manage multi-year service contracts under DOT or HHS funding streams. No agency data is available to identify primary awarding entities. Nevertheless, demand is generally driven by agencies such as the Department of Transportation, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. Postal Service, which rely on contracted bus services to fulfill statutory obligations for equitable access, medical transport, and rural connectivity. The competitive landscape is fragmented, with opportunities concentrated among small businesses and local transit authorities that hold niche contracts under set-asides for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses, HUBZones, or Women-Owned Small Businesses. Procurement trends suggest steady demand for compliant, safety-certified operators with proven experience in rural logistics and federal compliance frameworks, particularly as infrastructure investments expand access to underserved regions.
Small Business Size Standard
The SBA threshold that decides who can bid NAICS 485210 work as a small business.
The SBA cap for this NAICS (13 CFR 121.201). A business at or under it can self-certify as small for work in this code, which is what makes it eligible for a small-business set-aside. The cap is set per NAICS, so the same company can be small in one code and not in another.
13 CFR 121.201, effective January 1, 2026. The SBA revises the table roughly once a year.
Top Contractors
Companies with the highest total award value under NAICS 485210, ranked by dollars won.
| Company | Total Awards | Contracts |
|---|---|---|
| FLIX NORTH AMERICA INC | $132K | 8 |
| INTEGRATED MAINTENANCE AND BUS SERVICES LLC | $127K | 1 |
| REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT | $61K | 2 |
Top Agencies
Federal agencies directing the most contract spending toward NAICS 485210.
Competition
How many companies historically bid on federal awards in NAICS 485210, from bidder counts reported on USAspending.
Half or more of reported awards drew exactly one bidder, usually a sign of incumbent-held work rather than an open field. · 632 reported awards
Median Bidders
1
Per reported award, all-time
Single-Bid Awards
68%
Share of reported awards with one bidder
10+ Bidder Awards
0%
Share of reported awards with 10+ bidders
Reported Awards
632
75% of 845 total awards
Share of reported awards in each bidder-count bracket per federal fiscal year.
How this code compares up the NAICS hierarchy. Parent cohorts pool every code under their prefix, so they are the steadier baseline when a 6-digit sample is thin.
| Industry Family | Competition | Median Bidders | Single-Bid | Bidder Mix | Reported Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
485210This Code Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation | Usually Single-Bid | 1 | 68% | 63275% of 845 | |
48521NAICS Industry | Usually Single-Bid | 1 | 68% | 63275% of 845 | |
4852Industry Group Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation | Usually Single-Bid | 1 | 68% | 63275% of 845 | |
485Subsector | Fewer Bidders | 2 | 46% | 42,77784% of 51,021 | |
48Sector Transportation and Warehousing | Fewer Bidders | 2 | 39% | 398,99285% of 469,216 |
Bidder counts reported on past federal awards in this NAICS (USAspending). An open opportunity has no bidders yet, so this is the historical norm for similar work, not a fact about this solicitation. Not all awards report bidder counts, and fewer bidders often means incumbent-held work rather than an easier win. Federal reporting of bidder counts fell from ~96% of awards (FY2016) to ~30% (FY2018 onward); the chart shows shares of reported awards, and washed-out stretches mark years with fewer than 30 of them.
Related NAICS Codes
Industries similar to Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation, by shared sector, subsector, and industry group.
Mixed Mode Transit Systems
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in operating local and suburban ground...Commuter Rail Systems
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in operating local and suburban commut...Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in operating local and suburban passen...Other Urban Transit Systems
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in operating local and suburban ground...Taxi and Ridesharing Services
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing passenger transportation by au...Limousine Service
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing an array of specialty and luxu...School and Employee Bus Transportation
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing buses and other motor vehicles...Charter Bus Industry
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing buses for charter. These esta...Explore contracts across multiple NAICS codes Browse all NAICS Codes
Frequently Asked Questions
Recently Posted in Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation
Win Contracts in Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation
Get AI-powered intelligence on NAICS 485210 procurement
Real-time contract opportunities for NAICS 485210 (Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation)
AI-powered matching based on your business capabilities and past performance
Competitive analysis of contractors winning awards in this industry
Automated alerts when new opportunities are posted
Join 750+ contractors already using CLEATUS