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Industry · Form 5500 business code 485110
Urban Transit Systems: retirement plans
Plans whose sponsor entered this principal business activity code on Form 5500.
Form 5500 information is as filed by the plan administrator with the Department of Labor and may be amended. Figures reflect the plan year shown, not current balances. The business code is chosen by the filer from the list in the Form 5500 instructions.
For plan year 2024, 28 retirement plans in urban transit systems with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500: 15 defined contribution and 13 defined benefit. They reported 44,824 participant records and $1.57B in net assets, counting every plan on the form.
The median defined contribution plan held $23,041 per participant, well below the national median of $53,031, and its employer put in $1,397 per active participant (national: $2,174). Among plans reporting Schedule C compensation the median was $33.07 per participant against $123 nationally.
Employers contributed $86.0M and participants $61.1M during the year, and the plans paid out $131M in benefits.
In 2009 the same group numbered 34 plans with $737M; by 2024 it was 28 plans (down 18%) and $1.57B (up 113%). From plan year 2023 the 100-participant line counts participants with account balances, which moved many plans to the short form.
Medians compared with all US plans
| Median plan, plan year 2024 | Industry: DC | US: DC | Industry: DB | US: DB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $23,041 | $53,031 | $97,228 | $86,234 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $1,397 | $2,174 | $11,171 | $10,244 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $33.07 | $123 | $456 | $344 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.30% | 0.26% | 0.44% | 0.42% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $33.07 | $116 | $907 | $527 |
Medians across plans with 100 or more participants (15 DC and 13 DB plans with a Schedule H here). Fee medians cover plans reporting an amount. DC: defined contribution, such as 401(k) and 403(b). DB: defined benefit pension.
Distribution of DC plans
| Measure | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile | Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $12,572 | $23,041 | $32,245 | 15 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $379 | $1,397 | $3,637 | 15 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $11.40 | $33.07 | $101 | 14 |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $25.04 | $33.07 | $101 | 14 |
Trend by plan year
| Plan year | Plans 100+ | Participants | Net assets | Employer contributions | Participant contributions | Median DC assets / participant | Median DC Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 28 | 44,824 | $1.57B | $86.0M | $61.1M | $23,041 | $33.07 |
| 2023 | 33 | 44,041 | $1.62B | $79.9M | $53.7M | $25,399 | $21.36 |
| 2022 | 36 | 34,226 | $1.42B | $72.7M | $48.9M | $21,340 | $36.34 |
| 2021 | 34 | 32,809 | $1.61B | $76.0M | $41.1M | $21,283 | $38.21 |
| 2020 | 34 | 33,581 | $1.49B | $86.3M | $37.8M | $17,876 | $37.34 |
| 2019 | 30 | 34,329 | $1.35B | $80.0M | $35.0M | $14,879 | $47.83 |
| 2018 | 29 | 32,694 | $1.14B | $66.0M | $30.5M | $13,060 | $36.30 |
| 2017 | 36 | 33,546 | $1.26B | $59.5M | $29.5M | $14,266 | $33.15 |
| 2016 | 35 | 36,608 | $1.13B | $54.7M | $26.8M | $11,467 | $29.97 |
| 2015 | 34 | 36,363 | $1.07B | $52.1M | $24.7M | $11,834 | $39.60 |
| 2014 | 33 | 34,646 | $1.15B | $68.7M | $21.6M | $13,160 | $50.73 |
| 2013 | 30 | 22,010 | $1.07B | $70.9M | $19.8M | $14,715 | $44.01 |
| 2012 | 32 | 24,039 | $921M | $64.1M | $18.5M | $11,095 | $43.41 |
| 2011 | 30 | 25,258 | $866M | $60.6M | $17.4M | $8,893 | $41.26 |
| 2010 | 31 | 25,260 | $838M | $60.0M | $18.1M | $9,874 | $52.80 |
| 2009 | 34 | 26,227 | $737M | $48.4M | $18.2M | $6,890 | $33.45 |
Plan year is the year in which the plan year began. The drop in large plans from 2023 follows a rule change: the 100-participant line now counts participants with account balances, so many plans moved to the short form.
Provider share
Service provider organisations named most often on the Schedule C of the 29 plans on this page's list, by number of plans. A plan usually names several providers.
Largest plans
The 29 largest by participants of 29 plans with a page on this site.
| Plan | Sponsor | State | Type | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer / active | Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transdev North America, Inc. 401(k) Plan for Collectively Bargained Employees | Transdev North America, Inc. | IL | DC | 12,460 | $160M | $12,846 | $650 | $25.03 |
| Transdev North America, Inc. 401(k) Plan for Non-Collectively Bargained Employees | Transdev North America, Inc. | IL | DC | 8,320 | $152M | $18,325 | $763 | $26.01 |
| MV Transportation, Inc. 401(k) Plan | MV Transportation, Inc. | TX | DC | 7,681 | $41.2M | $5,363 | $107 | $34.92 |
| Whittlesea-Bell Retirement 401(k) Plan | Whittlesea-Bell | NV | DC | 1,893 | $7.8M | $4,112 | $35 | $4.83 |
| Twu-Westchester Private Bus Lines Pension Trust | Twu-Westchester Private Bus Lines Pension Trust | NY | DB | 1,852 | $209M | $112,992 | $14,535 | $770 |
| Pension Plan for Employees of HNS Management Co. Inc. Represented by Atu | H N S Management Company Inc. | CT | DB | 1,803 | $313M | $173,834 | $10,710 | $456 |
| Transit Management of Southeast Louisiana, Inc. Retirement Income Plan | Transit Management of Southeast Louisiana, Inc. | LA | DB | 1,568 | $172M | $109,383 | — | $751 |
| Consolidated Bus Transit, Inc. ESOP | Consolidated Bus Transit, Inc. | NY | DC | 1,531 | $25.9M | $16,888 | $1,397 | $40.86 |
| H.N.S. Management Company, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan | H.N.S. Management Company, Inc. | CT | DC | 1,377 | $48.6M | $35,271 | $0 | $2.14 |
| Amalgamated Pension-Disability Plan | Jax Transit Management Corp. | FL | DB | 877 | $71.8M | $81,901 | $11,718 | $420 |
| Retirement Plan for Employees of Transdev North America Phoenix | Transdev North America, Inc. | IL | DB | 590 | $44.4M | $75,271 | $22,556 | $328 |
| Goraleigh Pension Plan | Goraleigh | TX | DB | 576 | $21.5M | $37,308 | $3,938 | $112 |
| Defined Contribution Plan for Mid-South Transportation Management, Inc. | Mid-South Transportation Management, Inc. | TN | DC | 455 | $17.7M | $38,852 | $4,669 | $501 |
| Transport Workers Union of America AFL-CIO Local 100 Staff Pension Plan | Transport Workers Union of Amer AFL-CIO Local 100 Staff Pension Plan | NY | DB | 416 | $40.4M | $97,228 | $25,729 | $606 |
| Sun Tran Bargaining Unit 401(k) Plan | Tucson Transit Management, LLC | AZ | DC | 405 | $5.0M | $12,298 | $0 | $3.64 |
| HNS Management Co. Inc. Retirement Plan-Salaried | H N S Management Company Inc. | CT | DB | 387 | $71.6M | $185,103 | $11,171 | $717 |
| Ride Connection 403(b) Plan | Ride Connection, Inc. | OR | DC | 315 | $7.3M | $23,041 | $2,043 | $104 |
| Ltmi Defined Benefit Plan | Laredo Transit Management Inc. | TX | DB | 302 | $20.3M | $67,311 | $4,536 | $506 |
| TMVC 401(k) Retirement Plan | Transit Management of Volusia County, Inc. | FL | DC | 257 | $6.9M | $26,659 | $2,605 | $94.28 |
| Transit Employees Retirement Plan | Pioneer Valley Transit Authority | MA | DB | 244 | $25.0M | $102,651 | — | $674 |
| Greensboro Transit Management Inc. Employees Retirement Plan | Greensboro Transit Management Inc. | TX | DB | 234 | $11.0M | $47,201 | $7,458 | $4.69 |
| Shreveport Transit Company, Inc. Employees Retirement and Disability Plan | Shreveport Transit Management, Inc. | LA | DB | 222 | $12.8M | $57,831 | $7,385 | $27.03 |
| Pension Plan for Ots, Inc. | Oahu Transit Services, Inc. | HI | DB | 212 | $40.6M | $191,633 | $61,387 | $417 |
| Durham City Transit Company Union 401(k) Plan | Durham City Transit Company | NC | DC | 191 | $1.1M | $5,688 | $136 | $63.11 |
| PTM Paratransit of Tucson, Inc. Retirement Savings Plan | PTM Paratransit of Tucson, Inc. | AZ | DC | 170 | $4.9M | $29,087 | $2,256 | $141 |
| Montachusett Regional Transit Authority 401(k) Plan | Montachusett Regional Transit Authority | MA | DC | 163 | $5.5M | $33,888 | $5,621 | $118 |
| Westside Transit Lines - A.T.U. Pension Plan | Transdev Services, Inc. | IL | DC | 153 | $14.3M | $93,249 | $9,387 | $1,432 |
| Agency for Community Transit 403(b) Retirement Plan | Agency for Community Transit | IL | DC | 148 | $18.4M | $124,244 | $5,370 | — |
| Tack 401(k) Plan | Transit Authority of Central Kentucky | KY | DC | 143 | $765K | $5,352 | $1,226 | $31.22 |
By plan size
By state
Questions and answers
How many retirement plans are there in urban transit systems?
28 plans with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500 for plan year 2024, out of 31 pension plans on the full form. Smaller plans file Form 5500-SF and are counted separately where shown.
What is the typical 401(k) balance in urban transit systems?
The median defined contribution plan reported $23,041 in net assets per participant (middle half of plans: $12,572 to $32,245); nationally it was $53,031. This is a plan-level average that includes former employees, not a typical person's balance.
What do employers contribute in urban transit systems?
The median defined contribution plan received $1,397 in employer contributions per active participant, against $2,174 nationally. Plans with no employer contribution are included at zero.
What are average 401(k) fees in urban transit systems?
Among defined contribution plans that report any Schedule C compensation, the median was $33.07 per participant and 0.30% of net assets (nationally $123 and 0.26%). Schedule C leaves out fund expense ratios and fees the employer pays, so it understates total cost.
Where does this come from?
Form 5500 annual reports in the EBSA research files, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. Medians are computed by this site across plans with 100 or more participants.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 research files, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. Totals count every pension plan on the full form; medians and the plan list cover plans with 100 or more participants. See the methodology.