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Industry · Form 5500 business code 485410
School & Employee Bus Transportation: 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.
45 retirement plans in school & employee bus transportation with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500 for plan year 2024 (42 defined contribution, 3 defined benefit). All Form 5500 pension filers in the group reported 95,358 participant records and $1.75B in net assets.
The median defined contribution plan held $9,304 per participant, well below the national median of $53,031, and its employer put in $378 per active participant (national: $2,174). Among plans reporting Schedule C compensation the median was $34.81 per participant against $123 nationally.
Employers contributed $61.8M and participants $61.8M during the year, and the plans paid out $145M in benefits.
In 2009 the same group numbered 67 plans with $565M; by 2024 it was 45 plans (down 33%) and $1.75B (up 210%). 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 | $9,304 | $53,031 | $37,683 | $86,234 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $378 | $2,174 | $3,749 | $10,244 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $34.81 | $123 | $238 | $344 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.44% | 0.26% | 0.41% | 0.42% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $35.48 | $116 | $359 | $527 |
Medians across plans with 100 or more participants (41 DC and 3 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 | $6,420 | $9,304 | $19,501 | 41 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $227 | $378 | $849 | 41 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $13.84 | $34.81 | $67.62 | 38 |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $16.67 | $35.48 | $61.45 | 40 |
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 | 45 | 95,358 | $1.75B | $61.8M | $61.8M | $9,304 | $34.81 |
| 2023 | 53 | 96,792 | $1.65B | $56.9M | $60.4M | $10,773 | $33.19 |
| 2022 | 77 | 105,220 | $1.51B | $99.5M | $60.0M | $8,447 | $27.21 |
| 2021 | 80 | 103,178 | $1.53B | $51.2M | $52.1M | $9,510 | $27.47 |
| 2020 | 77 | 108,852 | $1.56B | $52.2M | $44.0M | $8,979 | $26.55 |
| 2019 | 78 | 114,783 | $1.36B | $53.5M | $50.9M | $6,629 | $24.80 |
| 2018 | 68 | 109,502 | $1.19B | $48.1M | $43.8M | $6,244 | $27.09 |
| 2017 | 69 | 97,773 | $1.19B | $44.6M | $39.3M | $6,281 | $23.92 |
| 2016 | 70 | 98,519 | $1.14B | $41.5M | $35.4M | $5,401 | $27.92 |
| 2015 | 64 | 88,807 | $1.04B | $38.3M | $31.8M | $5,519 | $21.30 |
| 2014 | 61 | 81,954 | $1.00B | $48.1M | $27.6M | $6,187 | $15.20 |
| 2013 | 65 | 68,949 | $991M | $157M | $27.5M | $7,420 | $24.20 |
| 2012 | 60 | 72,281 | $805M | $38.1M | $28.4M | $5,473 | $27.04 |
| 2011 | 60 | 73,382 | $708M | $40.9M | $26.4M | $4,986 | $28.96 |
| 2010 | 62 | 55,644 | $640M | $36.3M | $24.7M | $4,802 | $23.19 |
| 2009 | 67 | 52,298 | $565M | $35.9M | $24.8M | $4,214 | $23.78 |
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 45 plans on this page's list, by number of plans. A plan usually names several providers.
Largest plans
The 40 largest by participants of 45 plans with a page on this site.
| Plan | Sponsor | State | Type | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer / active | Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Express Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan | Durham School Services, L.P. | IL | DC | 18,589 | $130M | $6,989 | $351 | $26.54 |
| Division 1181 Atu - NY Employees Pension Fund and Plan | Board of Trustees of Division 1181 Atu - NY Employess Pension Fund and | NY | DB | 14,070 | $824M | $58,574 | $3,761 | $238 |
| Student Transportation of America, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan | Student Transportation of America, Inc. | NJ | DC | 13,265 | $48.1M | $3,626 | $121 | $30.47 |
| Teamsters Local Union No 572 Retirement Benefit PL | Board of Trustees, Teamsters Local Union No 572 Retirement Benefit Pla | CA | DC | 8,875 | $5.0M | $569 | $259 | $7.04 |
| Local 91 Pension Fund | Local 91 Pension Fund Board of Trustees | NY | DB | 4,797 | $206M | $43,011 | $4,037 | $122 |
| Illinois Central Companies 401(k) and Profit Sharing Plan | Illinois Central School Bus, LLC | IL | DC | 3,294 | $10.8M | $3,274 | $189 | $32.35 |
| T. W. U. - S. T. S. 401(k) Retirement Plan | Suffolk Transportation Services, Inc. | NY | DC | 3,281 | $109M | $33,198 | $1,876 | $45.91 |
| Riteway Bus Service, Inc. 401(k) Plan | Riteway Bus Service, Inc. | WI | DC | 2,797 | $18.5M | $6,616 | $203 | $37.70 |
| American Student Transportation Partners 401(k) Plan | American Student Transportation Partners Inc. | PA | DC | 2,280 | $3.6M | $1,560 | $268 | $4.86 |
| Local 854 Pension Fund | Board of Trustees of Local 854 Pension Fund | NY | DB | 1,986 | $61.6M | $31,030 | — | $770 |
| Lamers Bus Lines, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan | Lamers Bus Lines, Inc. | WI | DC | 1,886 | $26.6M | $14,122 | $204 | $4.75 |
| The Krapf Group 401(k) Plan | The Krapf Bus Companies | PA | DC | 1,807 | $26.9M | $14,909 | $505 | $75.87 |
| MN Coaches Family of Companies Retirement Plan | MN Coaches Family | MN | DC | 1,683 | $27.7M | $16,430 | $1,353 | $87.61 |
| Dean Transportation, Inc. 401(k) Plan | Dean Transportation, Inc. | MI | DC | 1,650 | $11.9M | $7,237 | $240 | $64.17 |
| Educational Bus Transportation, Inc. 401(k) Plan | Educational Bus Transportation, | NY | DC | 1,576 | $13.9M | $8,830 | $231 | $8.76 |
| Boston School Bus Drivers Deferred Retirement and Savings Plan | The Boston School Bus Drivers' Deferred RTMT & SVGS Plan Committee | MA | DC | 1,079 | $59.1M | $54,813 | $1,912 | $4.72 |
| Kobussen Buses, Ltd. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan | Kobussen Buses, Ltd. | WI | DC | 1,031 | $8.4M | $8,138 | $111 | $34.01 |
| H. E. Rohrer, LLC Profit Sharing 401(k) Plan | H.E. Rohrer, LLC | PA | DC | 983 | $5.3M | $5,376 | $54 | $44.32 |
| Schmitty & Sons Holdings, Inc. 401(k) Plan | Schmitty & Sons Holdings, Inc. | MN | DC | 810 | $13.2M | $16,280 | $849 | $95.02 |
| Schmitty & Sons Holdings, Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Plan and Trust | Schmitty & Sons Holdings, Inc. | MN | DC | 742 | $53.5M | $72,047 | $1,771 | — |
| Aa Transportation, Inc. 401(k) Plan | Aa Transportation, Inc. | MA | DC | 680 | $8.1M | $11,855 | $526 | $136 |
| Guardian Bus Company, Inc. 401(k) Plan | Guardian Bus Company, Inc. | NY | DC | 601 | $4.3M | $7,075 | $261 | $53.87 |
| Chestnut Ridge Transport., Inc. Employees 401(k) Prof SHRG Plan | Chestnut Ridge Transport., Inc. | NY | DC | 587 | $9.6M | $16,395 | $227 | $30.52 |
| Parking & Transportation Management Services Inc. 401(k) Plan | Parking & Transportation Management Services, Inc. | WA | DC | 524 | $3.7M | $7,074 | $723 | $56.30 |
| Rolling V Bus Corp. 401(k) Plan | Rolling V Bus Corp. | NY | DC | 488 | $48K | $99 | $284 | $89.91 |
| Charles County School Bus Contractors Assoc. Retirement Plan | Charles County School Bus Contractors Association | NY | DC | 484 | $2.9M | $5,972 | $579 | $111 |
| Student Transport Inc. Wny Bus Co. 401(k) Plan | Student Transport Inc. Wny Bus Co. | NY | DC | 476 | $269K | $564 | $182 | $1.16 |
| Dousman Transport Co., Inc. 401(k) Plan | Dousman Transport Co., Inc. | WI | DC | 460 | $6.8M | $14,821 | $304 | $15.18 |
| Philly Transportation Group 401(k) Plan | Philly Transportation, LLC | PA | DC | 422 | $2.7M | $6,420 | $212 | $13.39 |
| Matthews Buses, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan | Matthews Buses, Inc. | NY | DC | 397 | $11.7M | $29,386 | $626 | $137 |
| The North Fork Express/montauk Bus Companies 401(k) Savings Plan | Montauk Bus Service, Inc. | NY | DC | 371 | $1.7M | $4,643 | $128 | $68.77 |
| CTS, Inc. 403(b) Plan | Coordinated Transportation Solutions, Inc. | CT | DC | 363 | $2.5M | $6,875 | $602 | $10.63 |
| W.L. Roenigk Inc. Retirement Plan | W.L. Roenigk Inc. | PA | DC | 356 | $9.5M | $26,817 | $4,405 | — |
| H&L Bloom Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan | H&L Bloom Inc. | MA | DC | 336 | $5.9M | $17,589 | $362 | $26.35 |
| Connollys 401(k) Retirement Plan | Michael J. Connolly & Sons, Inc. | MA | DC | 301 | $4.9M | $16,245 | $108 | $48.08 |
| Odyssey Charter School Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan & Trust | Odyssey Charter School Inc. | FL | DC | 283 | $3.9M | $13,632 | $1,266 | $93.02 |
| Ground Transport, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan | Ground Transport, Inc. | HI | DC | 246 | $6.6M | $26,858 | $782 | $225 |
| Ic Employee Leasing LLC 401(k) Plan | Ic Employee Leasing LLC | NY | DC | 244 | $7.5M | $30,716 | $894 | $16.22 |
| Barrington Transportation Company, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Trust | Barrington Transportation Co., Inc. | IL | DC | 234 | — | — | — | — |
| Michael's Transportation Service, Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Plan and Trust | Michael's Transportation Service, Inc. | CA | DC | 224 | $9.4M | $42,005 | $10,854 | — |
By plan size
By state
Questions and answers
How many retirement plans are there in school & employee bus transportation?
45 plans with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500 for plan year 2024, out of 53 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 school & employee bus transportation?
The median defined contribution plan reported $9,304 in net assets per participant (middle half of plans: $6,420 to $19,501); 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 school & employee bus transportation?
The median defined contribution plan received $378 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 school & employee bus transportation?
Among defined contribution plans that report any Schedule C compensation, the median was $34.81 per participant and 0.44% 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.