COVID-19 Economic Impact Report: Global Buses

The global bus industry is facing a number of challenges as it deals with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. How has the macroeconomic environment changed and what does it mean for the global bus going forward?

COVID-19 Economic Impact Report: Global Buses looks at how the expected impact of the pandemic on the current macroeconomic environment compares to other major events since 2000, including the bursting of technology bubble, the SARS outbreak, the 2009 global downturn, and the European financial crisis. It also provides a historical view of global industry sales since 2000, a look at how the industry is being currently impacted, and estimates for global industry sales through 2023.

Types of buses considered:

• Motor coaches are used to transport passengers between cities or regions and tend to be uniquely designed with comfortable seats and large luggage storage space at wheel level.
• Transit buses are designed to efficiently move passengers within metropolitan areas and are also used in other applications.
• School buses (Type A, B, C, and D models), also known as “conventional” school buses, are specially designed to safely transport students to and from educational facilities.
• Other types of buses (such as motor coaches and a variety of small models) used to transport students are not considered to be school buses. As defined in this report, a school bus must comply with most if not all of the safety standards set up by the NHTSA in the US, including:
• identification with the words “school bus” in large letters between warning signal lights on the front and rear of the bus
• the outside of the bus being painted a standard glossy yellow
• the presence of bumpers painted a glossy black
• safety equipment that includes a charged fire extinguisher mounted near the driver’s seat, a stop signal alarm, and a system of mirrors that provides the driver with adequate sightlines around the bus.
• All other buses tend to be smaller vehicles, often based on medium-duty truck chassis, used in special applications like airport, hospital, hotel, and senior citizen transport, and as support vehicles for schools.