In the second quarter of 2026, participating manufacturers sold 415 new and 99 pre-owned motorcoaches, for a total of 514 units, according to American Bus Association Foundation’s 2026 Motorcoach Builders Survey. The survey, produced by the American Bus Association’s (ABA) research arm, is published each quarter with data collected from surveys of the major motorcoach manufacturers that sell vehicles in the US and Canada.

The 514 units in Q2 compare with 510 units in the second quarter of 2025 (Figure 1), representing a 0.8% year-over-year increase.

Q2 Motorcoach Sales At A Glance

Sales of new motorcoaches decreased by 8.4% compared to the same quarter in 2025, while pre-owned motorcoach sales rose by 73.7% (Figures 2 and 3). The sharp rise in pre-owned volumes offset softer new-vehicle demand, leaving total sales essentially flat year-over-year.

Sales to private entities decreased by 27.1% while sales to public entities increased by 260% compared to the second quarter of 2025 (Figure 4).

Taken together, first- and second-quarter data point to an uneven industry recovery in 2026. New-vehicle sales fell below 2025 levels after posting growth in the first quarter, while purchases by private operators — the primary market for new coaches — declined for a second consecutive quarter.

Meanwhile, public-sector purchases and demand for pre-owned coaches accounted for a larger share of sales. Overall sales remained 32.9% below 2019 levels (Figure 5), with the wider first-to-second-quarter gap partly reflecting the historically strong pre-pandemic spring selling season.

“The headline number shows a motorcoach market holding steady, but underneath it we are seeing a clear shift in purchasing behavior,” said Fred Ferguson, president and CEO of the ABA. “Private operators bought 27 percent fewer new coaches this quarter, while pre-owned sales increased nearly 74 percent. That tells us operators still need equipment, but they are becoming more cautious about committing capital to new coaches.”

Factors Impacting Sales

The ABA cited tariffs, higher insurance premiums, new model-year engine requirements, and rising financing and operating expenses as particular challenges for private operators. The increased demand for used equipment may indicate that buyers are deferring new-vehicle purchases to manage those costs.

It remains unclear whether the trend represents a long-term change in private-sector purchasing or a temporary response to current cost pressures.

 “There are several factors likely contributing to that caution. Tariff costs are now more fully reflected in the market, insurance costs continue to consume cash flow that could otherwise support equipment investment, and operators are approaching the 2027 model year knowing that new EPA engine standards are coming. Some buyers may simply be waiting to understand the cost, performance, and reliability of the next generation of engines before making a major capital investment,” said Ferguson. “One quarter doesn’t establish causation, but this is now the second consecutive quarter in which private-sector new-coach purchases have declined. That is a trend we are watching closely, and it reinforces why affordability has become such an important part of ABA’s advocacy agenda.”