What SACA does

SACA Società Cooperativa a r.l. is a Bologna-headquartered Italian transportation cooperative founded in 1972 by nine garage owners and grown to 170 cooperative members, 270+ direct employees, and approximately 900 total work units by 2022. The company operates across three integrated service lines: Settore Auto (NCC car rental with professional drivers), Settore Bus (qualified-driver bus and coach transport for groups, schools, and corporate clients), and Settore Merci (goods transport, removals, dedicated urgent deliveries, and national/international combined transport via a fleet of 100+ cargo vehicles plus 80+ specialized Service vehicles).

Underpinning these services is a logistics platform comprising the Transit Point warehouse in Castel Maggiore (7,000+ sqm covered, 8,000 sqm uncovered, 10 loading bays) and the SACA Box urban logistics hub near Bologna's historic center (1,500+ sqm covered, supporting EV deliveries to ZTL-restricted commercial customers). All vehicles are monitored via GPS satellite tracking for real-time fleet management and service documentation.

Revenue is generated through transaction-based ticket sales on a proprietary e-commerce booking platform (booking.sacaonline.it) for scheduled bus lines — including the Bologna Airport Aerbus shuttle (12 daily trips), summer Mirabilandia and Riviera Adriatica routes, FICO Eataly World multi-city lines, Barberino Outlet weekend service, and Villaggio della Salute Più spa shuttles — supplemented by quote-based charter contracts for bus and NCC services, dedicated cargo contracts, and managed warehouse/storage fees. Customer mix spans individual consumers, schools and sports organizations, travel agencies, commercial establishments in Bologna's historic center, and enterprise logistics clients, with destination partnerships (Mirabilandia, FICO, Barberino, Villaggio della Salute Più) anchoring tourism demand. Reported revenue reached €52 million in 2021, up from €28 million in 2006.

Name

SACA

Legal name

SACA Società Cooperativa a r.l.

Website

https://sacaonline.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

SACA is an Italian cooperative transportation company based in Bologna that provides car rental with driver, scheduled bus lines (including Aerbus airport shuttle and tourist routes), cargo transport, and urban logistics services to individuals, businesses, and tourism destinations across Emilia-Romagna.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Passenger and Freight Transportation Services

NAICS

Charter Bus Industry (48551), Taxi and Limousine Service (4853), Support Activities for Transportation (488)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100), Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate & Employee Shuttle Charters (THAIAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Commercial Vehicle Rental with Driver (Crew/Delivery) (THADAJAL), Regional Hub / National Hub Distribution Centers (Multi-node Network Hubs) (TLALAEAN)

Keywords

• Passenger transport services
• Chartered bus transport
• Goods freight transport
• Logistics warehousing services
• Airport shuttle services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bologna

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Passenger transport - car rental with driver (NCC): Car rental services with professional drivers (Noleggio Con Conducente) for private transportation needs
2. Bus line tickets: Online ticket sales for scheduled bus routes including airport shuttles (Aerbus), tourist lines (Mirabilandia, Riviera), and local transport
3. Goods transport and logistics: Cargo transport services with dedicated vehicle fleet including Fiorini (small), Scudi/Ducati (medium), and Cassonati/Motrici/Bilici (large) for national and international deliveries
4. Warehousing and storage: Transit Point warehouse services for cargo receiving, inspection, storage, and distribution, plus SACA Box rental spaces for commercial establishments

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SACA Società Cooperativa a r.l. delivers integrated passenger and freight transportation services from its Bologna headquarters, operating three divisions: Settore Auto (NCC car rental with professional drivers), Settore Bus (public and private bus lines, including scheduled airport, tourism, and shopping shuttles such as Aerbus, Mirabilandia, Riviera, and FICO routes), and Settore Merci (dedicated national and international goods transport, removals, and specialized moving). The cooperative complements these passenger and cargo services with proprietary logistics platforms — Transit Point (a 7,000+ sqm covered warehouse hub in Castel Maggiore) and SACA Box (a 1,500+ sqm urban logistics center for Bologna's historic-center restocking).

Product overview

SACA is a cooperative transportation company founded in 1972, operating in three main sectors: Auto (car rental with driver), Bus (passenger transport), and Merci (goods transport and logistics). The product portfolio includes the core Settore Auto and Settore Bus passenger services, the SACA Box and Transit Point logistics platforms for warehouse and storage, the Settore Merci goods transport division with over 100 vehicles, and the Service specialized moving division. The company also operates multiple scheduled bus lines through its booking.sacaonline.it e-commerce platform, including airport shuttle (Aerbus), amusement park services (Mirabilandia), seaside routes (Riviera), wellness park connections (Villaggio della Salute Più), shopping shuttle (Barberino Outlet), and food park transport (FICO lines).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Transit Point: A warehouse facility of over 7,000 square meters covered and 8,000 square meters uncovered, located in Castel Maggiore, serving as a logistics hub for goods transit and storage.
• SACA Box
• Aerbus
• Settore Service

Products and services

• Settore Auto (NCC Car Rental with Driver) Noleggio Con Conducente (NCC) car rental service with professional drivers, operating in the Bologna area and surrounding regions for private point-to-point transportation, airport transfers, business travel, and special occasions for individual customers.
• Settore Bus (Bus Transport) Public and private bus transport services (charter and scheduled) supplied by qualified drivers holding Carta di Qualificazione del Conducente certification, for groups, schools, travel agencies, associations, and corporate customers across Emilia-Romagna.
• Settore Merci (Goods Transport) Goods transport sector offering courier alternatives, dedicated urgent transport, national and international combined transport, hung garments transport, moving services, furniture delivery and assembly, specialized porterage, and waste disposal using a fleet of over 100 vehicles (Fiorini, Scudi, Ducati, cassonati, motrici, bilici).
• SACA Box (Urban Logistics Platform) Logistics platform with more than 1,500 square meters of covered surface serving as a strategic warehouse for receiving and storing goods for businesses and private individuals near Bologna city center and the tangenziale, designed for frequent daily restocking of commercial establishments in Bologna's historic center.
• Transit Point (Warehouse and Distribution Hub) Large-scale warehouse facility with more than 7,000 sqm covered and 8,000 sqm uncovered, located in Castel Maggiore, providing cargo receiving, document control, packaging verification, loading/unloading across 10 bays, and delivery services throughout Italy and Europe.
• Settore Service (Specialized Moving and Vehicle Fleet) Specialized division for moving goods of any size, with a fleet of over 80 vehicles including Fiorini for small items, Scudi and Ducati for medium volumes, and trucks for large cargoes, providing cargo relocation services.
• Aerbus (Airport Shuttle) Daily airport shuttle service connecting Modena with Bologna Marconi Airport, operating 12 times daily from 04:20 to 00:30 with free baggage transport included; one-way €17, roundtrip €28, minors €11/€17.
• Mirabilandia Line Summer shuttle service to Mirabilandia amusement park from Bologna (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) and Modena (daily), running from June through August/September; ticket includes a discount code usable on up to 4 park tickets.
• Riviera Adriatica Line Summer seaside service along the Adriatic coast connecting Modena and Bologna with Gatteo Mare and other Riviera locations including Milano Marittima, Cesenatico, and Lidi di Comacchio.
• Villaggio della Salute Più Line Shuttle service to Villaggio della Salute Più spa and waterpark from Bologna area (Casalecchio and Castel S. Pietro), operating Fridays and Saturdays from June 20 to August 22, with €5 park entrance discount and free travel for children under 100 cm.
• Barberino Outlet Line Shuttle service connecting Bologna with Barberino Designer Outlet, operating Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays; passengers receive a 10% outlet discount card on presentation of bus ticket.
• FICO Lines (FICO Eataly World Shuttles) Multi-city shuttle services to FICO Eataly World (the world's largest agri-food park) from Rovigo/Ferrara (Monday), Carpi/Modena (Tuesday), Parma/Reggio Emilia (Wednesday), Mantova/Carpi (Thursday), and Reggio Emilia/Modena (Friday); minimum passenger number required, PayPal-only payment.
• Online Booking System (booking.sacaonline.it) E-commerce platform for online reservation and purchase of bus tickets across all SACA scheduled lines, with QR-code delivery to customer profiles, credit card and PayPal payment options, and self-service account management.

Quantifiable outcome

• Revenue growth from €5,165 in 1972 to €52 million in 2021
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• TPB BolognaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner listed on booking platform footer for bus line services to Bologna area, likely co-promotional relationship
• SETAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner listed on booking platform footer, regional transportation network partner
• MirabilandiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCombined ticket package partnership where SACA bus tickets include promotional discount codes for park entrance tickets. Every code can be used for up to 4 park tickets.
• Villaggio della Salute PiùcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShuttle service partnership offering €5 discount on park entrance with bus ticket purchase. Special promotion for 2026 season.
• Barberino Designer OutletminorGTM or Marketing PartnerShuttle service partnership where passengers receive 10% discount card for outlet stores (excluding sale items) upon presenting bus ticket at Guest Services
• FICO Eataly WorldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-city shuttle partnership from Rovigo, Ferrara, Carpi, Modena, Parma, Reggio Emilia, and Mantova to the world's largest agri-food park

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Arriva Italia: Multi-modal passenger transport group (bus, rail, ferry) operating across Italy. Comparable to SACA's diversified Auto+Bus+Merci mix, with broader geographic coverage and a managed-services contract orientation.
• SDA Express Courier (Poste Italiane): National express parcel and logistics arm of Poste Italiane. Overlaps with SACA Settore Merci on domestic and international courier/transport services and competes for urgent B2B delivery contracts that SACA's fleet of 100+ vehicles targets.
• FlixBus Italia: Long-distance and intercity bus operator with a strong Italian network. Comparable to SACA for scheduled-line bus operations and online ticket retail, though operating at inter-regional rather than regional scale.
• BRT (Bartolini): Italy's leading B2B parcel and freight delivery network. Comparable to SACA's Settore Merci (goods transport) and Transit Point (warehouse distribution) for B2B courier and logistics services across Italy; broader scale than SACA and competing for the same SME/B2B shipping customers.
• Fercam: Italian family-owned transport and logistics company with national and European freight, warehousing, and distribution operations. Comparable to SACA Settore Merci + Transit Point for B2B logistics and warehousing services; significantly larger scale.

Regional players

• Start Romagna: Public transit operator in the Romagna region (Rimini, Ravenna, Cesena, Forlì) bordering Emilia-Romagna. Comparable to SACA's Settore Bus for scheduled urban and intercity bus services, with similar public-contract-driven business model.
• SETA (Società Emiliana Trasporti Autoveicoli): Modena and provincial public transit operator active in Emilia-Romagna. Listed as a partner on SACA's booking platform and operates overlapping bus routes in the same territory; comparable for bus passenger service mix even though focused on local public transit.

Direct peers

• TPER (Trasporto Passeggeri Emilia-Romagna): Public bus and rail transit operator across Emilia-Romagna including Bologna, Modena, and Reggio Emilia. Directly comparable to SACA's Settore Bus (scheduled lines and charter), serving the same regions with overlapping bus networks and competing for the same passenger demand pool.
• Cosepuri: Bologna-area consortium of NCC (car rental with driver) operators. Direct peer to SACA's Settore Auto, sharing both the cooperative/aggregated structure and the regional NCC market in Emilia-Romagna; competes for the same private-driver customer base.

Emerging players

• Free Now (myTaxi / Intelligent Apps): App-based taxi and NCC aggregation platform active in Bologna and other Italian cities. Comparable as a competitor/digital channel to SACA's Settore Auto NCC business, representing the ridesharing/aggregator model that pressures traditional NCC unit economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@saca9475
• Facebookfacebook.com/sacaautonoleggio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saca
• Instagraminstagram.com/saca_coop

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SACA