United Bus Sales
United Bus Sales is a third-generation, family-owned bus dealership operating three Minnesota locations. It sells new and used commercial and school buses from multiple manufacturers and provides full-service parts, repair, and warranty services to school districts and commercial operators.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersBig Lake, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What United Bus Sales does
United Bus Sales is a privately held, third-generation family-owned bus dealership headquartered in Big Lake, Minnesota, with two satellite locations in Detroit Lakes and Lake City. The company sells new and used commercial and school buses, operates a full-service parts and repair center, and runs a co-located Auto Value auto parts retail store at its headquarters. Its bus inventory spans a range of manufacturers including Forest River (Starcraft), Collins (Magellan), Endera, and Sunset Vans, with passenger capacities from 9 to 77+, and the company also supplies accessibility equipment (BraunAbility wheelchair lifts, Qstraint securement), cameras (Roscovision), and A/C systems (TransAir) as either new configurations or aftermarket installations. United Bus Sales was recognized as a Ford 2024 Top Volume Account for its Forest River Bus/Van Division relationship.
The business generates revenue through three streams: one-time bus sales (new and used), parts sales across multiple OEM and aftermarket brands, and fee-for-service maintenance, repair, and warranty work, with pickup-and-delivery offered to service customers. Pricing is quote-based rather than publicly listed, and financing is offered in-house for bus purchases. Customers are segmented vertically into school transportation (K-12 districts and contractors) and commercial operators (transit, airport shuttles, driver training), with a separate parts-and-service customer base; named customers include Voigt's Bus Companies, Transit Team, Commercial Driving 101, and Park N Ride. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales organized by both geography (Metro/Southern MN and Northern MN) and bus type, with three named sales representatives, and the company participates in the CPConnect cooperative purchasing program for institutional buyers.
The company operates exclusively in Minnesota and has stated a five-year vision of becoming a market leader in transportation-related offerings within the state. Authorized dealer relationships are concentrated with North American bus and component OEMs, and the recent addition of electric and alternative fuel lines via Endera indicates positioning for fleet electrification in the school bus segment. There is no disclosed funding, parent company, M&A activity, or external institutional ownership; ownership and control remain with the founding family across generations.
United Bus Sales firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- United Bus Sales
- Legal name
- United Bus Sales, Inc
- Website
- https://unitedbussales.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- United Bus Sales is a third-generation, family-owned bus dealership operating three Minnesota locations. It sells new and used commercial and school buses from multiple manufacturers and provides full-service parts, repair, and warranty services to school districts and commercial operators.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
United Bus Sales industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Vehicle Dealership
- NAICS
- Other Motor Vehicle Dealers (4412)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Motor Vehicles & Motor Vehicle Parts & Supplies (5010), Services-Automotive Repair, Services & Parking (7500)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Commercial/Fleet Tire Sales & Service (Truck/Bus/OTR) (TLAKADAB)
Keywords
Where United Bus Sales is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Big Lake
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
United Bus Sales business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Bus Sales: Revenue from selling new and used commercial buses and school buses to customers. Offers financing options for purchases.
- Parts Sales: Parts department selling replacement parts for various bus brands including Forest River, lighting, cameras, mirrors, wheelchair lifts, flooring, A/C systems, seating, and brakes.
- Service & Repair: Full service department providing maintenance and repair including oil/lube/filter, cooling/heating systems, A/C, brakes, engine repair, electrical repairs, wheelchair lift service, warranty repairs, and pick-up/delivery service.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
United Bus Sales product offering
Product offeringCore offering
United Bus Sales is a third-generation family-owned bus dealership that sells new and used commercial buses and school buses from multiple manufacturers (Collins, Endera, Forest River Bus, Starcraft, Sunset Vans, IC, C2, Ford, Chevrolet). The company also operates a full Parts & Service Center providing maintenance, repair, warranty service, accessibility-equipment installation, and a co-located Auto Value Parts Store at its Big Lake, Minnesota headquarters.
Product overview
United Bus Sales is a 3rd generation family-owned bus dealership offering new and used commercial and school buses, with a full-service Parts & Service Center and an Auto Value auto parts retail store. The company serves school transportation and commercial transit sectors across Minnesota through three locations (Big Lake headquarters, Detroit Lakes, Lake City). Their bus inventory spans multiple manufacturers including Collins, Endera, Forest River Bus, Starcraft, Sunset Vans, RIDE, IC, C2, Ford, and Chevrolet, with capacities ranging from 9 to 77+ passengers. The Parts & Service operation provides comprehensive maintenance, repair, and installation services including wheelchair lift work, camera/GPS systems, and A/C services, supported by an extensive catalog of parts brands.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- School Buses (New and Used) New and used school buses from Collins (Magellan), Endera Motors, Sunset Vans, and other manufacturers, sold to schools, school districts, and student transportation contractors in Minnesota. Configurations include wheelchair-accessible options and capacities ranging from small activity buses to full-size 77-passenger units.
- Commercial Buses (New and Used) New and used commercial buses and vans from Forest River Bus (Starcraft), Sunset Vans, RIDE, IC, C2, Ford Transit, Chevrolet, and others, sold to commercial operators for airport shuttles, transit services, and passenger transport. Includes custom configurations such as wheelchair lifts and 9 to 77+ passenger capacities.
- Parts & Service Center Full-service parts and repair center at 17102 US Hwy 10, Big Lake, MN 55309, offering oil/lube/filter service, cooling/heating systems, A/C services, brake service, electrical repairs, wheelchair lift repair/replacement, emergency window/hatch replacement, camera and GPS installation, authorized warranty repair, and pick-up/delivery services. Parts line includes Forest River Parts, Opti-Luxx lighting, Roscovision/Provision/REI/SEON/Angeltrax cameras, Rosco mirrors, Braun/Ricon wheelchair lifts, TransAir/ComfortAir/MCC air conditioning, Qstraint/Sure Loc/AMF Bruns wheelchair securement, Freedman/HSM seating, and Silverback/Dayton Parts brakes.
- Auto Value Parts Store Auto Value auto parts retail store located on-site at the Big Lake headquarters, offering automotive parts and accessories to walk-in retail customers.
- Bus Financing Options Financing options arranged for customers purchasing new or used buses through United Bus Sales, helping school districts, contractors, and commercial operators fund fleet acquisitions.
- Bus Trade-In Program Trade-in program allowing customers to apply existing bus values toward the purchase of new or used buses from United Bus Sales.
Companies that use United Bus Sales
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
United Bus Sales technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
United Bus Sales partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and supporting.
- CPConnectcoreCooperative Purchasing Connection program providing free member benefits. United Bus Sales directs customers to CPConnect for cooperative purchasing connections.
- Fishing for LifeminorUnited Bus Sales is a drop-off location for Fishing for Life, an organization that has spent two decades serving youth, families, veterans & communities through fishing and outdoor programs.
- Auto Value Parts StorecoreOn-site Auto Value Parts Store at the Big Lake headquarters location providing parts sales to customers.
- Forest River Bus/Van DivisioncoreAuthorized dealer for Forest River Bus products including Starcraft brand and Forest River Bus/Van Division. Recognized as Ford 2024 Top Volume Account.
- Collins Bus (Magellan)coreAuthorized dealer for Collins Bus products including the Magellan brand of school buses.
- Endera MotorscoreAuthorized dealer for Endera Motors electric and alternative fuel school buses.
- Sunset VanscoreAuthorized dealer for Sunset Vans commercial bus products.
- BraunAbilitycoreAuthorized dealer for BraunAbility wheelchair lifts and accessibility equipment.
- RoscovisionsupportingOffers Roscovision camera systems as part of their product and service offerings.
- TransAirsupportingOffers TransAir air conditioning systems for bus products and services.
- QstraintsupportingOffers Qstraint wheelchair securement systems for accessibility-equipped buses.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
United Bus Sales competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Velocity Vehicle Group: Commercial bus and specialty vehicle dealer group offering new/used bus sales and service across multiple U.S. locations. Comparable to UBS in B2B fleet customer focus and integrated sales/service operating model.
- A-Z Bus Sales: California-based bus dealer carrying Thomas Built, Collins, and other major brands with full sales, parts, and service operations. Comparable to UBS in multi-brand school and commercial bus dealership model and emphasis on warranty service capabilities.
- Empire Bus Sales: Northeast U.S. bus dealer focused on commercial, school, and paratransit buses with parts and service operations. Comparable to UBS in product mix, accessibility configuration expertise, and full-service dealership structure.
- School Bus Sales: Specialized school bus dealer offering new and used buses, parts, and service. Directly comparable to UBS's school bus customer segment and dealership/service center operating model.
- Creative Bus Sales: One of the largest commercial bus dealers in the U.S., offering new and used buses, parts, and service across multiple brands including Starcraft, Forest River, and Champion. Closely comparable to UBS in product mix (commercial + school + shuttle), multi-brand authorized dealer model, and full-service parts/service operations.
- Midwest Transit Equipment: School and commercial bus dealer serving the Midwest with new/used bus sales, parts, and service. Directly comparable to UBS's school bus customer segment focus and full-service dealership model across the upper Midwest.
Broad incumbents
- Premier Truck Group: Large multi-location commercial truck and specialty vehicle dealer group across the U.S. Adjacent to UBS through commercial vehicle dealership business model, though focused on trucks rather than buses as primary product.
- Rush Enterprises: Largest network of commercial vehicle dealerships in North America, primarily trucks but with bus-related commercial offerings. Comparable to UBS as a commercial vehicle dealership but with far broader scale, public-company capital base, and OEM leverage.
- Blue Bird Corporation: Leading U.S. school bus manufacturer that sells through authorized dealer networks like UBS. Adjacent rather than direct peer, but represents the upstream OEM whose dealer relationships drive UBS's school bus revenue stream.
- IC Bus (Navistar): Major school and commercial bus manufacturer with broad dealer network. UBS carries IC buses in its inventory; IC Bus is an upstream incumbent whose dealer-program decisions directly affect UBS's competitive positioning and inventory access.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
United Bus Sales social profiles
Digital presenceUnited Bus Sales financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
United Bus Sales leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
United Bus Sales funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
United Bus Sales M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about United Bus Sales
What does United Bus Sales do?
United Bus Sales is a third-generation family-owned bus dealership that sells new and used commercial buses and school buses from multiple manufacturers (Collins, Endera, Forest River Bus, Starcraft, Sunset Vans, IC, C2, Ford, Chevrolet). The company also operates a full Parts & Service Center providing maintenance, repair, warranty service, accessibility-equipment installation, and a co-located Auto Value Parts Store at its Big Lake, Minnesota headquarters.
Is United Bus Sales a public or private company?
United Bus Sales is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was United Bus Sales founded?
United Bus Sales was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is United Bus Sales based?
United Bus Sales is headquartered in Big Lake, United States, in the North America region.
How does United Bus Sales make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Bus Sales are the primary driver. The others are parts Sales and service & Repair.
Who are United Bus Sales's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Velocity Vehicle Group, A-Z Bus Sales, Empire Bus Sales, School Bus Sales, Creative Bus Sales and Midwest Transit Equipment. Broad incumbents are Premier Truck Group, Rush Enterprises, Blue Bird Corporation and IC Bus (Navistar).
Does United Bus Sales have an API?
No public API is recorded for United Bus Sales.
What industry is United Bus Sales in?
United Bus Sales's product category is Commercial Vehicle Dealership. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAKADAB, Commercial/Fleet Tire Sales & Service (Truck/Bus/OTR). Its NAICS code is 4412 and its SIC code is 5010.