StarTrans Bus
StarTrans Bus is a Goshen, Indiana-based commercial shuttle bus manufacturer, operating as a brand under Forest River Bus, LLC. It produces 14-45 passenger buses across 8 models on Ford, Freightliner, and International chassis, sold through authorized dealers to transit authorities, school districts, and shuttle operators.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersGoshen, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What StarTrans Bus does
StarTrans Bus is a commercial shuttle and small-transit bus manufacturer operating as a brand division under Forest River Bus, LLC, which is itself a subsidiary of Forest River, Inc., a diversified manufacturing conglomerate headquartered in Goshen, Indiana. Established in 1983, the company builds passenger buses in capacities ranging from 14 to 45 seats and lengths from 20 to 40 feet, offered across an 8-model lineup including the Candidate II and Senator II families plus the PS/2. All products are assembled on third-party commercial chassis platforms, including Ford E350, E450, F550, F650, and Transit; Freightliner; and International TC, with no proprietary chassis development.
The business model is hardware sales of complete buses, sold exclusively through an authorized dealer network supported by a Dealer Connect B2B portal and a public dealer locator. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. StarTrans targets three primary customer verticals: government transit authorities, school districts, and commercial shuttle service operators (including airport, hotel, corporate, and casino shuttles). All revenue is one-time transactional with no recurring component, and the company offers an industry-leading 5-year/100,000-mile warranty as its principal differentiator.
Operationally, StarTrans shares manufacturing infrastructure, administrative functions, and distribution channels with sibling brands under Forest River Bus (Champion, ElDorado, Glaval, and Starcraft). The company maintains a digital presence through its website, newsletter, owner manuals, and video resources, but marketing is primarily dealer-enabled rather than direct-to-buyer. No AI/ML capabilities, software products, APIs, or proprietary technology assets are disclosed; the offering is a traditional body-on-chassis vehicle with mechanical configuration flexibility rather than a technology platform.
StarTrans Bus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- StarTrans Bus
- Legal name
- Forest River Bus, LLC
- Website
- https://startransbus.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- StarTrans Bus is a Goshen, Indiana-based commercial shuttle bus manufacturer, operating as a brand under Forest River Bus, LLC. It produces 14-45 passenger buses across 8 models on Ford, Freightliner, and International chassis, sold through authorized dealers to transit authorities, school districts, and shuttle operators.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
StarTrans Bus industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Bus Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing (33621)
- SIC
- Truck & Bus Bodies (3713)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Bus Body & Coachbuilder / Bus Body Assembly (IMACADAH)
Keywords
Where StarTrans Bus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Goshen
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
StarTrans Bus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Bus Sales: StarTrans Bus generates revenue through the sale of complete assembled buses to customers via dealer network. Buses are sold in various configurations ranging from 14-passenger to 45-passenger capacity, with multiple length options (20' to 40') and chassis platforms. Revenue is one-time transactional per vehicle sale, with no recurring revenue component disclosed.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Quote-based pricing through dealer network |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
StarTrans Bus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
StarTrans Bus manufactures and sells commercial shuttle and transit buses on multiple chassis platforms including Ford E350, Ford E450, Ford F550, Ford F650, Ford Transit, Freightliner, and International TC. The current lineup comprises eight models across two product lines—Candidate II (standard and Transit) and Senator II (standard, MVP, and HD variants) plus the PS/2—offered with passenger capacities from 14 to 45 and lengths from 20 to 40 feet. Completed vehicles are sold through an exclusive authorized dealer network under an industry-leading 5-year/100,000-mile warranty.
Product overview
StarTrans Bus is a brand under Forest River Bus, LLC that manufactures commercial buses for transportation applications. The product portfolio consists of multiple bus model lines—Candidate II and Senator II—each available in various configurations and chassis options. The Candidate II series includes standard and Transit variants, while the Senator II series offers standard, MVP (multi-purpose), and HD (heavy-duty) variants built on different chassis platforms (Ford E350/E450/E550/F650, Freightliner, International TC). StarTrans buses are offered with passenger capacities ranging from 14 to 45 passengers, lengths from 20 to 40 feet, and come with an industry-leading 5-year/100K-mile warranty.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Candidate II A StarTrans shuttle bus model offering configurable passenger capacity and chassis options, designed for transit and shuttle transportation applications for fleet operators, transit authorities, schools, and shuttle service operators.
- Candidate II Transit A transit-configured version of the Candidate II bus with enhanced features for public or commercial transportation use, targeting transit authorities and community transportation operators.
- Senator II A mid-size bus in the StarTrans lineup offering configurable passenger and length options for various transportation needs of fleet operators, transit authorities, schools, and shuttle service companies.
- Senator II MVP A multi-purpose variant of the Senator II bus designed for versatile transportation applications across shuttle, transit, and paratransit use cases.
- Senator II HD A heavy-duty version of the Senator II bus built on a Ford F550 chassis, designed for demanding transportation requirements such as higher passenger counts and longer service life.
- Senator II HD F650 A heavy-duty Senator variant built on a Ford F650 chassis for enhanced capacity and durability for large-capacity shuttle and transit fleets.
- Senator II HD IC A heavy-duty Senator variant built on an International TC chassis, offering an alternative heavy-duty configuration for transit and shuttle operators preferring the International service network.
- PS/2 A StarTrans bus model designed for specific transportation applications, available in multiple configurations to match operator requirements.
Quantifiable outcome
- Warranty coverage of 5 years or 100,000 miles
Companies that use StarTrans Bus
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
StarTrans Bus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
StarTrans Bus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Ford Motor CompanycoreFord provides chassis platforms for StarTrans bus products including E350, E450, F550, F650, and Transit models. This chassis partnership enables StarTrans to build buses on proven automotive platform technology with established service networks.
- FreightlinercoreFreightliner provides chassis platforms for StarTrans bus products, enabling construction of commercial passenger buses on proven truck platform technology.
- Navistar InternationalcoreInternational TC chassis platform used for StarTrans bus products, providing additional chassis option for commercial passenger transportation vehicles.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
StarTrans Bus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Collins Bus: Forest River Bus sister brand specializing in Type A and small school/activity buses, sharing parent distribution and chassis sourcing. Comparable in production scale, dealer channel, and chassis platform strategy focused on small-bus segments.
- Thomas Built Buses: Daimler Truck subsidiary manufacturing Type A and C school buses using Freightliner/Daimler chassis platforms, targeting school districts and activity bus markets. Comparable commercial chassis sourcing strategy and fleet customer focus.
- Blue Bird Corporation: Leading North American school and activity bus manufacturer serving school districts and shuttle operators with Type A, C, and D buses. Directly comparable to StarTrans' school district and shuttle vertical focus with similar dealer-driven distribution model.
- Glaval Bus: Forest River Bus sister brand producing shuttle buses and paratransit vehicles on multiple chassis platforms for transit authorities and shuttle operators. Comparable size, customer segments, and dealer distribution to StarTrans.
- Starcraft Bus: Forest River Bus sibling brand focused on shuttle and small commercial buses for shuttle operators, schools, and public transit, sharing chassis platforms and the Forest River dealer network. Directly comparable product positioning in the shuttle/paratransit segment.
- IC Bus: Navistar/Traton's commercial and school bus brand manufacturing buses on International chassis platforms, directly competing for school district, transit authority, and shuttle buyers. Highly comparable chassis platform strategy and target customer base.
- Champion Bus: Sister brand under Forest River Bus offering shuttle and paratransit buses on similar Ford and GM chassis platforms, targeting overlapping transit authority, hotel/shuttle, and school buyers through the same authorized dealer network. Highly comparable product line, customer base, and distribution model.
- ElDorado Bus: Forest River Bus sister brand manufacturing shuttle, paratransit, and small transit buses targeting overlapping transit authority and shuttle operator customers through the same dealer system. Closely comparable chassis flexibility and product applications.
Broad incumbents
- REV Group Bus Segment: REV Group's specialty vehicle segment includes multiple bus and shuttle brands (including ElDorado National) serving transit, shuttle, paratransit, and school markets. Comparable scale, multi-brand approach, and chassis flexibility strategy to StarTrans/Forest River Bus portfolio.
Regional players
- Motor Coach Industries (MCI): North American manufacturer of intercity coaches and commuter buses under private ownership, serving transit authorities and private coach operators. Adjacent to StarTrans' transit vertical but focused on larger over-the-road coaches rather than shuttles.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
StarTrans Bus social profiles
Digital presenceStarTrans Bus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
StarTrans Bus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
StarTrans Bus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
StarTrans Bus 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 StarTrans Bus
What does StarTrans Bus do?
StarTrans Bus manufactures and sells commercial shuttle and transit buses on multiple chassis platforms including Ford E350, Ford E450, Ford F550, Ford F650, Ford Transit, Freightliner, and International TC. The current lineup comprises eight models across two product lines—Candidate II (standard and Transit) and Senator II (standard, MVP, and HD variants) plus the PS/2—offered with passenger capacities from 14 to 45 and lengths from 20 to 40 feet. Completed vehicles are sold through an exclusive authorized dealer network under an industry-leading 5-year/100,000-mile warranty.
Is StarTrans Bus a public or private company?
StarTrans Bus is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was StarTrans Bus founded?
StarTrans Bus was founded in 1983. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is StarTrans Bus based?
StarTrans Bus is headquartered in Goshen, United States, in the North America region.
How does StarTrans Bus make money?
One revenue line is on record: bus Sales.
Who are StarTrans Bus's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Collins Bus, Thomas Built Buses, Blue Bird Corporation, Glaval Bus, Starcraft Bus, IC Bus, Champion Bus and ElDorado Bus. REV Group Bus Segment is listed as a broad incumbent. Motor Coach Industries (MCI) is listed as a regional player.
Does StarTrans Bus have an API?
No public API is recorded for StarTrans Bus.
What industry is StarTrans Bus in?
StarTrans Bus's product category is Commercial Bus Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMACADAH, Bus Body & Coachbuilder / Bus Body Assembly. Its NAICS code is 33621 and its SIC code is 3713.