NAICS 488490 Quarterly Industry Report
Other Support Activities for Road Transportation
Comprehensive industry research for valuation professionals, business owners, buyers, and lenders
NAICS Code: 488490Sector: 48Updated: Q1 2026
About This Report
This NAICS 488490 industry profile draws from Census Bureau[5] establishment and employment data, Bureau of Labor Statistics[6] wage statistics for road transportation support occupations, and SBA[7] size standard thresholds. Fair Market Value updates this report quarterly, monitoring state and federal highway maintenance budgets that drive demand for road support services. Our research team tracks infrastructure spending trends and toll revenue patterns to provide NAICS 488490 valuation professionals with current operating benchmarks.
Industry Snapshot
Key metrics for the other support activities for road transportation industry.
Industry Definition & Overview
Other Support Activities for Road Transportation (NAICS 488490) encompasses establishments primarily engaged in providing services to road network users other than motor vehicle towing. This residual category covers a diverse range of highway and road support functions, including operating toll roads, bridges, and tunnels; running truck weigh stations and inspection facilities; providing highway maintenance services; and managing rest areas and service plazas along major corridors.
Firms in this industry range from public toll authorities operating billion-dollar bridge and tunnel assets to small contractors maintaining rural highway systems. Revenue models vary widely: toll operators collect per-crossing fees via electronic and cash collection systems, while highway maintenance contractors earn revenue through government service agreements and seasonal snow removal contracts. Truck weigh station operators enforce commercial vehicle weight limits on behalf of state departments of transportation.
Census Bureau data[5] shows that employment in this sector spans seasonal highway workers, toll collection staff, and specialized bridge maintenance technicians. Bureau of Labor Statistics[6] occupational data indicates substantial variation in wages, from entry-level toll collectors to licensed civil engineers managing infrastructure assets. Capital intensity depends heavily on business type, as toll facilities require massive upfront investment while highway service contractors operate with relatively modest equipment inventories. Geographic distribution follows interstate highway networks and major metropolitan bridge and tunnel crossings.
What's Included in This Industry
- Operating toll roads, bridges, and tunnels for motor vehicle traffic
- Running commercial truck weigh stations and safety inspection facilities
- Highway and road surface maintenance and repair services
- Snow removal and ice treatment services on roadways
- Operating highway rest areas and travel service plazas
- Traffic signal installation, maintenance, and timing services
- Guardrail installation, repair, and replacement along roadways
- Roadway striping, marking, and signage installation services
- Emergency highway debris removal and incident clearance support
- Seasonal vegetation management and mowing along highway corridors
NAICS Classification Hierarchy
| Level | Description | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Subsector | Support Activities for Transportation | 488 |
| Industry Group | Support Activities for Road Transportation | 4884 |
| NAICS Industry | Other Support Activities for Road Transportation | 48849 |
| National Industry | Other Support Activities for Road Transportation | 488490 |
Related NAICS Codes
| Code | Description | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| 488410 | Motor Vehicle Towing | Motor vehicle towing establishments that provide vehicle recovery and transport services distinct from the road maintenance and toll operations classified here |
| 237310 | Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | Highway, street, and bridge construction contractors that build the road infrastructure maintained and operated by support activity establishments in this industry |
| 488999 | All Other Support Activities for Transportation | All other transportation support activities providing miscellaneous services not classified as road transportation support, including transportation consulting and arranging |
| 484110 | General Freight Trucking, Local | General freight trucking firms that depend on maintained highways, weigh stations, and toll facilities operated by road transportation support businesses |
| 561730 | Landscaping Services | Landscaping services that perform vegetation management and grounds maintenance along highway corridors under contract to road transportation support operators |
Geographic Concentration
Top states by share of national establishments.
| # | State | % Est. | Total Est. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 24.7% | 972 |
| 2 | Illinois | 7.8% | 308 |
| 3 | Florida | 7.3% | 288 |
| 4 | Texas | 7.3% | 286 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 3.9% | 155 |
| 6 | New York | 3.6% | 143 |
| 7 | Michigan | 3.3% | 130 |
| 8 | Georgia | 2.5% | 98 |
| 9 | North Carolina | 2.5% | 98 |
| 10 | Virginia | 2.4% | 96 |
% Of Establishments
0%
25%
Source: County Business Patterns, U.S. Census Bureau[3]
SBA Lending Summary
368
Total SBA Loans
$121.2M
Total Loan Volume
$329K
Average Loan Size
10 yrs
Average Loan Term
9.60%
Average Interest Rate
2,176
Jobs Supported
Source: SBA 7(a) Program Data, U.S. Small Business Administration — FY 2025[4]
Key Insight: Under SBA size standards[7], NAICS 488490 businesses qualify as small with average annual receipts up to $18 million. Road transportation support firms can access SBA 7(a) loans[8] for equipment purchases, vehicle fleet expansion, and working capital. The 504 loan program[9] supports acquisition of heavy maintenance equipment, service plazas, and real estate for operational bases. Highway maintenance contractors are among the most common SBA borrowers in this category, often financing snowplow fleets and seasonal equipment needs.
Top SBA Lenders
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume | Avg Loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frost Bank | 8 | $16.5M | $2.1M |
| 2 | Midwest Regional Bank | 8 | $16.4M | $2.1M |
| 3 | U.S. Bank, National Association | 32 | $13.7M | $427K |
| 4 | Regions Bank | 8 | $13.7M | $1.7M |
| 5 | Enterprise Bank & Trust | 8 | $7.9M | $990K |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this industry.
What types of businesses are classified under NAICS 488490?
Toll road operators, bridge and tunnel authorities, truck weigh station operators, highway maintenance contractors, rest area managers, and traffic signal service companies fall under NAICS 488490. Motor vehicle towing is specifically excluded and classified under NAICS 488410[10].
How is NAICS 488490 structured within the transportation sector?
NAICS 488490 is the residual code within Industry Group 4884 (Support Activities for Road Transportation), capturing all road support services except towing. It falls under Subsector 488 (Support Activities for Transportation) alongside air, rail, water, and freight support categories.
What is the SBA size standard for NAICS 488490?
The SBA size standard[7] for NAICS 488490 is $18 million in average annual receipts. This threshold determines small business eligibility for SBA lending programs and federal contracting set-asides.
What NAICS codes are most closely related to 488490?
Related codes include 488410 (Motor Vehicle Towing), 237310 (Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction), 488999 (All Other Support Activities for Transportation), 484110 (General Freight Trucking, Local), and 561730 (Landscaping Services). Each addresses different aspects of the road transportation infrastructure system.
What industries depend most on road transportation support services?
General freight trucking firms (484110) and long-distance carriers rely on maintained highways and toll facilities. Bureau of Labor Statistics[6] data shows that state transportation departments are major employers and contract sources for highway maintenance services provided by firms in this industry.
What activities are included in NAICS 488490?
Included activities cover toll road and bridge operations, truck weigh stations, highway maintenance, snow removal, rest area management, traffic signal services, guardrail installation, and roadway marking. Construction of new roads is excluded per Census Bureau classification[11] and falls under NAICS 237310.
Are NAICS 488490 businesses eligible for SBA loans?
Where are NAICS 488490 businesses geographically concentrated?
Road support operations distribute across the entire U.S. highway network. Toll operations concentrate in the Northeast corridor (New Jersey Turnpike, Pennsylvania Turnpike), Florida, Texas, and Illinois. Highway maintenance contractors cluster in northern states with heavy snowfall per Census Bureau[5] establishment data, while southern and western firms focus on pavement management and vegetation control.
Sources & References
Government datasets and editorial sources used in this report.
- [1]U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages bls.gov
- [2]U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Census census.gov
- [3]U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns census.gov
- [4]U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA 7(a) Loan Program Data data.sba.gov
- [5]Census Bureau data data.census.gov
- [6]Bureau of Labor Statistics bls.gov
- [7]SBA sba.gov
- [8]SBA 7(a) loans sba.gov
- [9]504 loan program sba.gov
- [10]NAICS 488410 census.gov
- [11]Census Bureau classification census.gov
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