Industries in the Support Activities for Transportation subsector provide services which support transportation. These services may be provided to transportation carrier establishments or to the general public. This subsector includes a wide array of establishments, including air traffic control services, marine cargo handling, and motor vehicle towing.
The Support Activities for Transportation subsector includes services to transportation but is separated by type of mode serviced. The Support Activities for Rail Transportation industry includes services to the rail industry (e.g., railroad switching and terminal establishments).
Ship repair and maintenance not done in a shipyard are included in Other Support Activities for Water Transportation. An example would be floating drydock services in a harbor.
Excluded from this subsector are establishments primarily engaged in providing factory conversion and overhaul of transportation equipment, which are classified in Subsector 336, Transportation Equipment Manufacturing. Also, establishments primarily engaged in providing rental and leasing of transportation equipment without operator are classified in Subsector 532, Rental and Leasing Services.
4881 Support Activities for Air Transportation
This industry group comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing services to the air
transportation industry. These services include airport operation, servicing, repairing (except
factory conversion and overhaul of aircraft), maintaining and storing aircraft, and ferrying
aircraft.
48811 Airport Operations
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in (1) operating international,
national, or civil airports or public flying fields or (2) supporting airport operations (except
special food services contractors), such as rental of hangar space, air traffic control services,
baggage handling services, and cargo handling services.
Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in
- Providing factory conversion, overhaul, and rebuilding of aircraft - classified in Industry 33641, Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing;
- Wholesaling fuel at airports - classified in Industry 424720, Petroleum and Petroleum Products Merchant Wholesalers (except Bulk Stations and Terminals);
- Providing airport janitorial services - classified in Industry 561720, Janitorial Services; and
- Providing food services at airports on a contractual arrangement (i.e., food service contractors) - classified in Industry 722310, Food Service Contractors.
488111 Air Traffic Control
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing air
traffic control services to regulate the flow of air traffic.
488119 Other Airport Operations
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in (1) operating
international, national, or civil airports, or public flying fields or (2) supporting
airport operations,such as rental of hangar space, and providing baggage handling
and/or cargo handling services.
Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in
- Providing air traffic control services - classified in U.S. Industry 488111, Air Traffic Control;
- Providing factory conversion, overhaul, and rebuilding of aircraft are classified in Industry 33641, Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing;
- Wholesaling fuel at airports are classified in Industry 424720, Petroleum and Petroleum Products Merchant Wholesalers (except Bulk Stations and Terminals);
- Providing airport janitorial services are classified in Industry 561720, Janitorial Services; and
- Providing food services at airports on a contractual arrangement are classified in Industry 722310, Food Service Contractors.
48819 Other Support Activities for Air Transportation
See industry description for 488190 below.
488190 Other Support Activities for Air Transportation
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing specialized services for
air transportation (except air traffic control and other airport operations).
Illustrative Examples:
Aircraft maintenance and repair services (except factory conversions, overhauls, rebuilding);
Aircraft testing services.
Learn about Aircraft Weighing Systems as a business.
Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in
- Wholesaling fuel at airports - classified in Industry 424720, Petroleum and Petroleum Products Merchant Wholesalers (except Bulk Stations and Terminals);
- Providing aircraft janitorial services - classified in Industry 561720, Janitorial Services;
- Providing air traffic control services - classified in U.S. Industry 488111, Air Traffic Control;
- Providing airport operations (except air traffic control) - classified in U.S. Industry 488119, Other Airport Operations;
- Providing factory conversion, overhaul, and rebuilding of aircraft - classified in Industry 33641, Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing; and
- Providing food services to airlines on a contractual arrangement - classified in Industry 722310, Food Service Contractors.
4882 Support Activities for Rail Transportation
48821 Support Activities for Rail Transportation
See industry description for 488210 below.
488210 Support Activities for Rail Transportation
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing specialized services for
railroad transportation including servicing, routine repairing (except factory conversion,
overhaul or rebuilding of rolling stock), and maintaining rail cars; loading and unloading rail
cars; and operating independent terminals.
Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in
- Providing railroad car rental - classified in U.S. Industry 532411, Commercial Air, Rail, and Water Transportation Equipment Rental and Leasing;
- Factory conversion, overhaul, or rebuilding of railroad rolling stock - classified in Industry 336510, Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing;
- Providing rail car janitorial services - classified in Industry 561720, Janitorial Services; and
4883 Support Activities for Water Transportation
48831 Port and Harbor Operations
See industry description for 488310 below.
488310 Port and Harbor Operations
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in operating ports, harbors (including
docking and pier facilities), or canals.
Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in
- Providing stevedoring and other marine cargo handling services - classified in Industry 488320, Marine Cargo Handling;
- Providing navigational services to shipping - classified in Industry 488330, Navigational Services to Shipping; and
- Operating docking and/or storage facilities and commonly known as marinas - classified in Industry 713930, Marinas.
48832 Marine Cargo Handling
See industry description for 488320 below.
488320 Marine Cargo Handling
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing stevedoring and other
marine cargo handling services (except warehousing).
Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in
- Preparing freight for transportation - classified in U.S. Industry 488991, Packing and Crating;
- Operating general merchandise, refrigerated, or other warehousing and storage facilities - classified in Subsector 493, Warehousing and Storage; and
- Operating docking and pier facilities - classified in Industry 488310, Port and Harbor Operations.
48833 Navigational Services to Shipping
See industry description for 488330 below.
488330 Navigational Services to Shipping
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing navigational services to
shipping. Marine salvage establishments are included in this industry.
Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in
- Providing water transportation of barges (except coastal or Great Lakes barge transportation services) - classified in U.S. Industry 483211, Inland Water Freight Transportation; and
- Providing coastal and/or Great Lakes barge transportation services - classified in U.S. Industry 483113, Coastal and Great Lakes Freight Transportation.
48839 Other Support Activities for Water Transportation
See industry description for 488390 below.
488390 Other Support Activities for Water Transportation
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing services to water
transportation (except port and harbor operations; marine cargo handling services; and
navigational services to shipping).
Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in
- Ship painting - classified in Industry 238320, Painting and Wall Covering Contractors;
- Providing ship janitorial services - classified in Industry 561720, Janitorial Services;
- Operating port, harbor, or canal facilities - classified in Industry 488310, Port and Harbor Operations;
- Providing stevedoring and other marine cargo handling services - classified in Industry 488320, Marine Cargo Handling;
- Providing navigational services to shipping - classified in Industry 488330, Navigational Services to Shipping; and
- Providing ship overhauling or repairs in a shipyard - classified in U.S. Industry 336611, Ship Building and Repairing.
4884 Support Activities for Road Transportation
48841 Motor Vehicle Towing
See industry description for 488410 below.
488410 Motor Vehicle Towing
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in towing light or heavy motor vehicles,
both local and long distance. These establishments may provide incidental services,such as
storage and emergency road repair services.
Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in
- Operating gasoline stations - classified in Industry Group 4471, Gasoline Stations;
- Providing automotive repair and maintenance - classified in Industry Group 8111, Automotive Repair and Maintenance; and
- Both retailing automotive parts and accessories, and repairing automobiles and known as automotive supply stores - classified in Industry 441310, Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores.
48849 Other Support Activities for Road Transportation
See industry description for 488490 below.
488490 Other Support Activities for Road Transportation
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing services (except motor
vehicle towing) to road network users.
Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in
- Providing automotive repair and maintenance - classified in Industry Group 8111, Automotive Repair and Maintenance;
- Providing towing services to motor vehicles - classified in Industry 488410, Motor Vehicle Towing;
- Providing a network for busing in combination with providing terminal services - classified in Industry 485210, Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation; and
- Providing a network for trucking in combination with providing terminal services - classified in Subsector 484, Truck Transportation.
4885 Freight Transportation Arrangement
48851 Freight Transportation Arrangement
See industry description for 488510 below.
488510 Freight Transportation Arrangement
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in arranging transportation of freight
between shippers and carriers. These establishments are usually known as freight forwarders,
marine shipping agents, or customs brokers and offer a combination of services spanning
transportation modes.
Cross-References.
- Establishments primarily engaged in tariff and freight rate consulting services are classified in U.S. Industry 541614, Process, Physical Distribution, and Logistics Consulting Services.
4889 Other Support Activities for Transportation
48899 Other Support Activities for Transportation
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing support activities to
transportation (except for air transportation; rail transportation; water transportation; road
transportation; and freight transportation arrangement).
Illustrative Examples:
Arrangement of vanpools or carpools; Stockyards (i.e., not for fattening or selling livestock);
Independent pipeline terminal facilities.
Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in
- Providing support activities for air transportation - classified in Industry Group 4881, Support Activities for Air Transportation;
- Providing support activities for rail transportation - classified in Industry Group 4882, Support Activities for Rail Transportation;
- Providing support activities for water transportation - classified in Industry Group 4883, Support Activities for Water Transportation;
- Providing support activities for road transportation - classified in Industry Group 4884, Support Activities for Road Transportation;
- Arranging transportation of freight between shippers and carriers - classified in Industry 488510, Freight Transportation Arrangement;
- Providing tariff and freight rate consulting services - classified in Industry 54161, Management Consulting Services;
- Operating stockyards for fattening livestock - classified in Subsector 112, Animal Production; and
- Providing packaging and labeling services - classified in Industry 561910, Packaging and Labeling Services.
488991 Packing and Crating
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in packing, crating, and otherwise
preparing goods for transportation.
Cross-References.
- Establishments primarily engaged in providing packaging and labeling services are classified in Industry 561910, Packaging and Labeling Services.
488999 All Other Support Activities for Transportation
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing support activities to
transportation (except for air transportation; rail transportation; water transportation; road
transportation; freight transportation arrangement; and packing and crating).
Illustrative Examples:
Arrangement of vanpools or carpools; Stockyards (i.e., not for fattening or selling livestock);
Independent pipeline terminal facilities.
Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in
- Operating stockyards for fattening livestock - classified in Subsector 112, Animal Production;
- Providing tariff and freight rate consulting services - classified in U.S. Industry 541614, Process, Physical Distribution, and Logistics Consulting Services;
- Providing packing and crating services for transportation - classified in U.S. Industry 488991, Packing and Crating;
- Providing support activities for air transportation - classified in Industry Group 4881, Support Activities for Air Transportation;
- Providing support activities for rail transportation - classified in Industry 488210, Support Activities for Rail Transportation;
- Providing support activities for water transportation - classified in Industry Group 4883, Support Activities for Water Transportation;
- Providing support activities for road transportation - classified in Industry Group 4884, Support Activities for Road Transportation; and
- Arranging transportation of freight between shippers and carriers - classified in Industry 488510, Freight Transportation Arrangement.
Information courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau.
