Skip to main content

ITS industry in the US has grown to $48 billion and will expand

ITS America has released what it says is the most comprehensive study to date on the scope of the ITS industry in the United States and North America. Researchers found intelligent transportation to be a fast growing sector valued at approximately US$48 billion. Results indicate that cities and states with drastically reduced budgets are turning to technology solutions to maximize existing highway capacity.
April 17, 2012 Read time: 3 mins
"This report validates what we have known for some times - that the transportation technology industry is healthy, growing, and supports high-paying jobs across the country, even in tough economic times" - Scott Belcher, President and CEO, ITS America
RSS560 ITS America has released what it says is the most comprehensive study to date on the scope of the ITS industry in the United States and North America. Researchers found intelligent transportation to be a fast growing sector valued at approximately US$48 billion. Results indicate that cities and states with drastically reduced budgets are turning to technology solutions to maximize existing highway capacity.

The federally commissioned report developed by ITS America and 1712 IHS Global Insight, suggests the ITS technology sector will outpace other industries in job creation and revenue growth through at least 2015. It further indicates that jobs within this sector pay approximately 75 per cent more than the national average wage.

“In the current economic environment, we can’t afford to build our way out of the traffic congestion crisis,” said Scott Belcher, president and CEO of ITS America. “This report validates what we have known for some time – that the transportation technology industry is healthy, growing, and supports high-paying jobs across the country, even in tough economic times. This is a sector where the US is poised to lead the way in innovation.”

Researchers discovered almost 3,000 companies in more than 40,000 locations actively participating in some aspect of the intelligent transportation industry, from small start-ups that promote car-sharing to large corporations that supply state-of-the-art traffic management services to local governments.

Among the key findings in the report:

  • Researchers estimate an end-use ITS market of $48 billion with revenues that exceed those for electronic computers, motion picture and video products, direct mail advertising, or internet advertising.
  • The report model anticipates continuing expansion. From 2009 through 2015, US private sector revenues are expected to climb between $2.7 billion to $4.2 billion each year, with ITS revenue growth exceeding average growth for the US and North America.
  • The report estimates the industry to have 180,000 US end-use private sector jobs, with 445,000 total jobs in the value chain in 2009, corresponding to 0.3 per cent of the 138 million jobs in the US.
  • The 614 US ITS end-use market will add between 3,600 to 6,400 jobs each year through 2015, when private sector end-use market ITS employment is projected to reach more than 205,000.
  • Based on survey responses, average ITS salaries are well above the national average by more than 75 per cent, with the lowest paid earning more than eight per cent above the national average wage. Three occupations (software developer, hardware developer, and other engineering) account for 32 per cent of the ITS jobs.


Related Content

  • May 17, 2012
    Future EV owners can make money from the power grid
    In what is being claimed as a landmark research report published by Ricardo and National Grid in the UK, the market potential is demonstrated for an electric plug-in vehicle fleet of the future to provide balancing services to the power grid on a commercial basis, returning value to vehicle owners while improving the carbon efficiency of grid operation.
  • May 30, 2012
    Six new ITS America board members
    ITS America has appointed six new members to its board of directors, while Peter Sweatman, director of the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, who previously served as Vice-Chair, takes over as the Board Chair. The Board also reappointed Jill Ingrassia, managing director, Government Relations and Traffic Safety Advocacy, AAA and Gerry Mooney, general manager, Global Smarter Cities, IMB Corporation.
  • April 25, 2012
    Road safety - the challenge ahead
    More than 1.3 million people die in road accidents each year. If nothing is done, this already chilling figure risks to rise to 1.9 million deaths per year. Around 90 per cent of road fatalities occur in emerging and developing countries. Here, the mixture of population growth and higher numbers of vehicles due to rising incomes are proving a deadly combination, as infrastructure and regulatory environment have difficulty keeping pace.
  • July 16, 2012
    The cost benefits of LED traffic signals
    On 11 January 2005, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) began installing GELcore LED traffic signal modules state-wide through an Energy Savings Performance Contract. In tendering for the work, the energy service contractors could choose any manufacturers equipment but all of them proposed to use the GELcore brand.