488510

Analysis

NAICS 488510 is the 2022 national industry for freight transportation arrangement, part of 48851 (Freight Transportation Arrangement). Census lists 5 example activities under it in the official index.

County Business Patterns counts 21,873 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 324,765 people at an average annual payroll of $76,333 per employee (63rd percentile of national industries). 55% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.

Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include agents, shipping, customs brokers, freight forwarding and marine shipping agency, among 5 in all.

For example, tariff and freight rate consulting services are classified in 541614 (Process, Physical Distribution, and Logistics Consulting Services) instead.

Census lists 1 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 541614. Businesses that do several things are classified by their primary activity, the one that generates the most value, so check those boundaries before settling on this code.

Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments grew 3% and employment rose 19%. The 2018 count used NAICS 2017, so part of a large move can come from codes being redefined rather than from businesses opening or closing.