What Does a Bus Driver Do?
Every late bus makes someone late for work or class. Bus drivers carry commuters, students and riders with disabilities along fixed routes for city transit agencies, intercity lines and campus shuttle services, keeping to a timetable through traffic and bad weather.
Also known as: Bus Operator
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Bus Operator, Charter Bus Driver, Coach Operator, Motor Coach Driver, Motor Coach Operator, Transit Bus Driver, Transit Coach Operator, Transit Driver.
Bus Driver Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a bus driver include:
- Drive fixed routes on published timetables, keeping to schedule without cutting safety corners.
- Inspect tires, brakes, lights, mirrors and the wheelchair lift before pulling out of the yard.
- Deploy ramps, kneel the bus and secure wheelchairs so every rider boards safely.
- Announce major stops and transfer points, and answer questions about routes and fares.
- Collect fares or check passes and student IDs, and report fare disputes to dispatch.
- Radio dispatch about delays, detours, breakdowns and passengers who need help.
- Handle disruptive riders calmly and call police or supervisors when a situation escalates.
- Complete accident, incident and defect reports before the end of each shift.
- Adjust driving to snow, ice, heavy traffic and road work while keeping passengers steady.
- Keep the bus interior tidy and report damage, graffiti or lost items found onboard.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a bus driver, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Commercial driver's license (CDL) with passenger and air brake endorsements
- Clean driving record and ability to pass drug and alcohol tests
- Defensive driving in heavy traffic and bad weather
- Customer service with a wide mix of riders
- Patience and a steady temper
- Knowledge of ADA rules for riders with disabilities
- Punctuality and schedule discipline
- Basic vehicle inspection
Education and Training
To drive a transit bus you will need a commercial driver's license with a passenger endorsement, and many agencies train new hires for the CDL test themselves. A high school diploma is the usual minimum. With experience, you could progress to trainer, road supervisor or dispatcher.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $47,530 - $70,700 per year, with a median of $59,050.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity.
Employment of transit and intercity bus drivers is projected to grow about 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, according to BLS. In fact, agencies in many cities have struggled to hire enough drivers, and BLS expects about 21,100 openings a year. A new driver with a clean record is likely to find work quickly, though split shifts that cover both rush hours are common for newcomers.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Bus drivers, transit and intercity.
Bus Driver Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $40,030 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $47,530 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $59,050 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $70,700 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $84,700 |
Highest-Paying States for Bus Drivers
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are New York ($84,480), Washington ($72,280), Hawaii ($68,500), California ($67,130), Oregon ($65,510). Pay is lowest in Mississippi ($38,570), Alabama ($37,700), Arkansas ($37,520).
Median pay in all 51 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $37,700 |
| Alaska | $64,150 |
| Arizona | $53,870 |
| Arkansas | $37,520 |
| California | $67,130 |
| Colorado | $63,010 |
| Connecticut | $60,100 |
| Delaware | $60,510 |
| District of Columbia | $55,580 |
| Florida | $48,300 |
| Georgia | $45,500 |
| Hawaii | $68,500 |
| Idaho | $49,000 |
| Illinois | $65,200 |
| Indiana | $58,410 |
| Iowa | $45,890 |
| Kansas | $41,340 |
| Kentucky | $54,550 |
| Louisiana | $48,860 |
| Maine | $57,870 |
| Maryland | $65,220 |
| Massachusetts | $65,460 |
| Michigan | $47,660 |
| Minnesota | $50,200 |
| Mississippi | $38,570 |
| Missouri | $60,660 |
| Montana | $45,640 |
| Nebraska | $45,120 |
| Nevada | $61,700 |
| New Hampshire | $54,830 |
| New Jersey | $61,140 |
| New Mexico | $45,610 |
| New York | $84,480 |
| North Carolina | $44,060 |
| North Dakota | $48,890 |
| Ohio | $62,760 |
| Oklahoma | $50,300 |
| Oregon | $65,510 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,360 |
| Rhode Island | $48,610 |
| South Carolina | $43,330 |
| South Dakota | $41,590 |
| Tennessee | $47,770 |
| Texas | $48,740 |
| Utah | $50,730 |
| Vermont | $53,830 |
| Virginia | $52,940 |
| Washington | $72,280 |
| West Virginia | $39,260 |
| Wisconsin | $52,660 |
| Wyoming | $45,630 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as bus drivers, transit and intercity about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 98% spend more than half the workday sitting
- 85% use their hands on tools, objects or controls for more than half the day
- 65% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
- 64% work against deadlines every day
- 52% deal with loud or distracting noise every day
- 45% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
- 44% deal with rude or angry people at least once a week
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or GED | 84% |
| Less than high school | 13% |
Tools and Software Bus Drivers Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy hands-on work with tools, machines or the outdoors as well as organized work with data, records and clear procedures.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Service Orientation, Time Management.
Knowledge areas used most: Transportation, Customer and Personal Service, Public Safety and Security, English Language, Law and Government.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 2 of 5, which means some preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 53-3052.00 (Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.