Career profile · 53-3052
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity
Drive bus or motor coach, including regular route operations, charters, and private carriage. May assist passengers with baggage. May collect fares or tickets.
What the work can involve
- Drive vehicles over specified routes or to specified destinations according to time schedules, complying with traffic regulations to ensure that passengers have a smooth and safe ride.
- Park vehicles at loading areas so that passengers can board.
- Inspect vehicles and check gas, oil, and water levels prior to departure.
- Announce stops to passengers.
- Assist passengers, such as elderly or individuals with disabilities, on and off bus, ensure they are seated properly, help carry baggage, and answer questions about bus schedules or routes.
- Collect tickets or cash fares from passengers.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This broad O*NET group commonly involves some prior preparation and on-the-job learning. Check the specific employer, occupational credential and state requirements.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Transportation
- Customer and Personal Service
- Public Safety and Security
- English Language
- Law and Government
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Getting Information
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Working conditions to consider
These are the most common published responses to selected O*NET work-setting questions. They describe occupation-level survey findings, not every employer or a particular job.
| Work-setting question | Most common response | Share giving that response |
|---|---|---|
| Contact With Others | Constant contact with others | 74.3%08/2018 · sample 34 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | Every day | 43.6%08/2018 · sample 33 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | Never | 37.3%08/2018 · sample 34 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | Never | 91.3%08/2018 · sample 34 |
| Spend Time Sitting | Continually or almost continually | 86.6%08/2018 · sample 33 |
| Spend Time Standing | Less than half the time | 61.4%08/2018 · sample 34 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | Continually or almost continually | 82.5%08/2018 · sample 34 |
| Time Pressure | Every day | 64.2%08/2018 · sample 34 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | Never | 74.5%08/2018 · sample 34 |
| Work Schedules | Regular (established routine, set schedule) | 82.8%08/2018 · sample 34 |
O*NET 31.0 Work Context, selected topics. Only unsuppressed source responses with sample size at least 10 are shown. A most-common response need not be a majority. Sampling uncertainty applies; source dates vary. Ask employers about actual schedules, accessibility, protective equipment and working conditions.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Internet browser software: Web browser software
- Map creation software: AOL MapQuest, Microsoft MapPoint
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for bus drivers, transit and intercity
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 51 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $37,700 | $18.13 | 960 |
| Alaska | $64,150 | $30.84 | 250 |
| Arizona | $53,870 | $25.90 | 3,240 |
| Arkansas | $37,520 | $18.04 | 570 |
| California | $67,130 | $32.27 | 24,380 |
| Colorado | $63,010 | $30.29 | 3,540 |
| Connecticut | $60,100 | $28.89 | 1,830 |
| Delaware | $60,510 | $29.09 | 380 |
| District of Columbia | $55,580 | $26.72 | 150 |
| Florida | $48,300 | $23.22 | 9,130 |
| Georgia | $45,500 | $21.87 | 3,700 |
| Hawaii | $68,500 | $32.93 | 2,190 |
| Idaho | $49,000 | $23.56 | 520 |
| Illinois | $65,200 | $31.35 | 8,650 |
| Indiana | $58,410 | $28.08 | 2,130 |
| Iowa | $45,890 | $22.06 | 1,560 |
| Kansas | $41,340 | $19.87 | 430 |
| Kentucky | $54,550 | $26.22 | 2,570 |
| Louisiana | $48,860 | $23.49 | 1,490 |
| Maine | $57,870 | $27.82 | 470 |
| Maryland | $65,220 | $31.35 | 4,890 |
| Massachusetts | $65,460 | $31.47 | 3,970 |
| Michigan | $47,660 | $22.91 | 3,620 |
| Minnesota | $50,200 | $24.13 | 2,610 |
| Mississippi | $38,570 | $18.54 | 400 |
| Missouri | $60,660 | $29.16 | 1,860 |
| Montana | $45,640 | $21.94 | 450 |
| Nebraska | $45,120 | $21.69 | 460 |
| Nevada | $61,700 | $29.66 | 2,540 |
| New Hampshire | $54,830 | $26.36 | 300 |
| New Jersey | $61,140 | $29.40 | 6,420 |
| New Mexico | $45,610 | $21.93 | 580 |
| New York | $84,480 | $40.61 | 16,770 |
| North Carolina | $44,060 | $21.18 | 2,900 |
| North Dakota | $48,890 | $23.50 | 250 |
| Ohio | $62,760 | $30.17 | 4,000 |
| Oklahoma | $50,300 | $24.18 | 1,760 |
| Oregon | $65,510 | $31.50 | 2,620 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,360 | $24.69 | 4,710 |
| Rhode Island | $48,610 | $23.37 | 70 |
| South Carolina | $43,330 | $20.83 | 630 |
| South Dakota | $41,590 | $19.99 | 410 |
| Tennessee | $47,770 | $22.97 | 1,970 |
| Texas | $48,740 | $23.43 | 11,600 |
| Utah | $50,730 | $24.39 | 1,230 |
| Vermont | $53,830 | $25.88 | 440 |
| Virginia | $52,940 | $25.45 | 3,800 |
| Washington | $72,280 | $34.75 | 6,960 |
| West Virginia | $39,260 | $18.87 | 520 |
| Wisconsin | $52,660 | $25.32 | 2,220 |
| Wyoming | $45,630 | $21.94 | 130 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 244 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Related occupations to compare
- Bus Drivers, School→
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary→
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers→
- Light Truck Drivers→
- Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs→
Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 53-3052.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.