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 it pays
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity earn a median of $28.39/hr — about $59,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $19.25/hr; the top 10% earn $40.72/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity earn a median of $28.39/hr — about $59,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $19.25/hr; the top 10% earn $40.72/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- 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.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).
The feel of the work
Much of the work happens outdoors. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 1.8% of bus drivers, transit and intercity are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are hands-on, organized and detail-focused and people-focused.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
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Quick questions
- How much does a bus drivers, transit and intercity make?
- The median pay is $28.39 per hour — roughly $59,000 a year, with the real range running from about $19.25/hr (10th percentile) to $40.72/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a bus drivers, transit and intercity?
- The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).
- What does a bus drivers, transit and intercity actually do all day?
- 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.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.