Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity: Career Profile
Drive bus or motor coach, including regular route operations, charters, and private carriage. May assist passengers with baggage. May collect fares or tickets.
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What Do Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity Take On?
The core tasks performed by bus drivers, transit and intercity include:
- 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.
- Handle passenger emergencies or disruptions.
- Report delays or accidents.
What Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity Need to Know
Top bus drivers, transit and intercity draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Bus Driver
- Bus Operator
- CDL Bus Driver (Commercial Driver's License Bus Driver)
- Charter Bus Driver
- Charter Coach Driver
- Charter Driver
- City Bus Driver
- Coach Operator
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 1,247,703 bus drivers, transit and intercity working in the United States today. Employment is projected to decline by -1.9% over the projection horizon.
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $31,743 |
| Hourly median | $15.26 |
| 10th percentile | $21,297 |
| 25th percentile | $26,520 |
| 75th percentile | $36,966 |
| 90th percentile | $42,188 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $82,420 |
| Washington | $70,360 |
| Illinois | $69,950 |
| Maryland | $69,440 |
| Hawaii | $69,090 |
| Oregon | $62,900 |
| Massachusetts | $62,870 |
| California | $62,430 |
| Alaska | $62,300 |
| New Jersey | $62,200 |
| Colorado | $61,310 |
| Connecticut | $56,870 |
| Ohio | $54,360 |
| Missouri | $54,090 |
| New Hampshire | $53,990 |
| Maine | $53,180 |
| Delaware | $52,770 |
| Vermont | $52,520 |
| Minnesota | $52,290 |
| Virginia | $51,140 |
| Wisconsin | $51,100 |
| District of Columbia | $50,470 |
| Indiana | $50,400 |
| Kentucky | $50,360 |
| Rhode Island | $49,920 |
| Utah | $49,500 |
| Texas | $49,070 |
| Arizona | $48,660 |
| Tennessee | $48,140 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,010 |
| Louisiana | $48,000 |
| Montana | $46,760 |
| Florida | $46,640 |
| Michigan | $46,590 |
| Georgia | $45,750 |
| West Virginia | $45,440 |
| Kansas | $44,480 |
| Wyoming | $43,910 |
| Oklahoma | $43,660 |
| Idaho | $43,490 |
| New Mexico | $43,450 |
| Nebraska | $43,160 |
| Nevada | $42,800 |
| North Carolina | $41,790 |
| South Dakota | $40,470 |
| Iowa | $40,110 |
| North Dakota | $39,220 |
| South Carolina | $38,580 |
| Mississippi | $37,610 |
| Alabama | $37,300 |
| Arkansas | $36,940 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,800 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for bus drivers, transit and intercity vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $71,665 | 21.3% | 1.56 |
| Far Western US | $63,013 | 25.5% | 1.64 |
| New England | $59,527 | 4.7% | 1.11 |
| Great Lakes | $58,714 | 12.3% | 0.95 |
| Rocky Mountains | $55,822 | 3.7% | 1.01 |
| Southwest | $48,222 | 9.6% | 0.77 |
| Plains States | $47,311 | 4.9% | 0.84 |
| Southeast | $46,360 | 17.6% | 0.78 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $81,400 | 4,520 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | CA | $80,870 | 190 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $79,440 | 5,410 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $78,220 | 2,010 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | MD | $77,130 | 1,890 |
| Columbus, OH | OH | $72,480 | 640 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $70,700 | 19,130 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | NJ | $70,700 | 320 |
Top Industries Employing Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity
The largest employers of bus drivers, transit and intercity are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation and Warehousing | 54,100 | $48,980 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,530 | $42,350 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1,030 | $39,260 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 920 | $34,630 |
| Educational Services | 580 | $47,830 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 450 | $45,930 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 340 | $44,370 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 210 | $32,530 |
Below are examples of industries where bus drivers, transit and intercity work:
Tech Stack
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for bus drivers, transit and intercity tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Spend Time Sitting
- In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
- Contact With Others
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Frequency of Decision Making
Education and Training
Typical bus drivers, transit and intercity positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Transit and Railroad Police (Supplemental)
- School Bus Monitors (Primary-Short)
- Baggage Porters and Bellhops (Supplemental)
- Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks (Supplemental)
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance (Supplemental)
- Air Traffic Controllers (Supplemental)
- Airfield Operations Specialists (Supplemental)
- Flight Attendants (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Future bus drivers, transit and intercity often complete programs in:
Transportation and Materials Moving
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 53-3052.00 (Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity).
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