What Does it Take to Be a Transit and Intercity Bus Driver?

Position Description Drive bus or motor coach, including regular route operations, charters, and private carriage. May assist passengers with baggage. May collect fares or tickets.

What do Transit and Intercity Bus Drivers do On a Daily Basis?

• Load and unload baggage in baggage compartments.
• Collect tickets or cash fares from passengers.
• 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.
• Announce stops to passengers.
• Make minor repairs to vehicle and change tires.
• Park vehicles at loading areas so that passengers can board.

Transit and Intercity Bus Driver Needed Skills

When polled, Transit and Intercity Bus Drivers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Other Transit and Intercity Bus Driver Job Titles

• Public Transit Bus Driver
• Jitney Driver
• Transit Bus Driver
• Transit Driver
• Bus Operator

Transit and Intercity Bus Driver Employment Estimates

There were about 179,300 jobs for Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity in 2016 (in the United States).

New jobs are being produced at a rate of 9% which is lower than average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 16,100 new jobs for Transit and Intercity Bus Drivers by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 24,000 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity are New York, California, and Texas.

Watch out if you plan on working in New Jersey, Wisconsin, or Maryland. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

What is the Average Salary of a Transit and Intercity Bus Driver

Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity Make between $25,550 and $69,070 a year. The median salary is $42,080.

How much do Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity make in each U.S. state?

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
New York	$60,220
Washington	$58,890
Illinois	$57,080
Alaska	$56,630
Massachusetts	$55,700
California	$49,560
New Jersey	$48,960
Oregon	$48,020
Connecticut	$47,270
Wisconsin	$46,010
Hawaii	$44,050
Maryland	$43,560
Virginia	$42,990
Arizona	$42,280
Vermont	$41,490
Delaware	$41,030
Ohio	$41,000
Minnesota	$40,560
Nebraska	$39,960
Maine	$39,010
Texas	$39,000
New Hampshire	$38,960
Colorado	$38,570
District of Columbia	$38,270
Rhode Island	$37,750
Indiana	$37,530
Montana	$37,260
Nevada	$37,130
Missouri	$37,130
Tennessee	$37,120
North Dakota	$36,840
Pennsylvania	$36,550
Utah	$36,240
Wyoming	$36,160
Michigan	$35,740
Louisiana	$35,310
West Virginia	$34,610
Iowa	$34,380
South Dakota	$34,230
Kentucky	$33,910
Florida	$33,320
South Carolina	$32,740
Kansas	$31,330
North Carolina	$31,270
Mississippi	$31,070
Idaho	$30,890
Arkansas	$30,840
Alabama	$30,510
New Mexico	$29,730
Georgia	$28,780
Oklahoma	$28,300

What Tools do Transit and Intercity Bus Drivers Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Transit and Intercity Bus Drivers:

• Microsoft Windows

How do I Become a Transit and Intercity Bus Driver?

What education is needed to be a Transit and Intercity Bus Driver?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Who Employs Transit and Intercity Bus Drivers?

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons