Bus Drivers

Bus Drivers Earnings

Median hourly earnings of transit and intercity bus drivers were $14.22 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $10.51 and $18.99 an hour. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $8.37, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $22.51 an hour. Median hourly earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of transit and intercity bus drivers in 2002 were as follows:

Local government $16.95
Interurban and rural bus transportation 15.15
Urban transit systems 15.02
School and employee bus transportation 11.29
Charter bus industry 10.64

Median hourly earnings of schoolbus drivers were $10.77 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $7.73 and $13.53 an hour. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $6.24, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $16.44 an hour. Median hourly earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of schoolbus drivers in 2002 were as follows:

School and employee bus transportation $11.44
Local government 11.09
Elementary and secondary schools 10.50
Other transit and ground passenger transportation 9.79
Individual and family services 8.27

The benefits bus drivers receive from their employers vary greatly. Most intercity and local-transit bus drivers receive paid health and life insurance, sick leave, vacation leave, and free bus rides on any of the regular routes of their line or system. Schoolbus drivers receive sick leave, and many are covered by health and life insurance and pension plans. Because they generally do not work when school is not in session, they do not get vacation leave. In a number of States, local-transit and schoolbus drivers employed by local governments are covered by a statewide public employee pension system. Increasingly, school systems extend benefits to drivers who supplement their driving by working in the school system during off hours.

Most intercity and many local-transit bus drivers are members of the Amalgamated Transit Union. Local-transit bus drivers in New York and several other large cities belong to the Transport Workers Union of America. Some drivers belong to the United Transportation Union or the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

Bus Drivers Nature of Work

Every day, millions of Americans every day leave the driving to bus drivers. Bus drivers are essential in providing passengers with an alternative to their automobiles or other forms of transportation. Intercity bus drivers transport people between regions of a State or of the country; local-transit bus drivers do so within a metropolitan area or county; motor coach drivers take customers on charter excursions and tours; and schoolbus drivers take children to and from schools and related events.

Drivers pick up and drop off passengers at bus stops, stations, or, in the case of students, at regularly scheduled neighborhood locations based on strict time schedules. Drivers must operate vehicles safely, especially when traffic is heavier than normal. However, they cannot let light traffic put them ahead of schedule so that they miss passengers.

Local-transit and intercity bus drivers report to their assigned terminal or garage, where they stock up on tickets or transfers and prepare trip report forms. In some transportation firms, maintenance departments are responsible for keeping vehicles in good condition. In others, drivers may check their vehicleÕs tires, brakes, windshield wipers, lights, oil, fuel, and water supply before beginning their routes. Drivers usually verify that the bus has safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers, first aid kits, and emergency reflectors in case of an emergency.

During the course of their shift, local-transit and intercity bus drivers collect fares; answer questions about schedules, routes, and transfer points; and sometimes announce stops. Intercity bus drivers may make only a single one-way trip to a distant city or a round trip each day. They may stop at towns just a few miles apart or only at large cities hundreds of miles apart. Local-transit bus drivers may make several trips each day over the same city and suburban streets, stopping as frequently as every few blocks.

Local-transit bus drivers submit daily trip reports with a record of trips, significant schedule delays, and mechanical problems. Intercity drivers who drive across State or national boundaries must comply with U.S. Department of Transportation regulations. These include completing vehicle inspection reports and recording distances traveled and the periods they spend driving, performing other duties, and off duty.

Motorcoach drivers transport passengers on charter trips and sightseeing tours. Drivers routinely interact with customers and tour guides to make the trip as comfortable and informative as possible. They are directly responsible for keeping to strict schedules, adhering to the guidelines of the toursÕ itinerary, and ensuring the overall success of the trip. These drivers act as customer service representative, tour guide, program director, and safety guide. Trips frequently last more than 1 day. The driver may be away for more than a week if assigned to an extended tour. As with all drivers who drive across State or national boundaries, motorcoach drivers must comply with Department of Transportation regulations.

Schoolbus drivers usually drive the same routes each day, stopping to pick up pupils in the morning and return them to their homes in the afternoon. Some schoolbus drivers also transport students and teachers on field trips or to sporting events. In addition to driving, some schoolbus drivers work part time in the school system as janitors, mechanics, or classroom assistants when not driving buses.

Bus drivers must be alert in order to prevent accidents, especially in heavy traffic or in bad weather, and to avoid sudden stops or swerves that jar passengers. Schoolbus drivers must exercise particular caution when children are getting on or off the bus. They must maintain order on their bus and enforce school safety standards by allowing only students to board. In addition, they must know and enforce rules regarding student conduct used throughout the school system.

Schoolbus drivers do not always have to report to an assigned terminal or garage. In some cases, they have the choice of taking their bus home, or parking it in a more convenient area. Instead, they prepare weekly reports on the number of students, trips or "runs,Ó work hours, miles, and fuel consumption. Their supervisors set time schedules and routes for the day or week.

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Bus Drivers Job Outlook

Persons seeking jobs as bus drivers should encounter good opportunities. Individuals who have good driving records and who are willing to work a part-time or irregular schedule should have the best job prospects. Schoolbus driving jobs, particularly in rapidly growing suburban areas, should be easiest to acquire because most are part-time positions with high turnover and minimal training requirements. Those seeking higher paying intercity and public transit bus driver positions may encounter competition. Employment prospects for motorcoach drivers will fluctuate with the cyclical nature of the economy, as demand for motorcoach services is very dependent on tourism.

Employment of bus drivers is expected to increase about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2012, primarily to meet the transportation needs of the growing general population and the school-age population. Many additional job openings are expected to occur each year because of the need to replace workers who take jobs in other occupations or who retire or leave the occupation for other reasons.

The number of school bus drivers is expected to increase as a result of growth in elementary and secondary school enrollments. In addition, more schoolbus drivers will be needed as more of the NationÕs population is concentrated in suburban areas, where students generally ride schoolbuses, and less in central cities, where transportation is not provided for most pupils.

Employment growth of local-transit bus drivers will be spurred by increases in the number of passengers and in funding levels. Funding levels for public transit may fluctuate as the publicÕs interest in transportation changes. There may be competition for positions with more regular hours and steady driving routes.

Competition from other modes of transportation—airplane, train, or automobile—will temper job growth among intercity bus drivers. Most growth in intercity bus transportation will occur in group charters to locations not served by other modes of transportation. Like automobiles, buses have a far greater number of possible destinations than airplanes or trains. Due to greater cost savings and convenience over automobiles, buses usually are the most economical option for tour groups traveling to out-of-the-way destinations.

Full-time bus drivers are rarely laid off during recessions. However, employers might reduce hours of part-time local-transit and intercity bus drivers if the number of passengers decreases, because fewer extra buses would be needed. Seasonal layoffs are common. Many intercity bus drivers with little seniority, for example, are furloughed during the winter when regular schedule and charter business declines; schoolbus drivers seldom work during the summer or school holidays.

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Bus Drivers Significant Points

Bus Drivers Training

Bus driver qualifications and standards are established by State and Federal regulations. All drivers must comply with Federal regulations and with any State regulations that exceed Federal requirements. Federal regulations require drivers who operate commercial motor vehicles to hold a commercial driverÕs license (CDL) from the State in which they live.

To qualify for a commercial driverÕs license, applicants must pass a written test on rules and regulations and then demonstrate that they can operate a bus safely. A national databank permanently records all driving violations incurred by persons who hold commercial licenses. A State may not issue a commercial driverÕs license to a driver who has already had a license suspended or revoked in another State. A driver with a CDL must accompany trainees until the trainees get their own CDL. Information on how to apply for a commercial driverÕs license may be obtained from State motor vehicle administrations.

While many States allow those who are 18 years of age and older to drive buses within State borders, the Department of Transportation establishes minimum qualifications for bus drivers engaged in interstate commerce. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations require drivers to be at least 21 years old and to pass a physical examination once every 2 years. The main physical requirements include good hearing, at least 20/40 vision with or without glasses or corrective lenses, and a 70-degree field of vision in each eye. They must be able to hear a forced whisper in one ear at not less than 5 feet, with or without a hearing aide. Drivers must have normal use of arms and legs and normal blood pressure. They may not use any controlled substances, unless prescribed by a licensed physician. Federal regulations also require employers to test their drivers for alcohol and drug use as a condition of employment, and require periodic random tests of the drivers while they are on duty. In addition, a driver must not have been convicted of a felony involving the use of a motor vehicle; a crime involving drugs; driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol; or hit-and-run driving that resulted in injury or death. All drivers must be able to read and speak English well enough to read road signs, prepare reports, and communicate with law enforcement officers and the public. Department of Transportation.

Many employers prefer high school graduates and require a written test of ability to follow complex bus schedules. Many intercity and public transit bus companies prefer applicants who are at least 24 years of age; some require several years of experience driving a bus or truck. In some States, schoolbus drivers must pass a background investigation to uncover any criminal record or history of mental problems.

Because bus drivers deal with passengers, they must be courteous. They need an even temperament and emotional stability because driving in heavy, fast-moving, or stop-and-go traffic and dealing with passengers can be stressful. Drivers must have strong customer service skills, including communication skills and the ability to coordinate and manage large groups of people.

Most intercity bus companies and local-transit systems give driver trainees 2 to 8 weeks of classroom and "behind-the-wheelÓ instruction. In the classroom, trainees learn Department of Transportation and company work rules, safety regulations, State and municipal driving regulations, and safe driving practices. Many persons who become schoolbus drivers have never driven any vehicle larger than an automobile. They receive between 1 and 4 weeks of driving instruction plus classroom training on State and local laws, regulations, and policies of operating schoolbuses; safe driving practices; driver-pupil relations; first aid; special needs of disabled and emotionally troubled students; and emergency evacuation procedures. Schoolbus drivers also must be aware of the school systemÕs rules for discipline and conduct for bus drivers and the students they transport.

During training, bus drivers practice driving on set courses. Then, they drive in light traffic and, eventually, on congested highways and city streets. They also make trial runs, without passengers, to improve their driving skills and learn the routes. They make regularly scheduled trips with passengers, accompanied by an experienced driver who gives helpful tips, answers questions, and evaluates the new driverÕs performance.

New intercity and local-transit drivers are usually placed on an "extraÓ list to drive charter runs, extra buses on regular runs, and special runs (for example, during morning and evening rush hours and to sports events). New drivers remain on the extra list, and may work only part time, for perhaps several years, until they have enough seniority to be given a regular run.

Senior drivers may bid for the runs that they prefer, such as those with more work hours, lighter traffic, weekends off, or, in the case of intercity bus drivers, higher earnings or fewer workdays per week.

Opportunities for promotion are generally limited.

Bus Drivers Employment

Bus Drivers Related Occupations

Other workers who drive vehicles on highways and city streets include taxi drivers and chauffeurs and truck drivers and driver/sales workers.

Bus Drivers Additional Sources

For information on employment opportunities, contact local-transit systems, intercity buslines, school systems, or the local offices of the State employment service.

General information on schoolbus driving is available from:

General information on local-transit bus driving is available from:

General information on motorcoach driving is available from:

Bus Drivers Summaries of Related Webpages

Today, most products are delivered by truck. Truck Drivers deliver goods from the producers of goods to the person who buys the products. Drivers in the local area work for various businesses. Truck brokers in most cases have their own trucks, but may hire other truckers to take cargo on the return trip back to their home base. WORKING CONDITIONS Long distance drivers spend many hours driving behind the wheel of a truck, mostly at night.
Summary of: http://www.calmis.cahwnet.gov/file/occguide/TRUCKDVR.HTM

A modern, safe, well-maintained school bus operating on the best possible terrain with ideal loading zones can not compensate for an ill-trained school bus driver. Since the early 1920's when training manuals for school bus drivers were developed, private and public entities have continued their efforts to develop and improve school bus driver training. In the early 1990's, the Federal Highway Administration issued a requirement that all school bus drivers possess a Commercial Drivers License (CDL). While actions at the federal level have been important and beneficial in terms of improving school bus safety, there are equally important activities that occur at the state and/or local level. Page 2States long have required school bus drivers to take written exams designed to test an applicant's knowledge of state laws and regulations affecting school transportation.
Summary of: http://www.nasdpts.org/paperBusDrivers.html

If you are interested in a career as a truck driver, check out these facts from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Overview Before they leave the terminal or warehouse, truck drivers check their trucks' fuel levels, oil, breaks, wipers and lights to make sure everything is working. Once on the road, drivers must be alert to prevent accidents. Drivers who will be maneuvering a truck designed to carry more than 26,000 pounds must obtain a commercial driver's license (CDL) from the state in which they live. A long-distance driver can work no more than 60 hours per week, and they must rest 10 hours for every 11 hours of driving.
Summary of: http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/CareerBytes/0205job_truckdrivers.htm

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Summary of: http://www.english-zone.com/verbs/modals1.html

A small number of drivers may also be asked to take a road test to have their in-car skills assessed. Why are seniors required to attend a Group Education Session. This renewal process will help keep seniors mobile and independent longer, while ensuring that unsafe drivers are identified and appropriate actions taken. Are drivers required to complete the knowledge and vision tests and participate in the Senior Driver Group Education Session on the same day. The ministry provides knowledge tests in 17 languages, including English and French.
Summary of: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/driver/senior.htm

Visiting drivers Visiting drivers are not required to obtain an ACT Driver Licence providing their overseas licence and International Driving Permit are current. A visiting driver is a person from overseas who arrives in the ACT with no intention of becoming a permanent resident. Note An International Driving Permit is only valid if it is accompanied by the foreign licence. Visiting drivers may only drive vehicles they are permitted to drive in their home country and must comply with any restrictions endorsed on their overseas licence. Documents not in English are to be accompanied by an official English translation issued by the National Accreditation Authority For Translators and Interpreters.
Summary of: http://www.rego.act.gov.au/licensing/licenceoverseas.htm

Parking trucks may require following hand signals from coworkers who direct them to the proper location. Once trucks are in the proper spot, truck drivers load items. Truck drivers secure some items with straps, ropes, or chains. They use these to contact their supervisors and give updates on their position. They like to be treated fairly and have supervisors who will back them up.
Summary of: http://www.iseek.org/sv/13000.jsp?id=100341

Local bus drivers transport people around town. Following a time schedule, they pick up and drop off passengers at bus stops along an assigned route. They help passengers load and unload their luggage. Work ActivitiesThe following list of occupational tasks is specific to this career. They like to be treated fairly and have supervisors who will back them up.
Summary of: http://www.iseek.org/sv/13000.jsp?id=100261

Where glasses or corrective lenses are required for driving, this will be indicated as a code on the licence. Vocational licences will also indicate whether a hearing or communications aid is required. All drivers are required by law to notify DVLA of the onset or worsening of a condition likely to affect safe driving. Staging A full licence is required in a lower category in order to obtain provisional entitlement and take a test in the next category, eg. However, you can apply to exchange your licence for a GB licence at any time, even if it has expired.
Summary of: http://www.dvla.gov.uk/drivers/operator_info.htm

Work schedules vary considerably among various types of bus drivers. Bus drivers must possess strong customer service skills, including communication skills and the ability to manage large groups of people with varying needs. Bus drivers are essential in providing passengers with an alternative to their automobiles or other forms of transportation. Local-transit and intercity bus drivers report to their assigned terminal or garage, where they stock up on tickets or transfers and prepare trip report forms. Schoolbus drivers usually drive the same routes each day, stopping to pick up pupils in the morning and return them to their homes in the afternoon.
Summary of: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos242.htm

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