Bus Operator (public transit): Pay & Requirements

Overview

Sourced

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

O*NET definition of Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity (SOC 53-3052) · Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed.

96,090

in government (SOC 53-3052)

60%

of this occupation works for government

$64,640

median pay in government

Local

levels of government

Titles employers use

Bus DriverBus OperatorMotor Coach OperatorTransit Bus DriverCharter Bus DriverCoach OperatorMotor Coach DriverTransit Coach OperatorTransit DriverTransit Operator

How people usually get in Editorial

CDL-B permit + agency training (paid) + probation; seniority picks. Requirements vary by employer; each employer page will list its exact rules.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership; U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database; GovJobsWiki job taxonomy v1 (research round R240) (editorial). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Requirements

Sourced

Typical entry requirements (BLS, SOC 53-3052)

Education needed to enter: High school diploma or equivalent
Related work experience: None
On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Education workers say the job requires

Less than a High School Diploma

13%

High School Diploma or the equivalent

84%

Post-Secondary Certificate

Some College Courses

Share of surveyed workers in Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity (SOC 53-3052) naming each level as required to be hired, 30 respondents, O*NET survey August 2018. Each employer sets its own minimum.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — education and training assignments by detailed occupation (Tables 5.3, 5.4); U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database. Data captured September 30, 2026.

How to get hired

Sourced

Bus drivers must have a commercial driver's license (CDL), which they sometimes earn during on-the-job training. They also need a good driving record and must meet physical, hearing, and vision requirements. In addition, bus drivers typically need a high school diploma or the equivalent and may be required to pass a background check.

From the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile “Bus Drivers”, published August 27, 2026 · Read the full profile. National guidance; each employer runs its own hiring process.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–35 edition (XML compilation). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Academy and training

Sourced

Training to become competent (BLS)

SOC 53-3052: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Preparation level (O*NET)

Job zone: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Academy length, curriculum and paid-training policies are set by each employer and state; they are part of the employer collection stage.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — education and training assignments by detailed occupation (Tables 5.3, 5.4). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Promotion ladder

Editorial

Seniority steps: single title × seniority steps; growth via steps, overtime, bidding (bus operator, sanitation, dispatcher). Typical structure for a transit operator; titles, steps and timing differ by employer.

Bus Operator Trainee (paid CDL training)
Part-time / Extra-board Operator
Full-time Operator (steps to top rate in 3–6 yrs; seniority picks)
Line Instructor / Trainer
Dispatcher / Road Supervisor
Division Superintendent
Director of Operations

Source: GovJobsWiki job taxonomy v1 (research round R240) (editorial).

Pay

Sourced

Federal

Not published

State

$70,700

Local

$64,590

All government

$64,640

Private sector

$50,270

Median annual wage by employer type, national, May 2025. Federal includes the U.S. Postal Service; state and local include public schools and hospitals.

Employer type	Workers	10th pct.	25th	Median	75th	90th
State	8,220	$52,560	$58,490	$70,700	$80,190	$93,500
Local	87,870	$42,210	$50,930	$64,590	$80,170	$84,700
All government	96,090	$43,250	$52,080	$64,640	$80,170	$84,700
Private sector	63,150	$38,420	$45,130	$50,270	$60,030	$71,080

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Schedule

Sourced

Work schedule

Regular

83%

Irregular

17%

Seasonal

Typical work week

Less than 40 hours

24%

40 hours

47%

More than 40 hours

29%

Share of surveyed workers in the occupation (O*NET work context, August 2018). Shift patterns and differentials depend on the employer.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Day-to-day work

Sourced

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.4.7
Inspect vehicles and check gas, oil, and water levels prior to departure.4.5
Park vehicles at loading areas so that passengers can board.4.5
Announce stops to passengers.4.5
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.4.3
Collect tickets or cash fares from passengers.4.3
Report delays or accidents.4.2
Handle passenger emergencies or disruptions.4.2
Advise passengers to be seated and orderly while on vehicles.4.2
Regulate heating, lighting, and ventilating systems for passenger comfort.4.1

The 10 most important of 12 core tasks for Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity, ranked by importance (1–5) in the O*NET survey of August 2018.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database. Data captured September 30, 2026.

13Derived

Exams by name

Sourced

Exam	Administered by	Used in	Type	Official page
CDL Passenger (P) Endorsement Tests Knowledge and skills tests; Entry-Level Driver Training required when obtaining the endorsement for the first time.	State driver licensing agencies under FMCSA federal standards	US	licensing	Official page
Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Knowledge and Skills Tests State-administered knowledge and skills tests for the class of vehicle (A, B or C); first-time Class A/B applicants must complete Entry-Level Driver Training before the skills test.	State driver licensing agencies under FMCSA federal standards	US	licensing	Official page

Each exam is checked against its administrator's official page. Employers choose which exam they use; confirm with the hiring agency.

Source: Exam administrators and hiring authorities (per record), Official exam administrator pages. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Employer directory

Sourced

1,754 transit agencies in the registry. Public transit agencies reporting to the National Transit Database. Service an agency contracts out is run by private operators' employees. The 10 largest by vehicles operated directly:

Employer	Location	Vehicles operated directly	Website
MTA New York City Transit	Brooklyn, NY	9,252	Official site
New Jersey Transit Corporation	Newark, NJ	2,717	Official site
Chicago Transit Authority	Chicago, IL	2,505	Official site
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority	Washington, DC	2,140	Official site
King County	Seattle, WA	1,849	Official site
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority	Los Angeles, CA	1,817	Official site
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority	Philadelphia, PA	1,668	Official site
Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company, dba: MTA Metro-North Railroad	New York, NY	1,140	Official site
MTA Bus Company	New York, NY	1,136	Official site
MTA Long Island Rail Road	New York, NY	1,082	Official site

Full lists by state:

California · 207 Illinois · 95 North Carolina · 91 Georgia · 82 Michigan · 81 Wisconsin · 78 New York · 69 Texas · 63 Florida · 59 Kansas · 53 Ohio · 53 Washington · 47

As reported by each employer to its federal registry.

Source: Federal Transit Administration, National Transit Database 2024 — Reporter Agency Information. Data captured September 30, 2026.

By state

Sourced

Median annual wage for Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity (SOC 53-3052) in each state, all employers (BLS state estimates do not separate government from private). Highest first.

State	Workers	10th pct.	Median	90th pct.
New York	16,770	$57,610	$84,480	$84,700
Washington	6,960	$55,520	$72,280	$93,180
Hawaii	2,190	$46,870	$68,500	$68,500
California	24,380	$48,600	$67,130	$90,810
Oregon	2,620	$47,100	$65,510	$81,110
Massachusetts	3,970	$50,380	$65,460	$93,500
Maryland	4,890	$46,770	$65,220	$92,320
Illinois	8,650	$47,270	$65,200	$85,990
Alaska	250	$46,960	$64,150	$76,230
Colorado	3,540	$50,870	$63,010	$71,090
Ohio	4,000	$40,660	$62,760	$74,270
Nevada	2,540	$43,590	$61,700	$90,540
New Jersey	6,420	$48,340	$61,140	$70,700
Missouri	1,860	$39,030	$60,660	$67,040
Delaware	380	$39,390	$60,510	$65,710
Connecticut	1,830	$44,130	$60,100	$75,040
Indiana	2,130	$45,380	$58,410	$62,970
Maine	470	$45,180	$57,870	$63,360
District of Columbia	150	$50,070	$55,580	$58,390
New Hampshire	300	$40,820	$54,830	$67,850
Kentucky	2,570	$32,020	$54,550	$61,590
Arizona	3,240	$39,350	$53,870	$72,140
Vermont	440	$46,910	$53,830	$62,630
Virginia	3,800	$39,430	$52,940	$76,170
Wisconsin	2,220	$43,740	$52,660	$63,810
Pennsylvania	4,710	$37,860	$51,360	$76,560
Utah	1,230	$41,600	$50,730	$60,250
Oklahoma	1,760	$37,380	$50,300	$65,400
Minnesota	2,610	$43,430	$50,200	$62,480
Idaho	520	$39,460	$49,000	$62,530
North Dakota	250	$39,040	$48,890	$56,840
Louisiana	1,490	$33,360	$48,860	$64,660
Texas	11,600	$37,290	$48,740	$64,890
Rhode Island	70	$44,550	$48,610	$64,600
Florida	9,130	$37,070	$48,300	$71,380
Tennessee	1,970	$39,530	$47,770	$58,900
Michigan	3,620	$38,020	$47,660	$65,710
Iowa	1,560	$35,520	$45,890	$60,730
Montana	450	$38,920	$45,640	$57,380
Wyoming	130	$39,740	$45,630	$62,940
New Mexico	580	$35,460	$45,610	$48,350
Georgia	3,700	$37,310	$45,500	$57,940
Nebraska	460	$32,850	$45,120	$61,120
North Carolina	2,900	$35,610	$44,060	$57,330
South Carolina	630	$29,740	$43,330	$49,140
South Dakota	410	$29,670	$41,590	$48,430
Kansas	430	$29,290	$41,340	$50,800
West Virginia	520	$30,710	$39,260	$49,430
Mississippi	400	$30,210	$38,570	$44,630
Alabama	960	$29,640	$37,700	$46,680
Arkansas	570	$29,550	$37,520	$56,140

51 states with published estimates.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Not yet collected

These dimensions are part of every job page. We publish them only once they are sourced from official documents such as job postings, pay plans, union contracts and state standards.

05 Probation
Probation length and what ends it
Not yet collected
09 Benefits and pension
Pension plan/tier and formula, retirement age/years, DROP, retiree health, Social Security coverage, 457(b), PSLF eligibility
Not yet collected
10 Union contracts
Bargaining unit, union, current CBA (source link, effective dates)
Not yet collected
11 Transfers and lateral entry
Lateral policy, certification reciprocity, lateral bonus, inter-agency moves
Not yet collected

Bus Operator (public transit)

Overview

Titles employers use

Requirements

Education workers say the job requires

How to get hired

Academy and training

Promotion ladder

Pay

Schedule

Day-to-day work

Related jobs

Exams by name

Employer directory

By state

Not yet collected