Occupations · Transportation and Material Moving
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.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 53-3052.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 33% between 2019 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $70,700 | 19,130 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $65,100 | 9,800 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $69,990 | 6,230 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $79,440 | 5,410 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $81,400 | 4,520 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $64,040 | 4,440 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $49,070 | 3,240 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $63,000 | 3,150 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $46,640 | 2,390 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $47,410 | 2,320 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV | $42,800 | 2,170 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $78,220 | 2,010 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: High school diploma or equivalent · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- 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.
- Advise passengers to be seated and orderly while on vehicles.
- Read maps to plan bus routes.
- Regulate heating, lighting, and ventilating systems for passenger comfort.
- Record information, such as cash receipts and ticket fares, and maintain log book.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2018-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2018-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| bus driver | 8331.1 | exact |
| tram driver | 8331.2 | close |
| trolley bus driver | 8331.1.1 | broader |
| school bus attendant | 5311.2 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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