Bus Driver job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

12

O*NET task statements

Preparation

Job Zone 1-2 of 5

very little to some preparation

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

BLS 2025–35

Median pay

$59,050

BLS May 2025

Data Government data groups this job as Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity (O*NET-SOC 53-3052.00). Figures on this page are for that occupation.

1. 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. importance 4.7 of 5
2. Park vehicles at loading areas so that passengers can board. importance 4.5 of 5
3. Inspect vehicles and check gas, oil, and water levels prior to departure. importance 4.5 of 5
4. Announce stops to passengers. importance 4.5 of 5
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. importance 4.3 of 5
6. Collect tickets or cash fares from passengers. importance 4.3 of 5
7. Handle passenger emergencies or disruptions. importance 4.2 of 5
8. Report delays or accidents. importance 4.2 of 5
9. Advise passengers to be seated and orderly while on vehicles. importance 4.2 of 5
10. Regulate heating, lighting, and ventilating systems for passenger comfort. importance 4.1 of 5
11. Record information, such as cash receipts and ticket fares, and maintain log book. importance 4.1 of 5
12. Maintain cleanliness of bus or motor coach. importance 4.0 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment, Performing for or Working Directly with the Public, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates and Getting Information.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Read maps to plan bus routes.
• Load and unload baggage in baggage compartments.

Knowledge areas: Transportation, Customer and Personal Service, Public Safety and Security, English Language and Law and Government.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Microsoft Windows, AOL MapQuest, Microsoft MapPoint, Web browser software. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education.
• Experience: BLS lists no work experience in a related occupation as typical to enter.
• Training on the job: BLS lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2 of 5 (very little to some preparation). Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board and see how to become a bus driver.

Most bus drivers surveyed by O*NET (84%) name a high school diploma or equivalent as the education the job requires.

Job title: Bus Driver
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring a Bus Driver to drive bus or motor coach, including regular route operations, charters, and private carriage.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- 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 we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists no related work experience as typical to enter; set what this role needs]
- Strength in operation and control, operations monitoring and service orientation
- Working knowledge of Transportation and Customer and Personal Service
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Microsoft Windows or AOL MapQuest]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

The median annual wage was $59,050 in May 2025. The median hourly wage was $28.39. BLS estimates about 159,240 jobs in this occupation in the U.S.

BLS projects employment of Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity to grow 4.1% from 2025 to 2035, with about 21,100 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

See the full bus driver salary breakdown by percentile, state and metro.

• Read a real bus driver posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Drive vehicles over specified routes or to specified destinations…”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only bus driver work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (operation and control and operations monitoring); bus driver interview questions turns them into practice questions.