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Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity

The occupation Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity covers people who drive bus or motor coach, including regular route operations, charters, and private carriage. Expect to 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. With a code of RCS, this is mostly a job for people drawn to hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world. Conventional interests also help, rated 4.7 out of 7. Plan on a few months to a year of learning on the job; O*NET labels this some preparation. Strength in operation and control, operations monitoring, and time management helps most here. If you want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, keep it on your list. If you need research, analysis and working through hard problems, it may feel thin.

What they do

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

Main tasks

  • 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.

Skills

  • Operation and Control
  • Operations Monitoring
  • Time Management
  • Service Orientation
  • Critical Thinking
  • Active Listening

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
  • You are comfortable relying on operation and control and operations monitoring.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
  • You want to spend most of your time analyzing and researching. Investigative rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
  • You want a career built on years of advanced study.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RCS takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.

Preparation

Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED). This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Bus Driver
  • Bus Operator
  • Charter Bus Driver
  • Coach Operator
  • Motor Coach Driver

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.