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Occupation AtlasBus Drivers, Transit and Intercity

O*NET · 53-3052.00

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.

Also called Bus Driver · Bus Operator · CDL Bus Driver · CDL Bus Driver (Commercial Driver's License Bus Driver) · Charter Bus Driver · Charter Coach Driver · Charter Driver · City Bus Driver
25 more

Coach Operator · Courtesy Bus Driver · Day Haul Charter Bus Driver · Farm Charter Bus Driver · Interstate Bus Driver · Jitney Driver · Mobile Lounge Driver or Operator · Motor Bus Driver · Motor Coach Bus Driver · Motor Coach Driver · Motor Coach Operator · Motor Coach Tour Operator · Motorcoach Driver · Motorcoach Operator · Paratransit Bus Driver · Public Transit Bus Driver · Public Transit Trolley Driver · Stage Driver · Substitute Bus Driver · Transit Bus Driver · Transit Coach Operator · Transit Driver · Transit Operator · Transport Operator · Transportation Bus Driver

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RCS35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCSRealistic · Conventional · Social — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic5.95
  • C Conventional4.70
  • S Social3.60
  • E Enterprising2.81
  • I Investigative1.00
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma13%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent84%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate2%
  • Some College Courses2%
Related work experience
None (38%)
On-site or in-plant training
Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months (60%)
On-the-job training
Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months (61%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Operation and Control3.93.1Level 4 looks like: Adjust the speed of assembly line equipment based on the product being assembled
  • Operations Monitoring3.63.0Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Active Listeningbasic3.12.8Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.12.8Level 2 looks like: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late
  • Time Management3.12.8Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Service Orientation3.12.6Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Monitoringbasic3.02.5Level 2 looks like: Proofread and correct a letter
  • Social Perceptiveness3.02.4Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Speakingbasic3.02.3Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.82.4Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic2.82.4Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Coordination2.62.5Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
Show the other 23
  • Active Learningbasic2.62.0Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Writingbasic2.52.1Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Persuasion2.51.8Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Complex Problem Solving2.41.6Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.11.8Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Quality Control Analysis2.11.8Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Negotiation2.11.6Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.11.5Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Mathematicsbasic2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Troubleshooting2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Instructing2.01.5Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Systems Analysis1.91.1Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Systems Evaluation1.91.1Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Equipment Maintenance1.91.0Level 2 looks like: Add oil to an engine as indicated by a warning light
  • Management of Financial Resources1.81.0Level 2 looks like: Use available funds to buy office supplies and record the amount of the purchase
  • Management of Material Resources1.80.8
  • Technology Design1.80.8
  • Repairing1.60.9
  • Equipment Selection1.40.4
  • Installation1.0—
  • Operations Analysis1.0—
  • Programming1.0—
  • Sciencebasic1.0—

Tasks

12 core · 2 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  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.4.7
  2. Inspect vehicles and check gas, oil, and water levels prior to departure.4.5
  3. Park vehicles at loading areas so that passengers can board.4.5
  4. Announce stops to passengers.4.5
  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.4.3
  6. Collect tickets or cash fares from passengers.4.3
  7. Report delays or accidents.4.2
  8. Advise passengers to be seated and orderly while on vehicles.4.2
  9. Handle passenger emergencies or disruptions.4.2
  10. Regulate heating, lighting, and ventilating systems for passenger comfort.4.1
  11. Record information, such as cash receipts and ticket fares, and maintain log book.4.1
  12. Maintain cleanliness of bus or motor coach.4.0
Show the other 2
  1. Read maps to plan bus routes.4.2
  2. Load and unload baggage in baggage compartments.3.7

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Transportation4.54.4Level 4 looks like: Drive a semi-truck through a busy city
  • Customer and Personal Service4.45.5Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
  • Public Safety and Security4.03.3Level 4 looks like: Inspect a building site for safety violations
  • English Language3.43.0Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Law and Government3.12.1Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Administration and Management2.82.5Level 1 looks like: Approve a reimbursement request
  • Telecommunications2.81.7Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Computers and Electronics2.72.6
Show all 33
  • Education and Training2.52.3Level 1 looks like: Show someone how to bowl
  • Administrative2.41.9Level 1 looks like: Direct phone calls to the appropriate staff member
  • Mathematics2.41.5Level 1 looks like: Add two numbers
  • Mechanical2.41.7Level 1 looks like: Replace the filters in a furnace
  • Psychology2.42.7
  • Geography2.31.6Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • Communications and Media2.21.8Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Sales and Marketing2.21.9Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Personnel and Human Resources2.11.7Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Economics and Accounting1.91.0Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Engineering and Technology1.91.7Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
  • Foreign Language1.91.2Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Design1.71.1Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
  • Production and Processing1.71.3Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.60.8Level 1 looks like: Use a band-aid
  • Physics1.60.7Level 1 looks like: Use a crowbar to pry open a box
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.61.1Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • Therapy and Counseling1.61.1Level 1 looks like: Put ice on a sprained ankle
  • Building and Construction1.50.8Level 1 looks like: Choose the proper type of wood for adding a deck onto a house
  • Chemistry1.51.0Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Philosophy and Theology1.51.1Level 1 looks like: Watch a TV show on family values
  • History and Archeology1.41.0Level 1 looks like: Take a class in US history
  • Biology1.2—
  • Fine Arts1.2—
  • Food Production1.2—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Far Vision4.13.6Level 4 looks like: Read the slides on a presentation from across a room
  • Control Precision3.93.4Level 4 looks like: Adjust farm tractor controls
  • Depth Perception3.82.9Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Multilimb Coordination3.83.5Level 4 looks like: Operate a forklift truck in a warehouse
  • Reaction Time3.63.8Level 4 looks like: Press a button to stop operation when a warning light goes off
  • Response Orientation3.63.9Level 4 looks like: Use either the brake or gas pedal when your vehicle is skidding
  • Spatial Orientation3.62.9Level 3 looks like: Find your way through a dark room without hitting anything
  • Near Vision3.52.9Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
Show all 52
  • Problem Sensitivity3.53.0Level 2 looks like: Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't work
  • Rate Control3.53.3Level 4 looks like: Keep up with a car that changes speed
  • Selective Attention3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Watch security monitors for intruders throughout the night shift
  • Oral Comprehension3.32.9Level 2 looks like: Understand a television commercial
  • Oral Expression3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Place an order at a restaurant drive-thru
  • Peripheral Vision3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Keep in step while marching in a band
  • Speech Clarity3.32.9
  • Speech Recognition3.32.9Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
  • Time Sharing3.33.3Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.12.9Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Auditory Attention3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Written Comprehension3.12.5Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Deductive Reasoning3.02.3Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Glare Sensitivity3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Information Ordering3.02.6Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Night Vision3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Read street signs at dusk (just after sunset)
  • Flexibility of Closure2.92.3Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Manual Dexterity2.92.1Level 1 looks like: Screw a light bulb into a light socket
  • Perceptual Speed2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.92.5Level 1 looks like: Separate laundry into colors and whites
  • Finger Dexterity2.82.1Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Inductive Reasoning2.82.3Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Visualization2.82.3Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Written Expression2.82.0Level 1 looks like: Write a note to remind someone to take food out of the freezer
  • Category Flexibility2.52.0Level 2 looks like: Sort paintbrushes based on length
  • Extent Flexibility2.52.0Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Memorization2.52.0Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Speed of Closure2.52.1Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Trunk Strength2.52.1Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Sound Localization2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Listen to a sound system to determine which speaker is working
  • Static Strength2.11.9Level 1 looks like: Push an empty shopping cart
  • Dynamic Strength2.01.3Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.01.1Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Number Facility2.01.3Level 1 looks like: Add 2 and 7
  • Originality2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Speed of Limb Movement2.01.5Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.01.1Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Fluency of Ideas1.91.6Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Gross Body Coordination1.91.5Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Stamina1.90.9Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Gross Body Equilibrium1.80.8
  • Explosive Strength1.60.6
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.1—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment4.74.6Level 4 looks like: Drive an 18-wheel tractor-trailer
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.23.8Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public4.24.4Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.14.0Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Getting Information4.03.5Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems3.94.2Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events3.83.6Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.84.0Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
Show all 41
  • Assisting and Caring for Others3.53.7Level 4 looks like: Help a medical patient find in-home assistance or healthcare
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization3.53.8Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
  • Training and Teaching Others3.53.6Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.44.4Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge3.43.7Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Documenting/Recording Information3.32.7
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.32.9
  • Processing Information3.23.0Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.23.4Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Controlling Machines and Processes3.13.2Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.12.8
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.02.5Level 1 looks like: Determine whether to remove a tree that has been damaged
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.03.0Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others2.92.4Level 1 looks like: Interpret a blood pressure reading
  • Analyzing Data or Information2.82.5Level 1 looks like: Skim a short article to gather the main point
  • Coaching and Developing Others2.72.8
  • Handling and Moving Objects2.73.0Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work2.63.1Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Scheduling Work and Activities2.62.7
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.52.2Level 1 looks like: Plan the holiday schedule for an airline workforce
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.52.2Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that requires little advising of others
  • Thinking Creatively2.52.6
  • Working with Computers2.51.8Level 1 looks like: Enter employee information into a database
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment2.32.2Level 1 looks like: Make simple, external adjustments to a door hinge with ordinary hand tools
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others2.22.4Level 1 looks like: Exchange information during a shift change
  • Developing and Building Teams2.21.8Level 1 looks like: Encourage two coworkers to stick with a tough assignment
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates2.01.6Level 1 looks like: Work occasionally as a backup supervisor
  • Performing Administrative Activities1.81.1Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources1.71.4Level 1 looks like: Work as a server responsible for keeping track of utensils
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment1.71.3Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Selling or Influencing Others1.71.1Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment1.5—
  • Staffing Organizational Units1.4—

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Spend Time Sitting4.9
  • In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment4.6
  • Contact With Others4.5
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.5
  • Frequency of Decision Making4.3
  • Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results4.2
  • Physical Proximity4.1
  • Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.0
  • Consequence of Error3.9
  • Deal With External Customers or the Public in General3.9

Technology

4 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (1)

  • Microsoft Windows
Other tools (3)
  • AOL MapQuest
  • Microsoft MapPoint
  • Web browser software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Taxi Drivers
  2. Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs
  3. Subway and Streetcar Operators
  4. Bus Drivers, School
  5. School Bus Monitors
  6. Passenger Attendants
  7. Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
  8. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
  9. Light Truck Drivers
  10. Locomotive Engineers

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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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. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.