Transit and Intercity Bus Drivers
Transport people by bus on regular routes.
Quick Facts
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This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 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.
Wages & Outlook
Typical Wages
Data not available
Employment
Where do Transit and Intercity Bus Drivers most often work?
Current Demand
No data available.
Future Demand
No data available.
On the Job
Transit and Intercity Bus Drivers drive buses or motor coaches. They drive regular routes. They may assist passengers with baggage, and collect bus fares or tickets.
Physical Demands
This career requires good eyesight.
Typical Work Tasks
People who work in this career often:
- Drive passenger vehicles.
- Follow safety procedures for vehicle operation.
- Inspect motor vehicles.
- Notify others of emergencies, problems, or hazards.
- Read maps to determine routes.
- Provide customers with general information or assistance.
- Provide transportation information to passengers or customers.
- Assist customers to ensure comfort or safety.
- Assist others during emergencies.
- Assist passengers during vehicle boarding.
Typical Working Conditions
- Sitting.
- Working in a closed vehicle or equipment.
- Frequent contact with others.
- Frequent decision-making.
- Exposure to sounds or noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable.
- Dealing with external customers.
- Meeting strict deadlines.
- The importance of being accurate or exact.
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people.
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 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.
Education & Credentials
Educational Requirements
High School or less
Education level attained (national data)
Education Level Attained (national data)Education Level Attained | Percentage of workers in this occupation |
Less than high school diploma | 8.9 |
High school diploma or equivalent | 43.2 |
Some college, no degree | 28.7 |
Associate degree | 9.3 |
Bachelors degree | 8 |
Masters degree | 1.5 |
Doctoral (Ph.D) or professional degree | 0.4 |
Work Experience and Training Requirements
Nationally, this career typically requires:
- No related work experience for entry.
- Moderate-term on-the-job training to become competent.
Current Training Opportunities
Related Programs
Related Short-Term Training (Courses)
Majors
Click on any of the Majors listed below to find out more about preparing for this
career.
Transfer Options
Enrolling in a community college can be a great place to start your four-year degree. While all 31 Minnesota State community colleges,
technical colleges and universities offer all or part of the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum
(a 40-credit package of general education courses accepted for transfer to other state colleges and universities, the University of Minnesota,
and some private colleges and universities), not all two-year colleges offer degrees intended to transfer to a four-year bachelor's degree.
If you plan to transfer to obtain a four-year bachelor's degree, it is important to know which degree path is right for you:
- Associate of Arts (AA) degrees offered at community colleges are designed to transfer into liberal arts four-year majors.
- Associate of Science (AS) and Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) degrees offered at community and technical colleges transfer into specific four-year majors and will likely require completing additional general education courses at a university.
- Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees offered at technical and community colleges are not designed to transfer. They lead to immediate entry into the workplace.
- Diplomas and certificates offered at technical colleges are not designed to transfer. They lead to immediate entry into the workplace.
Talk to a transfer specialist as early as possible to determine the best associate degree for your goals. Be sure to review your Degree Audit Report (DARS) each semester to best prepare for transfer. Get more help understanding transfer using the tools below.
Helpful High School Courses
Examples of helpful classes that help you prepare for this career:
- Accounting
- Algebra I and II
- Automobile and Diesel Mechanics
- Business English
- Chemistry
- Industrial Technology
- Manufacturing System
- Metalworking
- Physics
- Pre-Calculus
- Transportation Technology
- Trigonometry
In Minnesota, your school may have developed a Program of Study in this career area.
A Program of Study is an academic and career plan developed by your high school to help move you towards a career
and college path. A Program of Study can help you:
- Select high school classes that prepare you for college and getting a job
- Understand how the classes you're taking in high school lead to a career
- Identify extra-curricular activities that are related to your career interest
- See what classes at your school offer early college credit that will save you time and money towards your college expenses
- Graduate from high school prepared for your next step toward the career you choose
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 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.
Skills & Knowledge
Most Important Skills for Transit and Intercity Bus Drivers
- Operating Equipment—Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Monitoring Equipment—Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Listening—Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Managing Time—Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Thinking Critically—Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Helping Others—Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Coordinating with Others—Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Monitoring Performance—Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Being Aware of Others—Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Making Decisions—Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Most Important Knowledge Areas for Transit and Intercity Bus Drivers
- Customer and Personal Service—Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Transportation—Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
- Public Safety and Security—Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
- English Language—Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Psychology—Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
- Computers and Electronics—Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Administration and Management—Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
- Education and Training—Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- Law and Government—Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
- Clerical—Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Interests
Different careers may be a good fit for your personality or interests. This career is:
- Realistic—Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
- Social—Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Learn more about your interests. Take the MnCareers Interest Assessment.
Describe Your Skills
People who have worked in this career typically perform the following tasks.
These statements can help a prospective employer understand what you can do, on a resume or during an interview.
- Operating vehicles or equipment.
- Working directly with the public.
- Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to find or fix problems.
- Communicating with supervisors, co-workers, or people that work under you.
- Collecting information from different sources.
- Making decisions or solving problems.
- Identifying information by categorizing, comparing, or detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Monitoring information from a variety of sources to find problems.
Careers that Use Similar Skills
The following careers use skills, knowledge, and abilities that are similar to those used for Transit and Intercity Bus Drivers.
View more careers in the Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics cluster
View more careers in the Transportation Operations pathway
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 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.
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Jobs
Real-time job data provided by Gartner TalentNeuron
Job Title Examples
Motor Coach Operator,
Transit Coach Operator,
Bus Operator,
Charter Coach Driver,
Motor Coach Driver,
Tram Driver,
Transit Bus Operator
Where Do Transit and Intercity Bus Drivers Work?
Transit and Intercity Bus Drivers often work in the following industries.
Similar Careers
Below are careers that use skill sets that are similar to Transit and Intercity Bus Drivers.
Source: You can learn about our data sources in the About Us section.