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Bus Drivers, School

Transportation, Distribution and LogisticsO*NET 53-3051.00United States

Drive a school bus to transport students. Ensure adherence to safety rules.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning
Median annual earnings
$47,873

50th percentile, United States

Projected change
+4.1%

2025 to 2035

Typical education
High school diploma or less

96.6% of the workforce

Employment
395.19K jobs

Growing to 411.21K by 2035

Explore this career by location

Compare nationwide estimates with state or county job-market data.

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

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The work

What bus drivers, school do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

  • Comply with traffic regulations to operate vehicles in a safe and courteous manner.
  • Check the condition of a vehicle's tires, brakes, windshield wipers, lights, oil, fuel, water, and safety equipment to ensure that everything is in working order.
  • Follow safety rules as students board and exit buses or cross streets near bus stops.
  • Pick up and drop off students at regularly scheduled neighborhood locations, following strict time schedules.
  • Report any bus malfunctions or needed repairs.
  • Drive gasoline, diesel, or electrically powered multi-passenger vehicles to transport students between neighborhoods, schools, and school activities.
  • Maintain order among students during trips to ensure safety.
  • Prepare and submit reports that may include the number of students or trips, hours worked, mileage, or fuel consumption.
  • Maintain knowledge of first-aid procedures.
  • Record bus routes.
  • Keep bus interiors clean for students.
  • Read maps and follow written and verbal geographic directions.
  • Report delays, accidents, or other traffic and transportation situations, using telephones or mobile two-way radios.
  • Regulate heating, lighting, and ventilation systems for student comfort.
  • Report delinquent student behaviors to school administration.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile
$29,135
25th percentile
$38,535
50th percentile
$47,873
75th percentile
$58,729
90th percentile
$66,922

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $47,873 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+4.1%average or slower
2025395,192 jobs
2035 projected411,208 jobs

16,016 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

High school diploma or less
96.6%
Certificate
3.5%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

  • Pre-Trip And Post-Trip Vehicle Inspections
  • Good Driving Record
  • Loading And Unloading
  • Safety Standards
  • Brakes
  • Tires
  • Parent Communication
  • Mobility Aid
  • Bus Driving
  • Exploitation
  • Vehicle Inspection
  • Working With Children
  • First Aid
  • Defensive Driving
  • Lifting Ability
  • Emergency Evacuation
  • Vehicle Maintenance
  • Wheelchair Lifts
  • Commercial Driving
  • Behavior Management

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Active 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.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Persuasion
Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Instructing
Teaching others how to do something.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Troubleshooting
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Negotiation
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

  1. 01School Bus Drivers6,719 postings
  2. 02School Bus Driver Trainers1,245 postings
  3. 03Substitute Bus Drivers258 postings
  4. 04CDL School Bus Drivers179 postings
  5. 05School Nutrition Assistants36 postings
  6. 06Custodians/Bus Drivers34 postings
  7. 07High School Catering Assistants21 postings
  8. 08Transportation Bus Drivers18 postings
  9. 09Campus Directors16 postings
  10. 10Special Education Educators15 postings
  11. 11Middle School Teachers12 postings
  12. 12After School Drivers11 postings
  13. 13Community School Directors8 postings
  14. 14School Van Drivers8 postings
  15. 15Bus Drivers7 postings
  16. 16Directors of Special Education7 postings
  17. 17School Bus Attendants7 postings
  18. 18School Bus Monitors7 postings
  19. 19After School Program Managers6 postings
  20. 20CDL-B Truck Drivers6 postings

Top employers

  1. 01First Student1,531 postings
  2. 02Durham School Services399 postings
  3. 03Summit School Services300 postings
  4. 04Dattco228 postings
  5. 05National Express Corporation224 postings
  6. 06Summit Food Service185 postings
  7. 07Edjoin.Org101 postings
  8. 08Quanterix101 postings
  9. 09North America Central School Bus98 postings
  10. 10Dean Transportation90 postings
  11. 11Lamers Bus Lines85 postings
  12. 12Krapf Ag84 postings
  13. 13Harlow's School Bus Service78 postings
  14. 14Sts International Srl66 postings
  15. 15Zum Sf54 postings
  16. 16All-Star Transportation52 postings
  17. 17Krise Transportation49 postings
  18. 18Transportation47 postings
  19. 19Mid Columbia Bus Co46 postings
  20. 20Student Transportation46 postings

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