Bus drivers, transit and intercity
May 2005 employment and annual earnings distribution, wage and salary workers
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.
Bus drivers held about 653,000 jobs in 2004. About 35 percent worked part time. Around 71 percent of all bus drivers were school bus drivers working primarily for school systems or for companies providing school bus services under contract. Most of the remainder worked for private and local government transit systems; some also worked for intercity and charter bus lines.
Median hourly earnings of transit and intercity bus drivers were $14.30 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $10.74 and $19.31 an hour. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $8.66, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $23.53 an hour. Median hourly earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of transit and intercity bus drivers in May 2004 were as follows:
| Local government | $17.10 |
| Interurban and rural bus transportation | 15.86 |
| Urban transit systems | 13.49 |
| Charter bus industry | 10.81 |
| Other transit and ground passenger transportation | 10.74 |
Median hourly earnings of school bus drivers were $11.18 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $8.10 and $13.92 an hour. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $6.23, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $16.81 an hour. Median hourly earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of school bus drivers in May 2004 were as follows:
| School and employee bus transportation | $11.97 |
| Elementary and secondary schools | 10.74 |
| Other transit and ground passenger transportation | 10.62 |
| Child day care services | 9.28 |
| Individual and family services | 8.75 |
The benefits bus drivers receive from their employers vary greatly. Most intercity and local-transit bus drivers receive paid health and life insurance, sick leave, vacation leave, and free bus rides on any of the regular routes of their line or system. School bus drivers receive sick leave, and many are covered by health and life insurance and pension plans. Because they generally do not work when school is not in session, they do not get vacation leave.
Many intercity and local-transit bus drivers are members of the Amalgamated Transit Union. Local-transit bus drivers in New York and several other large cities belong to the Transport Workers Union of America. Some drivers belong to the United Transportation Union or to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
(from the Occupational Outlook Handbook: Bus Drivers)
See more recent statistics for employed workers below.
May 2005 employment and annual earnings distribution, wage and salary workers
National Occupational Employment and Earnings by Industry (NAICS sector and 3-digit industry group)
| Bus drivers, transit and intercity | |||||
| Percentile earnings distribution | |||||
| 10th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 90th | |
| Wholesale Trade employment: 250 mean earnings: $22,860 (EC) (def) (IG) | $13,150 | $17,630 | $21,090 | $28,320 | $36,420 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods employment: 40 mean earnings: $23,210 | $18,300 | $19,510 | $21,520 | $25,130 | $32,310 |
| Retail Trade employment: 160 mean earnings: $27,110 (EC) (def) (IG) | $16,300 | $20,020 | $26,680 | $32,980 | $36,800 |
| Food and Beverage Stores employment: 100 mean earnings: $28,260 | $18,570 | $20,980 | $26,610 | $32,760 | $44,520 |
| Transportation and Warehousing employment: 65,620 mean earnings: $27,810 (EC) (def) (IG) | $18,040 | $21,200 | $26,190 | $34,140 | $41,880 |
| Truck Transportation employment: 70 mean earnings: $27,360 | $19,650 | $23,540 | $26,870 | $31,510 | $36,490 |
| Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation employment: 61,760 mean earnings: $28,000 | $18,100 | $21,260 | $26,330 | $34,520 | $42,100 |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation employment: 2,530 mean earnings: $24,210 | $16,160 | $19,950 | $23,930 | $27,560 | $33,740 |
| Support Activities for Transportation employment: 1,100 mean earnings: $26,040 | $17,040 | $20,910 | $25,370 | $30,250 | $37,900 |
| Finance and Insurance employment: 40 mean earnings: $19,640 (EC) (def) (IG) | $15,540 | $16,910 | $19,310 | $21,890 | $24,230 |
| Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities employment: 40 mean earnings: $19,640 | $15,540 | $16,910 | $19,310 | $21,890 | $24,230 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing employment: 3,630 mean earnings: $24,730 (EC) (def) (IG) | $16,100 | $19,680 | $24,440 | $28,980 | $34,560 |
| Real Estate employment: 110 mean earnings: $27,380 | $17,110 | $22,480 | $25,690 | $30,630 | $41,780 |
| Rental and Leasing Services employment: 3,520 mean earnings: $24,640 | $16,060 | $19,630 | $24,390 | $28,960 | $34,470 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services employment: 3,030 mean earnings: $24,270 (EC) (def) (IG) | $16,230 | $19,180 | $23,000 | $27,840 | $35,270 |
| Administrative and Support Services employment: 3,020 mean earnings: $24,260 | $16,230 | $19,180 | $22,990 | $27,830 | $35,270 |
| Educational Services employment: 660 mean earnings: $27,850 (EC) (def) (IG) | $18,020 | $21,080 | $26,220 | $33,780 | $42,310 |
| Educational Services employment: 660 mean earnings: $27,850 | $18,020 | $21,080 | $26,220 | $33,780 | $42,310 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance employment: 850 mean earnings: $24,180 (EC) (def) (IG) | $16,520 | $19,410 | $22,230 | $27,360 | $35,060 |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services employment: 80 mean earnings: $24,550 | $18,590 | $20,640 | $24,270 | $28,060 | $32,930 |
| Hospitals employment: 40 mean earnings: $23,410 | $18,540 | $20,370 | $23,260 | $26,750 | $29,080 |
| Nursing and Residential Care Facilities employment: 80 mean earnings: $26,770 | $20,090 | $22,930 | $25,620 | $28,460 | $38,070 |
| Social Assistance employment: 650 mean earnings: $23,880 | $15,910 | $19,000 | $21,630 | $26,960 | $35,700 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation employment: 970 mean earnings: $24,980 (EC) (def) (IG) | $15,060 | $17,800 | $22,240 | $29,130 | $39,030 |
| Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries employment: 270 mean earnings: $30,750 | $14,050 | $17,110 | $29,550 | $38,100 | $58,580 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions employment: 40 mean earnings: $25,080 | $14,640 | $17,800 | $24,730 | $28,580 | $39,060 |
| Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries employment: 660 mean earnings: $22,580 | $15,430 | $18,030 | $21,330 | $26,050 | $32,560 |
| Accomodation and Food Service employment: 130 mean earnings: $20,280 (EC) (def) (IG) | $11,860 | $13,080 | $16,110 | $23,900 | $39,710 |
| Accommodation employment: 80 mean earnings: $21,450 | $12,690 | $15,390 | $19,400 | $24,670 | $33,510 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) employment: 900 mean earnings: $26,230 (EC) (def) (IG) | $15,990 | $18,630 | $22,760 | $29,090 | $43,870 |
| Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations employment: 670 mean earnings: $25,200 | $15,510 | $17,590 | $21,360 | $27,920 | $45,330 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation) employment: 106,930 mean earnings: $35,210 (def) (IG) | $20,410 | $27,530 | $35,170 | $43,660 | $51,350 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation) employment: 106,930 mean earnings: $35,210 | $20,410 | $27,530 | $35,170 | $43,660 | $51,350 |
source: Occupational Employment Statistics Program; about these estimates
The (EC) links lead to data from the Economic Census from the Census Bureau.
The (def) links lead to 2002 NAICS industry definitions from the Census Bureau.
The (IG) links lead to Industry at a Glance industry profiles from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.