Bus driver vs coach operator

The differences between bus drivers and coach operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a coach operator has an average salary of $44,612, which is higher than the $36,879 average annual salary of a bus driver.

The top three skills for a bus driver include CDL, DOT and customer service. The most important skills for a coach operator are transport passengers, safety rules, and customer service.

Bus driver vs coach operator overview

	Bus Driver	Coach Operator
Yearly salary	$36,879	$44,612
Hourly rate	$17.73	$21.45
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	359,229	43,963
Job satisfaction	4.5	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	High School Diploma, 31%
Average age	58	55
Years of experience	-	-

Bus driver vs coach operator salary

Bus drivers and coach operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Bus Driver	Coach Operator
Average salary	$36,879	$44,612
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $45,000	Between $28,000 And $69,000
Highest paying City	Nashua, NH	Hayward, CA
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	New Jersey
Best paying company	Preston High School	Bank of America
Best paying industry	Education	Technology

Differences between bus driver and coach operator education

There are a few differences between a bus driver and a coach operator in terms of educational background:

	Bus Driver	Coach Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	High School Diploma, 31%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Bus driver vs coach operator demographics

Here are the differences between bus drivers' and coach operators' demographics:

	Bus Driver	Coach Operator
Average age	58	55
Gender ratio	Male, 51.1% Female, 48.9%	Male, 63.8% Female, 36.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 2.7% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%	Black or African American, 25.1% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 4.9% White, 47.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between bus driver and coach operator duties and responsibilities

Bus driver example responsibilities.

Demonstrate knowledge of designate routes in metro area.
Provide transportation for city of buffalo residents by driving metro city bus.
Work as the employee trainer for CDL's as well as performed orientation for all new employees.
Drive on narrow streets, in high traffic areas, around trolleys, and heavy pedestrian areas.
Operate a bus carrying passengers in accordance with the rules and regulation of the MTA bus company.
Help riders with wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, and other conditions board and exit the bus safely.

Coach operator example responsibilities.

Train newly hire drivers to obtain CDL for public transit system.
Used GPS navigation skills to make sure customer are on time for press schedules and events.
Operate wheelchair lift, and providing assistance to passengers with wheelchairs or scooters by properly securing them.
Secure and transport disabled passengers with various styles of wheelchairs, scooters, walkers and carts according to U.S. ADA standards.
Familiarize with company PPE policies and operating procedures.
Shift safety auditor- safety audits, incident investigations, PPE verification

Bus driver vs coach operator skills

Common bus driver skills

CDL, 26%
DOT, 9%
Customer Service, 9%
Safety Rules, 8%
CPR, 6%
Passenger Endorsement, 6%

Common coach operator skills

Transport Passengers, 31%
Safety Rules, 15%
Customer Service, 8%
Incident Reports, 7%
CDL, 7%
DOT, 5%