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The differences between bus operators and bus drivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a bus operator has an average salary of $37,374, which is higher than the $36,879 average annual salary of a bus driver.
The top three skills for a bus operator include transport passengers, CDL and safety rules. The most important skills for a bus driver are CDL, DOT, and customer service.
| Bus Operator | Bus Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $37,374 | $36,879 |
| Hourly rate | $17.97 | $17.73 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 65,075 | 359,229 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.5 | 4.5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Average age | 55 | 58 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Bus operators have different roles and responsibilities. These include providing bus driver training, ensuring all drivers have a valid license, and conducting an audit of the bus drivers' performance periodically. To accomplish these responsibilities, a bus operator should possess specific skills, including customer service skills, hearing ability, and hand-eye coordination. There are several qualifications to become a transit bus operator, including having a commercial driver's license, experience in a relevant job, or as a bus operator.
Bus drivers are mainly responsible for safely transporting passengers to their destinations. Bus drivers must be attentive and highly focused to monitor road situations at all times, avoiding any cause of accidents. A bus driver must also ensure to follow all safety policies and procedures during the travel. Bus drivers should also be knowledgeable in monitoring the engine's condition, spot any unusual signals and inconsistencies of the vehicle system that might compromise everyone's safety and comfortability.
Bus operators and bus drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Bus Operator | Bus Driver | |
| Average salary | $37,374 | $36,879 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $46,000 | Between $29,000 And $45,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | Nashua, NH |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Preston High School |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a bus operator and a bus driver in terms of educational background:
| Bus Operator | Bus Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between bus operators' and bus drivers' demographics:
| Bus Operator | Bus Driver | |
| Average age | 55 | 58 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5% | Male, 51.1% Female, 48.9% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |