Bus operator vs trackless trolley driver

The differences between bus operators and trackless trolley 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 $33,790 average annual salary of a trackless trolley driver.

The top three skills for a bus operator include transport passengers, CDL and safety rules. The most important skills for a trackless trolley driver are transport passengers, passenger endorsement, and DOT.

Bus operator vs trackless trolley driver overview

	Bus Operator	Trackless Trolley Driver
Yearly salary	$37,374	$33,790
Hourly rate	$17.97	$16.25
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	65,075	34,103
Job satisfaction	3.5	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	High School Diploma, 39%
Average age	55	55
Years of experience	-	-

Bus operator vs trackless trolley driver salary

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

	Bus Operator	Trackless Trolley Driver
Average salary	$37,374	$33,790
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $46,000	Between $20,000 And $55,000
Highest paying City	Newark, NJ	-
Highest paying state	Washington	-
Best paying company	Microsoft	-
Best paying industry	Education	-

Differences between bus operator and trackless trolley driver education

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

	Bus Operator	Trackless Trolley Driver
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	High School Diploma, 39%
Most common major	Business	Health Care Administration
Most common college	-	-

Bus operator vs trackless trolley driver demographics

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

	Bus Operator	Trackless Trolley Driver
Average age	55	55
Gender ratio	Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5%	Male, 60.6% Female, 39.4%
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, 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 operator and trackless trolley driver duties and responsibilities

Bus operator example responsibilities.

Follow maps and electronic GPS as needed.
Operate various types of company vehicles that require CDL certification.
Perform a complete visual safety check of each bus driven on a daily basis, completing daily pre and post-trip checklists.
Assist passengers with special needs in wheelchairs and walkers to be safely transport in the bus.
Train and supervise bus assistants on proper procedures for handling disable children in walkers and wheel chairs.
Assemble wires together for RV 's

Trackless trolley driver example responsibilities.

Accomplish CDL license with endorsement in doubles/triples.
Drive a variety of trolleys types and several different routes originating from Waikiki.
Assist physically and mentally challenge individuals with boarding and disembarking para-transit vehicles.
Transport guests from parking areas and to the Dollywood park entrance.

Bus operator vs trackless trolley driver skills

Common bus operator skills

Transport Passengers, 32%
CDL, 12%
Safety Rules, 11%
Vehicle Inspections, 8%
Customer Service, 7%
Passenger Endorsement, 4%

Common trackless trolley driver skills

Transport Passengers, 35%
Passenger Endorsement, 31%
DOT, 16%
Trolleys, 11%
Customer Service, 3%
Passenger Safety, 2%

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Bus Operator
Bus Operator vs Trackless Trolley Driver

Updated January 8, 2025

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