Transit bus driver vs school bus driver

The differences between transit bus drivers and school bus drivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a school bus driver has an average salary of $37,607, which is higher than the $37,247 average annual salary of a transit bus driver.

The top three skills for a transit bus driver include passenger endorsement, DOT and safety rules. The most important skills for a school bus driver are vehicle inspections, customer service, and safety rules.

Transit bus driver vs school bus driver overview

	Transit Bus Driver	School Bus Driver
Yearly salary	$37,247	$37,607
Hourly rate	$17.91	$18.08
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	355,403	112,230
Job satisfaction	-	1.5
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 35%	High School Diploma, 35%
Average age	55	58
Years of experience	-	-

Transit bus driver vs school bus driver salary

Transit bus drivers and school bus drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Transit Bus Driver	School Bus Driver
Average salary	$37,247	$37,607
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $45,000	Between $30,000 And $46,000
Highest paying City	Everett, WA	Springfield, MA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Massachusetts
Best paying company	LAZ Parking	Epic Systems
Best paying industry	Real Estate	Education

Differences between transit bus driver and school bus driver education

There are a few differences between a transit bus driver and a school bus driver in terms of educational background:

	Transit Bus Driver	School Bus Driver
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 35%	High School Diploma, 35%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Transit bus driver vs school bus driver demographics

Here are the differences between transit bus drivers' and school bus drivers' demographics:

	Transit Bus Driver	School Bus Driver
Average age	55	58
Gender ratio	Male, 64.4% Female, 35.6%	Male, 44.7% Female, 55.3%
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, 8.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 2.6% White, 69.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between transit bus driver and school bus driver duties and responsibilities

Transit bus driver example responsibilities.

Train in CPR, and the individual needs of the clients.
Charter arraign trips to Ohio and NYC.
Perform daily vehicle inspection in accordance with CDL requirements.
Implement the extensive public relations training acquire from RTA.
Transport passengers to and from destinations/ CDL license with air-brake endorsement.
Read maps, GPS, follow written and verbal geographic direction.

School bus driver example responsibilities.

Transport clients to doctor appointments, health clinic, and rehabilitation clinics for non-emergency services
Obtain CDL and perform daily safety checks on the bus for the security of the students.
Train and develop skills in using automatic defibrillator, CPR, and first-aid techniques to be prepare for emergency situations.
Aid as a monitor at high school during lunch periods in the commons to make sure the kids are safe.
Maintain minor vehicle maintenance and cleanliness.
Perform daily pre-trip and post trip.

Transit bus driver vs school bus driver skills

Common transit bus driver skills

Passenger Endorsement, 16%
DOT, 15%
Safety Rules, 10%
Two-Way Radio, 9%
Transport Passengers, 6%
Customer Service, 6%

Common school bus driver skills

Vehicle Inspections, 27%
Customer Service, 25%
Safety Rules, 7%
DOT, 6%
Post-Trip Inspections, 3%
Passenger Endorsement, 3%

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Transit Bus Driver
Transit Bus Driver vs School Bus Driver

Updated January 8, 2025

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