bus driver
Bus drivers operate buses or coaches, take fares, and look after passengers.
bus driver bus drivers operate buses or coaches, take fares, and look after passengers. The role shows low AI exposure (0.38 on a 0-1 scale) — the role's core work resists automation. The most in-demand skills for the role include road traffic laws, mechanical components of vehicles, health and safety measures in transportation, transport topography, passenger transport regulations.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £36,340 a year for Bus and coach drivers (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £30,889 to £43,855 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 8212). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Plant and machine operators and assemblers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only bus driver, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 8. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Transportation
- Customer and Personal Service
- Public Safety and Security
- English Language
- Law and Government
- Administration and Management
- Telecommunications
- Computers and Electronics
What you'd actually do
- Drive vehicles over specified routes or to specified destinations according to time schedules, complying with traffic regulations to ensure that passengers have a smooth and safe ride.
- Park vehicles at loading areas so that passengers can board.
- Inspect vehicles and check gas, oil, and water levels prior to departure.
- Announce stops to passengers.
- Assist passengers, such as elderly or individuals with disabilities, on and off bus, ensure they are seated properly, help carry baggage, and answer questions about bus schedules or routes.
- Collect tickets or cash fares from passengers.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does bus driver do?
Bus drivers operate buses or coaches, take fares, and look after passengers.
What skills does bus driver need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include road traffic laws, mechanical components of vehicles, health and safety measures in transportation, transport topography, passenger transport regulations, focus on passengers. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace bus driver?
Our AI-durability model gives bus driver a score of 0.38 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at low AI exposure — the role's core work resists current-generation automation. It's a comparatively AI-durable choice within its field.