Nature |
Conditions |
Employment |
Training |
Outlook |
Earnings |
Related |
Sources |
Significant Points |
Nature
Millions of Americans every day leave the driving to busdrivers.
Busdrivers are essential in providing passengers with an alternative to their automobiles
or other forms of transportation. Intercity busdrivers transport people between regions of
a State or of the country; local transit busdrivers, within a metropolitan area or county;
motorcoach drivers, on charter excursions and tours; and school busdrivers, to and
from schools and related events.
Drivers pick up and drop off passengers at bus stops, stations, or, in
the case of students, at regularly scheduled neighborhood locations based on strict time
schedules. Drivers must operate vehicles safely, especially when traffic is heavier than
normal. However, they cannot let light traffic put them ahead of schedule so that they
miss passengers.
Intercity and local transit busdrivers report to their
assigned terminal or garage, where they stock up on tickets or transfers and prepare trip
report forms. In some firms, maintenance departments are responsible for keeping vehicles
in good condition. In others, drivers may check their vehicle’s tires, brakes,
windshield wipers, lights, oil, fuel, and water supply, before beginning their routes.
Drivers usually verify that the bus has safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers,
first aid kits, and emergency reflectors in case of an emergency.
During the course of their shift, intercity and local transit
busdrivers collect fares; answer questions about schedules, routes, and transfer points;
and sometimes announce stops. Intercity busdrivers may make only a single one-way trip to
a distant city or a round trip each day. They may stop at towns just a few miles apart or
only at large cities hundreds of miles apart. Local transit busdrivers may make several
trips each day over the same city and suburban streets, stopping as frequently as every
few blocks.
Local transit busdrivers submit daily trip reports with a record of
trips made, significant schedule delays, and mechanical problems. Intercity drivers who
drive across State or national boundaries must comply with U.S. Department of
Transportation regulations. These include completing vehicle inspection reports and
recording distances traveled and the periods of time they spend driving, performing other
duties, and off duty.
Motorcoach drivers transport passengers on charter trips and
sightseeing tours. Drivers routinely interact with customers and tour guides to make the
trip as comfortable and informative as possible. They are directly responsible for keeping
to strict schedules, adhering to the guidelines of the tours’ itinerary, and the
overall success of the trip. Trips frequently last more than 1 day, and if they are
assigned to an extended tour, they may be away for a week or more. As with all drivers who
drive across State or national boundaries, motorcoach drivers must comply with U.S.
Department of Transportation regulations.
School busdrivers usually drive the same routes each day,
stopping to pick up pupils in the morning and return them to their homes in the afternoon.
Some school busdrivers also transport students and teachers on field trips or to sporting
events.
Busdrivers must be alert to prevent accidents, especially in heavy
traffic or in bad weather, and to avoid sudden stops or swerves that jar passengers.
School busdrivers must exercise particular caution when children are getting on or off the
bus. They must maintain order on their bus and enforce school safety standards by allowing
only students to board. In addition, they must know and enforce rules regarding student
conduct used throughout the school system.
School busdrivers do not always have to report to an assigned terminal
or garage. In some cases, school busdrivers often have the choice of taking their bus
home, or parking it in a more convenient area. School busdrivers do not collect fares.
Instead, they prepare weekly reports on the number of students, trips or runs, work hours,
miles, and the amount of fuel consumption. Their supervisors set time schedules and routes
for the day or week.
Conditions
Driving a bus through heavy traffic while dealing with passengers is
not physically strenuous, but can be stressful and fatiguing. On the other hand, many
drivers enjoy the opportunity to work without direct supervision, with full responsibility
for their bus and passengers.
Intercity busdrivers may work nights, weekends, and holidays and often
spend nights away from home, where they stay in hotels at company expense. Senior drivers
with regular routes have regular weekly work schedules, but others do not have regular
schedules and must be prepared to report for work on short notice. They report for work
only when called for a charter assignment or to drive extra buses on a regular route.
Intercity bus travel and charter work tends to be seasonal. From May through August,
drivers may work the maximum number of hours per week that regulations allow. During
winter, junior drivers may work infrequently, except for busy holiday travel periods, and
may be furloughed for periods of time.
School busdrivers work only when school is in session. Many work 20
hours a week or less, driving one or two routes in the morning and afternoon. Drivers
taking field or athletic trips or who also have midday kindergarten routes may work more
hours a week.
Regular local transit busdrivers usually have a 5-day workweek;
Saturdays and Sundays are considered regular workdays. Some drivers work evenings and
after midnight. To accommodate commuters, many work "split shifts," for example,
6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., with time off in between.
Tour and charter bus drivers may work any day and all hours of the day,
including weekends and holidays. Their hours are dictated by the charter trips booked and
the schedule and prearranged itinerary of tours. However, like all busdrivers, their
weekly hours must be consistent with the Department of Transportation’s rules and
regulations concerning hours of service. For example, a long-distance driver may not work
more than 60 hours in any 7-day period and drivers must rest 8 hours for every 10 hours of
driving.
Employment
Busdrivers held about 638,000 jobs in 1998. More than a third worked
part time. About two-thirds of all drivers worked for school systems or companies
providing school bus services under contract, as shown in the accompanying chart. Most of the remainder worked for private and local government transit systems;
some also worked for intercity and charter buslines.
Training
Busdriver qualifications and standards are established by State and
Federal regulations. All drivers must comply with Federal regulations and any State
regulations that exceed Federal requirements. Federal regulations require drivers who
operate vehicles designed to transport 16 or more passengers to hold a commercial
driver’s license (CDL) from the State in which they live.
To qualify for a commercial driver’s license, applicants must pass
a written test on rules and regulations and then demonstrate they can operate a bus
safely. A national data bank permanently records all driving violations incurred by
persons who hold commercial licenses. A State may not issue a commercial driver’s
license to a driver who already has a license suspended or revoked in another State. A
driver with a CDL must accompany trainees until they get their own CDL. Information on how
to apply for a commercial driver’s license may be obtained from State motor vehicle
administrations.
While many States allow those who are 18 years and older to drive buses
within State borders, the U.S. Department of Transportation establishes minimum
qualifications for busdrivers engaged in interstate commerce. Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Regulations require drivers to be at least 21 years old and pass a physical examination
once every 2 years. The main physical requirements include good hearing, 20/40 vision with
or without glasses or corrective lenses, and a 70 degree field of vision in each eye.
Drivers must not be color blind. Drivers must be able to hear a forced whisper in one ear
at not less than 5 feet, with or without a hearing aide. Drivers must have normal use of
arms and legs and normal blood pressure. Drivers may not use any controlled substances,
unless prescribed by a licensed physician. Persons with epilepsy or diabetes controlled by
insulin are not permitted to be interstate busdrivers. Federal regulations also require
employers to test their drivers for alcohol and drug use as a condition of employment, and
require periodic random tests while on duty. In addition, a driver must not have been
convicted of a felony involving the use of a motor vehicle; a crime involving drugs;
driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol; or hit-and-run driving which resulted in
injury or death. All drivers must be able to read and speak English well enough to read
road signs, prepare reports, and communicate with law enforcement officers and the public.
In addition, drivers must take a written examination on the Motor Carrier Safety
Regulations of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Many employers prefer high school graduates and require a written test
of ability to follow complex bus schedules. Many intercity and public transit bus
companies prefer applicants who are at least 24 years of age; some require several years
of bus or truck driving experience. In some States, school busdrivers must pass a
background investigation to uncover any criminal record or history of mental problems.
Because busdrivers deal with passengers, they must be courteous. They
need an even temperament and emotional stability because driving in heavy, fast-moving, or
stop-and-go traffic and dealing with passengers can be stressful. Drivers must have strong
customer service skills, including communication skills and the ability to coordinate and
manage large groups of people.
Most intercity bus companies and local transit systems give driver
trainees 2 to 8 weeks of classroom and "behind-the-wheel" instruction. In the
classroom, trainees learn U.S. Department of Transportation and company work rules, safety
regulations, State and municipal driving regulations, and safe driving practices. They
also learn to read schedules, determine fares, keep records, and deal courteously with
passengers.
School busdrivers are also required to obtain a commercial
driver’s license from the State in which they live. Many persons who enter school
busdriving have never driven any vehicle larger than an automobile. They receive between 1
and 4 weeks of driving instruction plus classroom training on State and local laws,
regulations, and policies of operating school buses; safe driving practices; driver-pupil
relations; first aid; disabled student special needs; and emergency evacuation procedures.
School busdrivers must also be aware of school systems rules for discipline and conduct
for busdrivers and the students they transport.
During training, busdrivers practice driving on set courses. They
practice turns and zigzag maneuvers, backing up, and driving in narrow lanes. Then they
drive in light traffic and, eventually, on congested highways and city streets. They also
make trial runs, without passengers, to improve their driving skills and learn the routes.
Local transit trainees memorize and drive each of the runs operating out of their assigned
garage. New drivers begin with a "break-in" period. They make regularly
scheduled trips with passengers, accompanied by an experienced driver who gives helpful
tips, answers questions, and evaluates the new driver’s performance.
New intercity and local transit drivers are usually placed on an
"extra" list to drive charter runs, extra buses on regular runs, and special
runs (for example, during morning and evening rush hours and to sports events). They also
substitute for regular drivers who are ill or on vacation. New drivers remain on the extra
list, and may work only part time, perhaps for several years, until they have enough
seniority to receive a regular run.
Senior drivers may bid for runs they prefer, such as those with more
work hours, lighter traffic, weekends off, or, in the case of intercity busdrivers, higher
earnings or fewer workdays per week.
Opportunities for promotion are generally limited. However, experienced
drivers may become supervisors or dispatchers, assigning buses to drivers, checking
whether drivers are on schedule, rerouting buses to avoid blocked streets or other
problems, and dispatching extra vehicles and service crews to scenes of accidents and
breakdowns. In transit agencies with rail systems, drivers may become train operators or
station attendants. A few drivers become managers. Promotion in publicly owned bus systems
is often by competitive civil service examination. Some motorcoach drivers purchase their
own equipment and go in to business for themselves.
Outlook
Persons seeking jobs as busdrivers over the 1998-2008 period should
encounter good opportunities. Many employers have recently had difficulty finding
qualified candidates to fill vacancies left by departing employees. Opportunities should
be best for individuals with good driving records who are willing to start on a part-time
or irregular schedule, as well as for those seeking jobs as school busdrivers in rapidly
growing metropolitan areas. Those seeking higher paying intercity and public transit
busdriver positions may encounter competition.
Employment of busdrivers is expected to increase about
as fast as average for all occupations through the year 2008, primarily to meet the
transportation needs of a growing school-age population and local environmental concerns.
Thousands of additional job openings are expected to occur each year because of the need
to replace workers who take jobs in other occupations, retire, or leave the occupation for
other reasons.
School busdriving jobs should be easiest to acquire because most are
part time positions with high turnover and minimal training requirements. The number of
school busdrivers is expected to increase as a result of growth in elementary and
secondary school enrollments. In addition, as more of the Nation’s population is
concentrated in suburban areas—where students generally ride school buses—and
less in the central cities—where transportation is not provided for most
pupils—more school busdrivers will be needed.
Employment of local transit and intercity drivers will grow as bus
ridership increases. Local and intercity bus travel is expected to increase as the
population and labor force grows. However, more individual travelers will opt to travel by
airplane or automobile rather than by bus. Most growth in intercity drivers will probably
be in group charter travel, rather than scheduled intercity bus services. There may
continue to be competition for local transit and intercity busdriver jobs in some areas
because many of these positions offer relatively high wages and attractive benefits. The
most competitive positions will be those offering regular hours and steady driving routes.
Full-time busdrivers are rarely laid off during recessions. However,
hours of part-time local transit and intercity busdrivers may be reduced if bus ridership
decreases because fewer extra buses would be needed. Seasonal layoffs are common. Many
intercity busdrivers with little seniority, for example, are furloughed during the winter
when regular schedule and charter business falls off; school busdrivers seldom work during
the summer or school holidays.
Earnings
Median hourly earnings of transit and intercity busdrivers were $11.72
in 1998. The middle 50 percent earned between $8.58 and $16.04 an hour. The lowest 10
percent earned less than $6.66 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $19.18 an hour.
Median hourly earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of transit and
intercity busdrivers in 1997 were as follows:
| Local government, except education and hospitals |
$14.20 |
| Intercity and rural bus transportation |
10.50 |
| Local and suburban transportation |
10.20 |
| School buses, contract |
10.20 |
| Bus charter service |
8.80 |
Median hourly earnings of school busdrivers were $9.05
in 1998. The middle 50 percent earned between $6.33 and $11.44 an hour. The lowest 10
percent earned less than $5.59 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $14.00 an hour.
Median hourly earnings of school busdrivers in 1997 were $9.20 in contract school buses
and $8.60 in elementary and secondary schools.
According to the American Public Transportation Association, in early 1999
local transit busdrivers in metropolitan areas with more than 2 million inhabitants were
paid an average top hourly wage rate of about $17.90 by companies with over 1,000
employees, and about $16.00 by those with fewer than 1,000 employees. In smaller
metropolitan areas, they had an average top hourly wage rate of about $14.70 in areas with
between 250,000 and 500,000 residents, and about $12.60 in areas with resident populations
below 50,000. Generally, drivers can reach the top rate in 3 or 4 years.
The benefits busdrivers receive from their employers vary greatly. Most
intercity and local transit busdrivers receive paid health and life insurance, sick leave,
and free bus rides on any of the regular routes of their line or system. Drivers who work
full time also get as much as 4 weeks of vacation annually. Most local transit busdrivers
are also covered by dental insurance and pension plans. School busdrivers receive sick
leave, and many are covered by health and life insurance and pension plans. Because they
generally do not work when school is not in session, they do not get vacation leave. In a
number of States, local transit and school busdrivers employed by local governments are
covered by a State-wide public employee pension system.
Most intercity and many local transit busdrivers are members of the
Amalgamated Transit Union. Local transit busdrivers in New York and several other large
cities belong to the Transport Workers Union of America. Some drivers belong to the United
Transportation Union and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Related
Other workers who drive vehicles on highways and city streets are taxi drivers, truckdrivers, and chauffeurs.
Sources
For further information on employment opportunities, contact local
transit systems, intercity buslines, school systems, or the local offices of the State
employment service.
General information on busdriving is available from:
- American Bus Association, 1100 New York Avenue NW., Suite 1050, Washington, DC 20005.
Internet: http://www.buses.org
General information on school busdriving is available from:
General information on local transit busdriving is available from:
- American Public Transportation Association, 1201 New York Ave. NW., Suite 400, Washington, DC
20005. Internet: http://www.apta.com
General information on motorcoach driving is available from:
- United Motorcoach Association, 113 S. West St., 4th Floor, Alexandria, VA
22314. Telephone (toll free): 1-800-424-8262. Internet: http://www.uma.org
Selected industries employing busdrivers that appear in the 2000-01 Career Guide
to Industries:
Significant Points
- Opportunities should be good, particularly for school busdriver jobs.
- A commercial driver’s license is required to operate on interstate bus routes.
- Busdrivers must posses strong customer service skills, including communication skills
and the ability to manage large groups of people.
