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Boston Career Explorer

Transportation and Material Moving

Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity

Drive bus or motor coach, including regular route operations, charters, and private carriage. May assist passengers with baggage. May collect fares or tickets.

Also called: Bus Driver, Bus Operator, Charter Bus Driver, Coach Operator, Motor Coach Driver, Motor Coach Operator

Compare with my current job (Bus Drivers, School)
Median pay in Greater Boston
$70,120
$33.71/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
3,270
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+9.3%
600 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
High school diploma or equivalent
plus Moderate-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$52,580$60,740$70,120$93,500$93,500

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d 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.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Lower exposure26 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 29
  • Language-model AIOE 15
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 33

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

Transit and intercity bus driving has lower AI exposure, and observed AI use is little or none. AI tools may help with schedules, route information, and stop announcements. Driving safely and helping passengers on and off the bus rely on people.

Likely to change

  • Announcing stops to passengers
  • Answering schedule and route questions

Still relies on people

  • Driving safely in traffic
  • Helping riders who need assistance

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

    Pre-trip vehicle checks carry over to repair work on buses and trucks, with a Boston median of $75,770.

    Pay difference
    +$5,650 median
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +5.1%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

  • Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

    Safe vehicle handling and watching for hazards carry over to construction equipment work, with a Boston median of $76,940.

    Pay difference
    +$6,820 median
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +6.3%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

  • Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers

    Driving and following safety rules carry over to a job with a Boston median of $111,490 and 13.3% growth.

    Pay difference
    +$41,370 median
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +13.3%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

1 program near Boston

Related occupations

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