Bus and Coach Drivers
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Bus and Coach Drivers drive buses and coaches to transport passengers over established and special routes.
Tasks
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stopping at set locations to pick up and set down passengers
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opening and closing doors before and after passengers board or alight
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controlling lighting, heating and ventilation on buses
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collecting fares and giving change and tickets, and monitoring electronic entry
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advising passengers on destinations
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maintaining conduct of passengers
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may use public address systems to provide information and tour commentaries for passengers
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may assist coach passengers with baggage and accommodation bookings
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may maintain, service and clean coaches
Characteristics
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Vocational Education and Training (VET)
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Informal or on-the-job
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Practical
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Sedentary
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Light
-
Medium
Outlook
JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. The latest data are for the five years from November 2021 to November 2026. Over this period, the number of workers:
- is expected to grow strongly
- is likely to reach 53,300 by 2026.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Notes: The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.
Employment projections figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Calculations based on these rounded figures may result in differences to the numbers that are displayed on this page. Employment projections data (including occupations) can be downloaded from the Employment Projections page.
Number of Workers
Year | Employment |
---|---|
2011 | 37,700 |
2012 | 39,500 |
2013 | 51,400 |
2014 | 36,800 |
2015 | 32,200 |
2016 | 37,600 |
2017 | 41,300 |
2018 | 48,600 |
2019 | 42,100 |
2020 | 43,500 |
2021 | 49,300 |
2026 | 53,300 |
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Earnings and hours
Working arrangements
-
Around 60% of people employed as Bus and Coach Drivers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 6 percentage points below the all jobs average (66%).
Full-time workers work an average of 44 hours per week in their main job. This is the same as the all jobs average.
Median full-time earnings are $1,597 per week, this is similar to the all jobs median ($1,593):
- 3 in 4 workers earn more than $1,298
- 1 in 4 earn more than $1,846
Median hourly earnings are $37, this is lower than the all jobs median ($41 per hour).
Sources: Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average. Full-time median earnings and median hourly earnings: ABS, Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021. Compared to all jobs median.
Weekly Earnings (Before Tax)
Earnings | Bus and Coach Drivers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Full-Time Earnings | 1,597 | 1,593 |
Total Earnings | 0 | 0 |
Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.
Industries
Main industries
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Most Bus and Coach Drivers work in the Transport, postal and warehousing industry. They are also employed in industries like:
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, annual average 2021.
Regions
Employment across Australia
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Employment by State and Territory (% Share)
State | Bus and Coach Drivers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 35.0 | 31.6 |
VIC | 20.1 | 25.6 |
QLD | 20.9 | 20.0 |
SA | 6.6 | 7.0 |
WA | 11.4 | 10.8 |
TAS | 2.5 | 2.0 |
NT | 1.6 | 1.0 |
ACT | 1.9 | 1.9 |
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Around 45% of Bus and Coach Drivers live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.
New South Wales has a large share of employment relative to its population size.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Worker profile
Age and gender
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The median age of Bus and Coach Drivers is 55 years. This is higher than the all jobs average of 40 years.
A large share of workers are aged 45 to 54 years.
Females make up 13% of the workforce. This is 35 percentage points below the all jobs average of 48%.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile (% Share)
Age Bracket | Bus and Coach Drivers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 0.0 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 0.5 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 6.9 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 13.5 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 25.8 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 17.6 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 18.0 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 17.6 | 4.2 |
Median Age | 55 | 40 |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Employment Pathways
Education, training and experience
Formal qualifications are not essential to work as a Bus or Coach Driver. Although some workers have a certificate II or III in driving operations.
Visit
- My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
- AAPathways website to explore Transport and Logistics Training Package VET training pathways.
Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | Bus and Coach Drivers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 2.8 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 8.0 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 10.3 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 28.1 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 17.2 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 6.1 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 27.5 | 12.5 |
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Skills and Knowledge
Employers look for Bus and Coach Drivers who can interact and provide good customer service and are well presented.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
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45%
Operation and controlControlling equipment or systems.
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45%
Operation monitoringWatching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
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39%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
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37%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
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37%
Serving othersLooking for ways to help people.
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36%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
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36%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
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34%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
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34%
SpeakingTalking to others.
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32%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
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32%
MonitoringKeeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
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32%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
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32%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
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30%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
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30%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
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29%
Quality control analysisDoing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.
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29%
Learning strategiesFiguring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
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27%
NegotiationBringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
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27%
PersuasionTalking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
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27%
TroubleshootingFiguring out why a machine or system went wrong and working out what to do about it.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
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64%
TransportationMoving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
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61%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
-
54%
Public safety and securityUse of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
-
48%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
-
45%
PsychologyHuman behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
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35%
GeographyDescribing land, sea, and air, including their physical characteristics, locations, how they work together, and the location of plant, animal, and human life.
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35%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
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35%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
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34%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
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32%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
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29%
TelecommunicationsTransmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
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28%
MechanicalMachines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
-
27%
Philosophy and theologyPhilosophical systems and religions, including their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and impact on society.
-
26%
Sociology and anthropologyGroup behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
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25%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
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22%
Production and processingRaw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
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21%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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20%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
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18%
Foreign languageForeign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
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13%
Sales and marketingShowing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
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55%
Reaction timeQuickly move your hand, finger, or foot when a sound, light, picture or something else appears.
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55%
Response orientationQuickly choose the right movement of the hand, foot, or other body part when there are two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures).
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50%
Control precisionQuickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
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48%
Far visionSee details that are far away.
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48%
Multilimb coordinationUse your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.
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46%
Problem spottingNotice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
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46%
Rate controlChange when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
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46%
Selective attentionPay attention to something without being distracted.
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46%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
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45%
MultitaskingDo two or more things at the same time.
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41%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
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41%
Speech recognitionIdentify and understand the speech of another person.
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39%
Spatial orientationKnow where things are around you.
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39%
Glare sensitivitySee things in glare or bright lighting.
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39%
Hearing sensitivityTell the difference between sounds.
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37%
Depth perceptionDecide which thing is closer or further away from you, or decide how far away it is.
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37%
Near visionSee details that are up-close (within a few feet).
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37%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
-
37%
Arm-hand steadinessKeep your hand or arm steady.
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37%
Colour discriminationNotice differences between colours, including shades of colour and brightness.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
-
77%
Driving vehicles or equipmentRunning, manoeuvring, navigating, or driving things like forklifts, vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
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76%
Working with the publicGreeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.
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75%
Checking for errors or defectsInspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.
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67%
Communicating with the publicGiving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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66%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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66%
Monitoring people, processes and thingsChecking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
-
66%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
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63%
Helping and caring for othersProviding personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.
-
62%
Doing physically active workUse your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.
-
62%
Training and teaching othersUnderstanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.
-
60%
Negotiating and resolving conflictsHandling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.
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59%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
-
58%
Handling and moving objectsUsing hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.
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56%
Keeping your knowledge up-to-dateKeeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
-
56%
Leading and encouraging a teamEncouraging and building trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
-
53%
Documenting or recording informationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
-
53%
Looking for changes over timeComparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
-
53%
Checking compliance with standardsDeciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
-
52%
Estimating amounts, costs and resourcesWorking out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.
-
50%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
Interests and demands
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
-
100%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
-
52%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
-
43%
EnterprisingStarting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
-
33%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
-
14%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
-
14%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
Values
-
71%
RelationshipsServe and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
-
71%
SupportSupportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
-
62%
IndependenceWork alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
-
43%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
-
43%
Working conditionsJob security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
-
29%
RecognitionAdvancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
Demands
-
99%
In an enclosed vehicle or equipmentWork in a closed vehicle (e.g., car).
-
91%
Physically close to peopleWork physically close to other people.
-
91%
Spend time sittingSpend time sitting at work.
-
90%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
-
90%
Freedom to make decisionsHave freedom to make decision on your own.
-
89%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
87%
Using your hands to handle, control, or feelSpend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.
-
86%
Outdoors, exposed to weatherWork outdoors, exposed to the weather.
-
85%
Contact with the publicWork with customers or the public.
-
83%
Loud or uncomfortable soundsBe exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.
-
81%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
-
81%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
-
81%
Making repetitive motionsSpend time making repetitive motions.
-
80%
Angry or unpleasant peopleDeal with unpleasant, angry, or rude people.
-
78%
Disease or infectionBe exposed to disease or infections.
-
77%
Exposure to contaminantsBe exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.
-
74%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
-
74%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
-
73%
Health and safety of othersTake responsibility for the health and safety of others.
-
72%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 53-3021.00 - Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity.
Links and downloads
Research and reports
The Skills Priority List provides a current labour market rating and a future demand rating for nearly 800 occupations nationally. Current labour market ratings are available for occupations at a state and territory level.
Downloads
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Occupation profiles data are available for download.
The Employment Projections are available for download.