Bus and Coach Drivers

ANZSCO ID 7312

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
34,900
Future Growth
8.3%
Weekly Earnings
$1,597
Full-Time Share
58%
Female Share
13%
Average age
55

Summary

Bus and Coach Drivers drive buses and coaches to transport passengers over established and special routes.

Tasks

  • stopping at set locations to pick up and set down passengers

  • opening and closing doors before and after passengers board or alight

  • controlling lighting, heating and ventilation on buses

  • collecting fares and giving change and tickets, and monitoring electronic entry

  • advising passengers on destinations

  • maintaining conduct of passengers

  • may use public address systems to provide information and tour commentaries for passengers

  • may assist coach passengers with baggage and accommodation bookings

  • may maintain, service and clean coaches

Characteristics

Job Type
Machinery Operators And Drivers
Skill Level
Lower skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
Below average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Practical
Physical Demand
  • Sedentary
  • Light
  • Medium

Outlook

Employment 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.

Projected Change
8.3%
(or 4,100 jobs)
From
49,300
in 2021
To
53,300
in 2026

Number of Workers

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
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)

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.
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

1
Transport, Postal and Warehousing
85.9%
2
Education and Training
3.8%
3
Administrative and Support Services
2.1%
4
Public Administration and Safety
2.1%
5
Other industries
6.1%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

35.0% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

20.1% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

20.9% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

6.6% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

11.4% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

2.5% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

1.6% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

1.9% All occupations: 1.9%

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


  • 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

Age In Years
55
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
13%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • 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)

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
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)

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.
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.

  • 45%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.

  • 45%

    Operation monitoring

    Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

  • 39%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 37%

    Time management

    Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.

  • 37%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 36%

    Active listening

    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

  • 36%

    Critical thinking

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

  • 34%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 34%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 32%

    Judgment and decision making

    Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.

  • 32%

    Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.

  • 32%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 32%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 30%

    Active learning

    Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.

  • 30%

    Complex problem solving

    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

  • 29%

    Quality control analysis

    Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.

  • 29%

    Learning strategies

    Figuring out the best way to teach or learn something new.

  • 27%

    Negotiation

    Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.

  • 27%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.

  • 27%

    Troubleshooting

    Figuring 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.

  • 64%

    Transportation

    Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.

  • 61%

    Customer and personal service

    Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.

  • 54%

    Public safety and security

    Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.

  • 48%

    English language

    English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • 45%

    Psychology

    Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.

  • 35%

    Geography

    Describing land, sea, and air, including their physical characteristics, locations, how they work together, and the location of plant, animal, and human life.

  • 35%

    Communications and media

    Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.

  • 35%

    Law and government

    How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.

  • 34%

    Education and training

    Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • 32%

    Administration and management

    Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.

  • 29%

    Telecommunications

    Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

  • 28%

    Mechanical

    Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

  • 27%

    Philosophy and theology

    Philosophical systems and religions, including their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and impact on society.

  • 26%

    Sociology and anthropology

    Group behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.

  • 25%

    Personnel and human resources

    Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.

  • 22%

    Production and processing

    Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.

  • 21%

    Computers and electronics

    Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

  • 20%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 18%

    Foreign language

    Foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

  • 13%

    Sales and marketing

    Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 55%

    Reaction time

    Quickly move your hand, finger, or foot when a sound, light, picture or something else appears.

  • 55%

    Response orientation

    Quickly choose the right movement of the hand, foot, or other body part when there are two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures).

  • 50%

    Control precision

    Quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

  • 48%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 48%

    Multilimb coordination

    Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.

  • 46%

    Problem spotting

    Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.

  • 46%

    Rate control

    Change when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

  • 46%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 46%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 45%

    Multitasking

    Do two or more things at the same time.

  • 41%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 41%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 39%

    Spatial orientation

    Know where things are around you.

  • 39%

    Glare sensitivity

    See things in glare or bright lighting.

  • 39%

    Hearing sensitivity

    Tell the difference between sounds.

  • 37%

    Depth perception

    Decide which thing is closer or further away from you, or decide how far away it is.

  • 37%

    Near vision

    See details that are up-close (within a few feet).

  • 37%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 37%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 37%

    Colour discrimination

    Notice 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 equipment

    Running, manoeuvring, navigating, or driving things like forklifts, vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.

  • 76%

    Working with the public

    Greeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.

  • 75%

    Checking for errors or defects

    Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.

  • 67%

    Communicating with the public

    Giving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 66%

    Communicating within a team

    Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 66%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

    Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.

  • 66%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 63%

    Helping and caring for others

    Providing personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.

  • 62%

    Doing physically active work

    Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.

  • 62%

    Training and teaching others

    Understanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.

  • 60%

    Negotiating and resolving conflicts

    Handling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.

  • 59%

    Making decisions and solving problems

    Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.

  • 58%

    Handling and moving objects

    Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.

  • 56%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

    Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.

  • 56%

    Leading and encouraging a team

    Encouraging and building trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

  • 53%

    Documenting or recording information

    Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

  • 53%

    Looking for changes over time

    Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.

  • 53%

    Checking compliance with standards

    Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

  • 52%

    Estimating amounts, costs and resources

    Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.

  • 50%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking 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%

    Practical

    Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

  • 52%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

  • 43%

    Enterprising

    Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.

  • 33%

    Administrative

    Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.

  • 14%

    Analytical

    Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.

  • 14%

    Creative

    Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.


Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
  • 71%

    Relationships

    Serve 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%

    Support

    Supportive 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%

    Independence

    Work 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%

    Achievement

    Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

  • 43%

    Working conditions

    Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.

  • 29%

    Recognition

    Advancement 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

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:
  • 99%

    In an enclosed vehicle or equipment

    Work in a closed vehicle (e.g., car).

  • 91%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 91%

    Spend time sitting

    Spend time sitting at work.

  • 90%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 90%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 89%

    Contact with people

    Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.

  • 87%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

    Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.

  • 86%

    Outdoors, exposed to weather

    Work outdoors, exposed to the weather.

  • 85%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 83%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

    Be exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.

  • 81%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 81%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 81%

    Making repetitive motions

    Spend time making repetitive motions.

  • 80%

    Angry or unpleasant people

    Deal with unpleasant, angry, or rude people.

  • 78%

    Disease or infection

    Be exposed to disease or infections.

  • 77%

    Exposure to contaminants

    Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.

  • 74%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 74%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 73%

    Health and safety of others

    Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.

  • 72%

    Unstructured work

    Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.

Occupational Information Network
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.


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