73301 – Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators
TEER 3Occupations usually requiring a college diploma or apprenticeship of less than 2 years, or more than 6 months of on-the-job training
Lead statement
Bus and streetcar drivers transport passengers on established routes.
Main duties
- Drive buses or streetcars to transport passengers along established routes to local destinations
- Drive buses to transport passengers and goods to intercity or long distance destinations
- Drive sightseeing tour buses to transport passengers locally or over long distances
- Drive buses equipped for wheelchair accessibility, and aid passengers in boarding
- Provide passengers with information on fares, schedules and stops
- Collect fares, issue and validate transfers, check bus passes and record transactions
- Conduct pre-trip and post-trip inspections of vehicle
- Communicate with passengers, dispatchers or other drivers using two-way radio systems
- Report delays, mechanical problems and accidents
- May provide information on points of interest during sightseeing tours
- May load and unload passengers' luggage and express freight.
- Drive school buses to transport children between school and home or on excursions
- Ensure children's safety when boarding and leaving buses and crossing street while bus is stopped
- Maintain control of student activities during travel to prevent distractions or behaviours that could compromise safety
- May transport adults outside of school hours on chartered trips.
- Operate subway or rail transit vehicles as part of two-person crew
- Observe signals at crossings and arrival and departure points
- Operate controls to open and close transit vehicle doors
- Report delays, malfunctions and accidents to control unit
- Ensure passenger safety and welfare in emergencies, and direct passengers during evacuation procedures.
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Up to three months of on-the-job training, including classroom instruction, is usually provided for all occupations in this unit group.
- A minimum of one year of safe driving experience is required.
- Bus drivers require a Class B, C, E or F driver's licence in Ontario, and a Class 2 driver's licence is required in all other provinces and the territories.
- An air brakes endorsement and first aid certificate may be required.
- Experience as a public transit bus driver is usually required for subway and light rail transit operators.
Example job titles
bus driver · motor coach driver · bus operator · streetcar conductor · streetcar operator · long distance bus driver · sightseeing bus driver · articulated bus operator · school bus driver · school bus driver - special needs passengers · bus driver - special needs passengers · subway train operator · urban transit operator · light rail transit operator
Wages (per hour)
| Province / territory | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $17.18 | $25.00 | $37.68 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $16.00 | $21.00 | $28.85 |
| Nova Scotia | $19.98 | $25.00 | $30.40 |
| New Brunswick | $20.00 | $23.60 | $27.50 |
| Quebec | $17.86 | $23.50 | $34.60 |
| Ontario | $17.60 | $22.43 | $38.00 |
| Manitoba | $18.00 | $24.00 | $31.00 |
| Saskatchewan | $16.00 | $22.00 | $30.00 |
| Alberta | $16.25 | $27.50 | $37.00 |
| British Columbia | $21.00 | $31.11 | $40.19 |
Source: Job Bank wages, 2025 release (ESDC). Low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles.
Occupation details: ESDC OaSIS 2025, based on NOC 2021.