Bus Drivers and Subway and Other Transit Operators (NOC 7412)

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Description

This unit group includes workers who drive buses and operate streetcars, subway trains and light rail transit vehicles to transport passengers on established routes. Bus drivers are employed by urban transit systems, elementary and secondary schools, and private transportation companies. Streetcar, subway and light rail transit operators are employed by urban transit systems.

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Example Titles

• bus driver
• ground transportation driver
• light rail transit operator
• motor coach driver
• school bus driver
• sightseeing tour driver
• streetcar operator
• subway train operator
• transit operator

      >> View all titles

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Classified Elsewhere

• Supervisors and inspectors of bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators (in 7222 Supervisors, Motor Transport and Other Ground Transit Operators)

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Duties

Bus and streetcar drivers perform some or all of the following 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, and may provide information on points of interest during trip
• Drive buses equipped for wheelchair accessibility, and aid passengers in boarding and exiting
• Provide passengers with information on fares, schedules and stops
• Collect fares, issue transfers, check bus passes and record transactions
• Report delays, mechanical problems and accidents
• May load and unload passenger luggage.

School bus drivers perform some or all of the following duties:

• 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.

Subway train and light rail transit operators perform some or all of the following duties:

• 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
• Direct passengers during emergency evacuation procedures.

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Skills

Bus Drivers need the following skills and abilities:

Essential Skills:

• good health and vision
• good eye-hand coordination
• good communication skills
• good interpersonal skills with persons and an understanding of different cultural special and physical accessibility needs.

Technical Skills:

• willing to take responsibility and ability to use authority when necessary
• knowledge of safe operating procedures
• knowledge of routes and local traffic patterns
• time management skills.

For highway and tour bus drivers:

Essential Skills:

• good health and vision
• good eye-hand coordination
• good communication skills
• good interpersonal skills with persons and an understanding of different cultural
• social and physical accessibility needs
• ability to remain alert and reactive for extended periods of time.

Technical Skills:

• willing to take responsibility and ability to use authority when necessary
• knowledge of safe operating procedures
• knowledge of routes and local traffic patterns
• time management skills
• some mechanical ability may be needed.

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Employment Requirements

• Completion of secondary school may be required.
• Bus drivers usually require up to three months of on the job training. The City of Winnipeg provides a 32-day program.
• Drivers must have a class 2 licence with airbrake endorsement.
• Manitoba school divisions as well as many private organizations require school bus drivers to have a School Bus Operator's Certificate from the Pupil Transportation Unit, Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth.
• A good driving record is required.

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Terms & Conditions

Bus drivers drive city transit buses, school buses, and coaches on long distance routes. They have to deal with all kinds of traffic and weather while maintaining a schedule. Some drivers, especially those driving school buses, work a split shift. Coach drivers work variable hours including evenings and weekends. Their driving hours are regulated.

Most bus drivers (98%) are employees with the majority (71%) working full time. School bus drivers are employed during the school year and usually work less hours per week than other bus drivers.

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Earnings

$26,300 per annum - starting

$35,700 per annum - average

$50,200 per annum - high

Earnings are reviewed annually or more frequently if new information becomes available.

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Education / Training

• Training is provided by employers.
• To become a school bus driver, 24-hours of in-classroom instruction is required and is provided by school divisions or school bus contractors. Examinations and other requirements are necessary to obtain a class 2 driver's license.
• The City of Winnipeg provides a 32-day (11-day classroom training, 13-day in vehicle training, 8-day route training) training program. http://myride.winnipegtransit.com/en/inside-transit/employment/

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Career Paths

Bus drivers are employed by municipal transit systems, school bus companies, long distance and tour bus lines, and charter bus services.

With experience, drivers may move into positions such as dispatching, scheduling, training, supervising, vehicle maintenance, and management positions.

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Outlook

Employment prospects for bus drivers in the 2010 - 2014 period are expected to be good. Employment in Manitoba in 2010 is estimated at 2,935.

In Manitoba, approximately half the workforce are city transit drivers in Winnipeg, Brandon and Thompson, and employment opportunities for this group are expected to be stable over the forecast period. Most job opportunities will arise from replacement demand, i.e. people retiring or leaving for other employment. School bus drivers account for 33% of the occupational workforce, and the number of jobs will vary slightly according to the size of the K-6 school population in urban areas. Opportunities will be best for drivers willing to start in temporary, part time or split shift positions and progress with seniority to permanent full time positions. There is a noticeable increase recently in job postings for shuttle bus drivers.

Despite the concentration of urban transit drivers in Winnipeg, there are proportionally more bus drivers and other transit operators outside of Winnipeg due to the number of school bus drivers in rural areas.

The smallest group are the longer distance coach drivers and demand here could well increase as a result of the ageing of the population. Seniors are more likely to choose bus or coach transportation over private cars than other age groups. Over half of bus drivers, subway and transport operators are employed in the Transportation and Warehousing Industry (70%), followed by the Educational Services (20%) sector.

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Employment by Age Group

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Employment by Industry

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Employment by Region

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Employment by Gender

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Employment by Aboriginal Self-Identification

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Employment by Visible Minority

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Please Note - The source for above charts is the 2006 Census.

Professional Associations, Unions, and Regulatory Bodies...

• Canadian Union of Public Employees - CUPE Manitoba, http://www.cupe.mb.ca/
• United Transportation Union of Canada, 7 - 71 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON, K1P 5N2

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