To truly enjoy being a bus driver, it helps to be a “people person.” Stanley Carpenter, a bus driver for DART, a transit system that serves 13 cities in the Dallas area, certainly fits the bill. “Everybody knows me. They don’t have to ring the bell to get off, because I know where they stop. ... I’ve met two generations, almost three, of families riding my bus,” he says.

Relating to people is one of the best components of this profession, Carpenter says, and having this skill also helps drivers manage the mosaic of personalities and commuting problems they may encounter daily. In other words, the impatient and short-fused need not apply. “I just keep an even keel,” he says. “I stay right in the middle. It’s about the way you talk and the sound of your voice [when calming riders]. ... I always try to sympathize with the customer.”

The job’s good days include sunny skies, pleasant riders and light traffic; the flipside is icy roads, traffic jams and amped-up school kids. Good drivers provide safe passage no matter the situation, while still tending to responsibilities such as collecting fare, announcing stops and staying on a strict route schedule. Most drivers must complete light paperwork to record trips, delays and mechanical problems. They also usually fall into one of two categories: intercity drivers, who transport people within metropolitan areas, and school bus drivers, who transport children to and from school-related events.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 5.4% employment growth for bus drivers between 2022 and 2032. In that period, an estimated 8,400 jobs should open up.

Bus drivers typically have a high school diploma or its equivalent. Most states require bus drivers to be at least 18 years old, and 21 to drive across state lines. Of course, a clean driving record is a prerequisite, and a clean bill of health is also often required to ensure drivers don’t have a medical condition that could interfere with operating a bus. A commercial driver’s license is another prerequisite for landing a position. Once hired, new drivers usually receive one to three months of practical and classroom instruction.