This group includes workers who drive buses and operate streetcars, subway trains and light rail transit vehicles to transport passengers on established routes.

They provide passengers with information, collect fares, and ensure passengers' safety. Tour bus drivers take passengers on local sightseeing trips or longer tours and some also provide information on points of interest during the trip. Bus drivers are employed by urban transit systems, school boards or transportation authorities and private transportation companies. Streetcar, subway and light rail transit operators are employed by urban transit systems.

• bus driver
• charter bus driver
• public passenger transit driver
• school bus driver
• shuttle operator
• sightseeing tour driver
• tour bus operator
• transit operator - transportation

To work in these jobs, you should enjoy driving and be able to function under minimal supervision. You must be alert, responsible, and self-motivated. An awareness of safety is important. You must also get along well with people, as drivers often deal directly with customers. For some jobs, you should be willing to drive long distances and for extended periods of time.

• Completion of secondary school is usually required.
• Up to three months of on-the-job training including classroom instruction, is usually provided for all jobs in this group.
• A minimum of one year of safe driving experience is required.
• Bus drivers require a Class 2 driver's licence in Nova Scotia.
• 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.
• A three-year program leading to the Certified Professional Bus Operator (CPBO) designation is available for bus drivers.

Progression to transit supervisory positions, inspector or training instructor positions is possible with experience.

The employment outlook over the next few years for this occupational group is “average”, which indicates the chances of a qualified individual finding work is comparable to the average for all occupations in Nova Scotia. This is a fairly large occupation in Nova Scotia so job opportunities occur fairly regularly. The number employed in this occupation is expected to grow slightly over the next few years, which should provide some additional opportunities for employment. With a large percent of workers being 55 years of age and older, retirements are expected to be a key contributor to employment opportunities over the coming years. Bus Drivers, Subway Operators, and Other Transit Operators may either be working full-time or part-time hours. Furthermore, the jobs may either be permanent or temporary positions, as both are common. With employment conditions being seasonal in nature, periods of downtime or layoff throughout the year are fairly common.

The median employment income for 36% of Bus Drivers, Subway Operators, and Other Transit Operators who worked full-time, year-round in 2015 was $53,282. Across all occupations in Nova Scotia, 59% of those who worked full-time year round had a median employment income of $43,600.
(Source: 2016 Census)

Hourly earnings data are from the Labour Force Survey by Statistics Canada. Data are not available for all occupations. Hourly earnings are calculated based on usual hours worked per week. This is how an annual salary, for instance, gets converted to an hourly rate. The data include full and part-time workers along with new and experienced workers. Self-employed workers are excluded.

Annual employment income data reported in the Work Prospects section, are from the 2011 National Household Survey by Statistics Canada. Much of the data (around 70%) came directly from tax records. The data relates to the year 2010 and includes total wages and salaries and net income from self-employment.

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