NOC 73301: Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators
What bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators do
Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators 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, school boards or transportation authorities and private transportation companies. Streetcar, subway and light rail transit operators are employed by urban transit systems.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Bus drivers and streetcar operators
- 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.
- School bus drivers
- 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.
- Subway train and light rail transit operators
- 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.
Job titles under NOC 73301
27 job titles are classified here, including bus driver, bus operator, light rail transit operator.
- articulated bus operator
- bus driver
- bus driver - special needs passengers
- bus operator
- bus operator - accessible services
- charter bus driver
- intercity bus driver
- light rail transit operator
- long distance bus driver
- motor coach driver
- public passenger transit driver
- school bus driver
- school bus driver - special needs passengers
- shuttle bus driver
- shuttle driver - auto dealership
- shuttle driver - car rental company
- shuttle operator
- sightseeing bus driver
- sightseeing tour driver
- streetcar conductor
- streetcar operator
- subway train operator
- tour bus operator
- transit operator - transportation
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.
Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators wages in Canada
Low, median and high hourly wages from Job Bank’s 2025 wage data. Annual figures assume full-time work (1,950 hours a year).
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Canada | $17.18/hr | $25.00/hr | $37.68/hr |
Toronto ON | $19.00/hr | $30.06/hr | $38.50/hr |
Montréal QC | $20.00/hr | $25.64/hr | $34.60/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $22.85/hr | $35.00/hr | $40.37/hr |
Calgary AB | $16.00/hr | $28.94/hr | $38.00/hr |
Edmonton AB | $20.00/hr | $30.00/hr | $37.00/hr |
Ottawa ON | $17.60/hr | $23.00/hr | $36.27/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $17.89/hr | $26.00/hr | $31.00/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $17.86/hr | $23.50/hr | $34.60/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $17.60/hr | $20.16/hr | $36.00/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $17.60/hr | $20.70/hr | $34.57/hr |
London ON | $17.60/hr | $20.30/hr | $30.92/hr |
Halifax NS | $21.57/hr | $26.00/hr | $32.00/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $17.85/hr | $25.00/hr | $36.76/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $17.31/hr | $23.00/hr | $29.29/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $16.00/hr | $22.50/hr | $30.00/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $16.00/hr | $21.00/hr | $28.85/hr |
Nova Scotia | $19.98/hr | $25.00/hr | $30.40/hr |
New Brunswick | $20.00/hr | $23.60/hr | $27.50/hr |
Quebec | $17.86/hr | $23.50/hr | $34.60/hr |
Ontario | $17.60/hr | $22.43/hr | $38.00/hr |
Manitoba | $18.00/hr | $24.00/hr | $31.00/hr |
Saskatchewan | $16.00/hr | $22.00/hr | $30.00/hr |
Alberta | $16.25/hr | $27.50/hr | $37.00/hr |
British Columbia | $21.00/hr | $31.11/hr | $40.19/hr |
Using NOC 73301 for your resume or Express Entry profile
- IRCC asks you to make sure the main duties listed for your NOC match what you actually did at your job. If they don’t, look for another unit group whose duties do.
- Describe your own work in your own words. Recruiters and ATS software look for concrete tools, results and scope, not text copied from the NOC.
- Applying from outside Canada? Run your resume through the Canadian resume format checker to catch things Canadian employers don’t expect, like a photo or date of birth.
- Use the job title the employer’s posting uses. The 27 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators?
Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators are NOC 2021 unit group 73301. Example job titles in this group include bus driver, bus operator, light rail transit operator, motor coach driver.
What TEER is NOC 73301?
NOC 73301 is TEER 3 (College or apprenticeship (under 2 years)). Usually requires a college program or apprenticeship of less than 2 years, or more than six months of on-the-job training. TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 work counts as skilled work experience for Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class programs.
How much do bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $25.00/hr, about $49,000 a year full-time, with a range of $17.18/hr to $37.68/hr.
Related occupations
Sources: Statistics Canada, National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0; Employment and Social Development Canada, Job Bank wages (2025). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. OfferJetAI is not affiliated with the Government of Canada. Check IRCC’s NOC guidance before you apply.