Bus Driver Jobs in Los Angeles, CA
LA Metro starts new bus operators at $28.81 an hour and pays for the training and the commercial license, so you can apply with only a regular driver's license. Here are the current bus driver openings in Los Angeles, followed by who is hiring and how California certifies drivers.
Current bus driver Openings in Los Angeles, CA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Bus Driver Work in Los Angeles
LA Metro, the county transit agency, runs bus lines countywide plus the G Line busway through the Valley and the J Line from El Monte through DTLA to San Pedro. Around it sit smaller city systems such as Torrance Transit and Long Beach Transit, LADOT's DASH and Commuter Express buses, which a private contractor operates, campus shuttles at UCLA in Westwood and USC near downtown, and Access paratransit vans that serve riders with disabilities across the county.
Los Angeles transit agencies hire people who have never driven a bus. Metro and Torrance Transit pay trainees while they earn the Class B license, and Long Beach Transit runs its own paid training, which makes this one of the few local jobs where an employer covers your commercial license. Expect weekend and holiday work while you build seniority.
Top Los Angeles Employers Hiring Bus Drivers
These employers had bus driver openings or open recruitment in the Los Angeles area on their own sites when this guide was checked:
- LA Metro - the county transit agency hires full-time and part-time bus operators and trains them for the Class B license over six to eight paid weeks.
- UCLA Transportation - hires BruinBus transit operators in Westwood who hold a Class B with passenger and air brake endorsements.
- USC - hires shuttle drivers for 23 to 42 passenger buses serving its Los Angeles campuses.
- Torrance Transit - the South Bay city system hires apprentice bus operators and pays them through Class B training.
- Long Beach Transit - hires bus operators with an eight-week paid training program and a guaranteed 40-hour week.
- Global Paratransit - the Access paratransit contractor hires drivers in Gardena with no experience required.
Bus Driver Salaries in Los Angeles
- Entry level: about $23 to $29 an hour for new transit operators and shuttle drivers.
- Experienced: roughly $29 to $37 an hour for operators with several years of seniority.
- Senior / top step: up to about $42.57 an hour, LA Metro's full-time top rate after five years.
These are estimates from BLS 2025 data for the Los Angeles metro, where the median for transit bus drivers is $32.70 an hour and for school bus drivers $29.61, and from pay employers post here. Seniority moves pay the most at transit agencies, which raise operators on a fixed scale. Campus shuttles such as USC at $23 an hour and UCLA at $25.87 to $27.43 start lower, while trainees at Torrance Transit earn $19.45 an hour until they finish training and move to $26.30.
How to Become a Bus Driver in Los Angeles
A California bus driver needs a commercial license from the Department of Motor Vehicles, usually a Class B with the passenger endorsement, plus federal Entry-Level Driver Training for a first CDL or passenger endorsement. Transit drivers also need a transit training certificate, which takes 15 hours of classroom and 20 hours behind the wheel, then 8 hours of training a year. School bus drivers need the school bus endorsement and a DMV school bus certificate after 20 hours of classroom and 20 behind the wheel, a first aid exam, fingerprints and written and driving tests given by the California Highway Patrol. LA Metro and Torrance Transit require you to be 21. LA Metro trains new operators at its Operations Central Instruction center in El Monte, and LAUSD runs its own School Bus Certificate Training Program.
What the Job Involves
Bus drivers inspect the bus before leaving the yard, drive a scheduled route, keep to a timetable, and help riders board, including deploying the ramp or lift and securing wheelchairs. They answer questions about routes and fares, watch for safety problems on board, report incidents to dispatch and log mileage and defects at the end of the shift.
Skills Employers Look For
- A clean driving record with a recent DMV printout
- Class B with passenger endorsement, or willingness to earn one
- Calm customer service with a wide range of riders
- Defensive driving in dense city traffic
- Punctuality and flexibility for weekend and holiday shifts
- Patience and clear communication under pressure
Career Path and Advancement
Many Los Angeles operators start part-time or as trainees, then move to full-time schedules and better routes as seniority grows; at LA Metro, pay climbs to the top rate over five years. From there the path runs to instructor, road supervisor and dispatcher, and the Class B license with a passenger endorsement also opens truck, shuttle and delivery work.
Related Careers in Los Angeles
If bus driving interests you, these related Los Angeles roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a CDL to apply for bus driver jobs in Los Angeles?
Not at LA Metro or Torrance Transit, which hire with a regular license and train you for the Class B. Campus shuttles such as UCLA and USC ask for a Class B with the passenger endorsement when you apply.
How much do LA Metro bus operators make?
Metro lists a starting rate of $28.81 an hour as of July 1, 2026, and a full-time top rate of $42.57 an hour after five years. Operators also get a free Metro pass for themselves and their dependents, plus medical and dental coverage.
How long is bus driver training in Los Angeles?
LA Metro's paid training lasts six to eight weeks, usually on weekday day shifts, and Long Beach Transit's runs eight weeks. The state transit certificate itself requires at least 15 hours of classroom and 20 hours behind the wheel.
How old do you have to be to drive a bus in Los Angeles?
LA Metro and Torrance Transit require you to be at least 21. State law allows a commercial license at 18 for driving within California, but these agencies set their own minimum at 21.
What does it take to drive a school bus in California?
You need a Class B or Class A with the passenger and school bus endorsements, a DMV school bus certificate, and at least 20 hours of classroom and 20 hours of behind-the-wheel training from a state-certified instructor. The CHP gives the tests and takes your fingerprints, and you must pass a first aid exam.
Ready to apply? Browse all Bus Driver jobs in Los Angeles, CA on LocalJobPage and apply today.