Where is it easiest to open: Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems
14 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 53-3052” (soc) for Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity. A blank gate means NO RECORD MATCHED, which is not the same as no licence.
| State | Operators | Avg staff | Pay / employee | Gate | Licence titles matched |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA | 84 | 91.0 | $58,503 | not matched | — |
| NY | 47 | 133.0 | $87,130 | exam | Bus Driver; Certified Examiner - Bus Driver |
| FL | 21 | 19.1 | $65,135 | exam | Cardroom Bus Officer/Director/Sharehol |
| NJ | 15 | 29.1 | $63,443 | exam | BUS DRIVER |
| IL | 13 | 40.5 | $56,512 | exam | COMMERCIAL DRIVER (TRUCK AND BUS OPERA |
| MA | 13 | 115.7 | $65,212 | exam | BUS DRIVER |
| MD | 12 | 132.8 | $45,205 | licence | BUS DRIVER, SCHOOL; BUS DRIVER, TRANSIT AND INTERCITY |
| TN | 7 | 123.1 | $56,176 | not matched | — |
| LA | 4 | 175.5 | $68,887 | not matched | — |
| VA | 3 | 62.0 | $46,720 | not matched | — |
| HI | 3 | 454.3 | $76,786 | not matched | — |
| MI | 3 | 12.0 | $30,167 | exam | Chauffeur License |
| PA | 3 | 36.0 | $51,370 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 3 | 343.7 | $64,426 | not matched | — |
Axes are shown side by side and deliberately NOT collapsed into a ranking. A composite would be a score with no measured interval, and an unmeasured score is the thing this product exists to argue against. A high licence gate is a cost to enter and a moat once cleared — which of those matters more is the operator's call, not ours.
Licence data courtesy of CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. Free to read, no account, always — a condition of the data licence as well as our own position.