Occupational Profiles

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.

• 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.