September 25 2025
Bus and coach drivers across the UK have received a typical pay rise of nearly 30% over the last three years as the industry builds back transport services in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
A driver shortage, together with a recovery in passenger numbers, has pushed up pay for drivers of all types of work including scheduled bus services, and long-distance, chartered & local coach services.
The median increase in weekly earnings for bus and coach drivers, including overtime, was 29.4% between 2021 and 2024 - outstripping a typical increase of 21.6% for the overall UK population over the same period.
The increase, according to the Office for National Statistics, exceeds that of other shift workers such as police officers, whose pay has risen by 9.7%. It beats wage growth, too, for heavy goods vehicle drivers, whose pay rose by 21% between 2021 and 2024.
There are more than 82,000 bus drivers in the UK. Rising wages have contributed to a 17% increase in the per-kilometre cost of operating a bus over the last two years according to the Confederation of Passenger Transport’s regular Cost Monitor, which analyses bus operators’ finances. Labour and engineering have been the biggest factors pushing up costs over the period.
Graham Vidler, Chief Executive of the CPT, said: “Driving a bus or a coach is a vital job. These are the people who get us to work, to school or into town every day and they play a crucial role in keeping communities connected.
“Bus companies across the country value their drivers and appreciate the hard work they do in keeping Britain moving, rain or shine. But pay awards need to be affordable and sustainable in the very challenging economic environment.”
Source: ONS Standard Occupational Classification 2020 table 14.1a