Junior drivers aged 18 or over who drive a passenger vehicle in sole charge must be paid the adult rate for that class of work (cl 15.2(b)).
Which award covers bus drivers
Bus and coach drivers employed by private operators are covered by the Passenger Vehicle Transportation Award 2020 [MA000063]. Your grade depends on the bus and the work, set out in Schedule A of the award.
Grade 2 includes school bus drivers carrying fewer than 25 children. Grade 3 covers school buses carrying 25 or more children, route buses carrying fewer than 25 passengers, and charter or single-day tour work with a return distance under 650 km. Grade 4 covers route buses carrying 25 or more passengers and coach drivers on extended tours of 650 km or more.
Grade 5 drivers instruct and induct other drivers and operate special services, and Grade 6 are supervisors and trainers who also drive.
Route drivers employed by a state government operator, or by a contractor with a registered enterprise agreement, are paid under that agreement instead. The award is the legal minimum for employers it covers.
Read the Passenger Vehicle Transportation Award 2020 [MA000063] on the Fair Work Commission’s site (consolidated to 1 July 2026).
Bus Driver award pay rates 2026–27
These rates apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Part-time employees are paid the same hourly rates for the hours they work.
Bus driver pay rates by grade, 2026–27
Clause 15.1 of the award. Casual rates from the award's Schedule B.2.1.
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 1Non-driving: yard, cleaning, coach attendants | $27.34 | $1,038.80 | $54,018 | $34.18 |
| Grade 2School bus under 25 children; hire car | $27.97 | $1,062.90 | $55,271 | $34.96 |
| Grade 3School bus 25+; small route bus; charter under 650 km | $29.55 | $1,122.80 | $58,386 | $36.94 |
| Grade 4Route bus 25+ passengers; extended coach tours | $30.59 | $1,162.40 | $60,445 | $38.24 |
| Grade 5Driver who instructs and inducts others | $32.27 | $1,226.30 | $63,768 | $40.34 |
| Grade 6Supervisor / trainer | $33.70 | $1,280.50 | $66,586 | $42.13 |
Annual is the weekly rate × 52, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Bus Driver penalty rates and overtime
| When you work | Full-time / part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Early or late work (before 6 am or after 7 pm) | 115% | 140% |
| Saturday | 150% | 175% |
| Sunday | 200% | 225% |
| Public holiday | 250% | 275% |
Percentages of the minimum hourly rate for ordinary hours (cl 20.1). Casual percentages include the 25% loading. Penalty and overtime rates are not cumulative — you get whichever is higher. Two-driver operations have a different table (cl 20.2).
Overtime
- 150% for the first 3 hours, then 200% (cl 19.2).
- Where overtime and a penalty both apply, you are paid the higher of the two, not both.
Work out a shift with penalties or overtime using the overtime pay calculator.
Bus Driver pay after tax
On the Grade 4 rate of $1,162.40 a week, a full-time bus driver earns $60,445 a year before tax.
| Gross annual pay | $60,445 |
|---|---|
| Income tax (after LITO) | −$8,560 |
| Medicare levy | −$1,209 |
| Take-home per year | $50,676 |
| Take-home per week | $975 |
2026–27 resident tax rates with the low income tax offset and the 2% Medicare levy; no HECS-HELP repayment and no Medicare levy surcharge. Superannuation is paid on top by your employer. For the full breakdown see take-home pay on $60,000 (the nearest step to $60,445), or put in your own hours with the weekly pay calculator.
What bus drivers actually earn
Jobs and Skills Australia puts median full-time earnings for Bus and Coach Drivers (ANZSCO 7312) at $1,795 a week ($41 an hour), against $1,852 a week for all occupations.
Median weekly pay of full-time, non-managerial adult employees before tax and salary sacrifice, from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (May 2025) as published by Jobs and Skills Australia. It reflects what employers actually pay, including people on enterprise agreements or above-award salaries, so it is a market figure, not a legal minimum.
What this page does not show
- Two-driver operation rates (cl 20.2), which use a different structure.
- Enterprise agreement rates for state government and contracted route operators.
- Allowances such as meal and first aid allowances.
Bus Driver pay questions
Pay rates for other jobs
How this page is sourced▼
Every minimum rate was read from the Fair Work Commission's consolidated text of the Passenger Vehicle Transportation Award 2020, consolidated to 1 July 2026, on 23 September 2026. Casual rates are the award's own published figures wherever it publishes them. Nothing is estimated.
The median comes from Jobs and Skills Australia’s occupation profile and is a market figure, not an entitlement. Take-home figures use the same tax engine as the rest of this site. Award rates change every 1 July, so re-check after the next Annual Wage Review.
Sources & References
- 1Passenger Vehicle Transportation Award 2020 [MA000063] — consolidated to 1 July 2026— Fair Work Commission
- 2Pay guides for modern awards— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 3Annual Wage Review 2025–26 decision [2026] FWCFB 3500— Fair Work Commission
- 4Bus and Coach Drivers (ANZSCO 7312) occupation profile — ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025— Jobs and Skills Australia
Last verified: 23 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
Anita Bell
AuthorFounder & Senior Bookkeeper
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Anita Bell earned her accountancy degree in 2015 and has worked as a senior bookkeeper with Prime Bookkeeping for over 5 years. This built her skills in Australian and New Zealand tax legislation and industry regulations. She is certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One, and works with payroll and rostering software including Gusto, Deputy, Tsheets and KeyPay. She has strong experience in hospitality, building and construction, financial services, real estate, ecommerce, and medical and health services.
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