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Transit bus driver salaries can be $160,000 per year
Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 5:51 am
by CanadaAir
Transit bus driver salaries can be $160,000 per year.
Some people calling the posted salaries for transit bus drivers false.
The transit bus driver salaries posted are real salaries paid out posted by the Government of Ontario.
The salaries below are for operators, not managers.
These are the higher end of the salary range with the Toronto Transit Commission.
These rates are higher than many Captains at WestJet.

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These are the lower end of the salary range with BC transit, paid out salaries posted by the Government of BC.
These rates are higher than many First Officers at WestJet.

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Re: Transit bus driver salaries can be $160,000 per year
Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 5:55 am
by CanadaAir
In advance, Rookiepilot
You often post salaries from glassdoor.
Glassdoor salary information is self-reported and not verified
These salaries are not from glassdoor.
Above actual salaries were posted by the government as real pay.
These salaries aren't false information, as Rookiepilot accuse in the other topic
Re: Transit bus driver salaries can be $160,000 per year
Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 6:01 am
by digits_
Ok. So what? You're welcome to apply if you think you will be happier in that career.
I don't find it weird that a job dealing with Toronto traffic non stop would pay above average. You're also making the same mistake the media make when they report 'pilots make 250k for 6 days of work a month!'. Cherry picking your examples to make a dramatic post.
Re: Transit bus driver salaries can be $160,000 per year
Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 6:32 am
by CanadaAir
digits_ wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 6:01 am
Ok. So what? You're welcome to apply if you think you will be happier in that career.
I don't find it weird that a job dealing with Toronto traffic non stop would pay above average. You're also making the same mistake the media make when they report 'pilots make 250k for 6 days of work a month!'. Cherry picking your examples to make a dramatic post.
WestJet released this statement to the media and the public
"WestJet’s 737 pilots are amongst the top Canadian income earners across all professions."
The transit bus driver salaries show this isn't the case. The transit bus driver's earning higher rates compared to the pilot for time in industry.
The skill of the pilot & investment in education exceeds the transit bus driver.
Not cherry picking examples.
The range of salaries was shown, from $70,000 to $170,000.
Re: Transit bus driver salaries can be $160,000 per year
Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 7:01 am
by DanWEC
My brother just graduated from CBSA. No post secondary. 13 weeks of class. 70k something to start, 80+ after 6 months. 100k within a few years and nice pension. 4 on 3 off. Not a bad gig.
Re: Transit bus driver salaries can be $160,000 per year
Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 7:17 am
by pelmet
Re: Transit bus driver salaries can be $160,000 per year
Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 7:31 am
by CanadaAir
Transit driving is a dangerous job.
The drivers are responsible for lives.
They deserve higher pay.
This post doesn't imply that transit drivers should be paid less.
The post shows how pilots, with responsibility for lives and dangerous work are paid less than the transit drivers.
Where's the danger pay for pilots?
Where's the extra pay for having to get security passes, and daily security scans?
The danger pay for when something goes wrong? Or working in a pandemic?
Re: Transit bus driver salaries can be $160,000 per year
Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 7:45 am
by digits_
CanadaAir wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 7:31 am
Where's the danger pay for pilots?
It's interesting you're asking for danger pay when you're working in what's supposed to be the safest form of transportation....
Re: Transit bus driver salaries can be $160,000 per year
Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 7:53 am
by rando
The best way to negotiate pay, it if you are willing to leave if you don’t get what you demand you are worth. Dust off the resume. Unless you are willing to quit, most people struggle to make substantial wage gains.
Unfortunately contracts put pilots in a corner because seniority has to much value. If you were to change this, and make lateral movement not such a set back mobility would be huge.
Imagine a 10 year AC pilot could shift over to westjet and get a left seat for more pay rather than be at the bottom of the list new hire pay. Wages would increase FAST! Imagine pensions were portable.
Problem is how do we change our contracts to work for us and not the company. I know what A and B looks like I just don’t know how to get from A to B.
Re: Transit bus driver salaries can be $160,000 per year
Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 7:55 am
by rando
digits_ wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 7:45 am
CanadaAir wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 7:31 am
Where's the danger pay for pilots?
It's interesting you're asking for danger pay when you're working in what's supposed to be the safest form of transportation....
Not according to life insurance stats. Aviation includes more than 705 ops.
Re: Transit bus driver salaries can be $160,000 per year
Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 8:02 am
by digits_
rando wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 7:55 am
digits_ wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 7:45 am
CanadaAir wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 7:31 am
Where's the danger pay for pilots?
It's interesting you're asking for danger pay when you're working in what's supposed to be the safest form of transportation....
Not according to life insurance stats. Aviation includes more than 705 ops.
The topic is about Westjet Captain salaries. Not 703 medevac ops or crop dusting.
Re: Transit bus driver salaries can be $160,000 per year
Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 8:37 am
by rando
digits_ wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 8:02 am
rando wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 7:55 am
digits_ wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 7:45 am
It's interesting you're asking for danger pay when you're working in what's supposed to be the safest form of transportation....
Not according to life insurance stats. Aviation includes more than 705 ops.
The topic is about Westjet Captain salaries. Not 703 medevac ops or crop dusting.
Most westjet captains started at a job that was not statistically as safe as their current job.
So are we saying the more dangerous the job the more the pay should be? Maybe 703 jobs should pay more than 705? Everyone just pulls on the ropes that support their narrative.
I think the best way to look is through a more broad lens. The overall anticipated career earnings, benefits, lifestyle of a bus driver vs pilot. What does mobility look like, overall compensation etc.
Looking at the number the bus driver might win. Takes to long as a pilot to progress, and to much risk. Medical/career progression less guarantees etc. time value of money. You could be 25 and making 6 figures as a bus driver. As a pilot it’s always 3 steps forward 2 steps back each time you try to progress. Of course this is dynamic and changing. Today pilots get into 705 ops way younger than the previous generation had to contend with. So things change, some for better some for worse.
Re: Transit bus driver salaries can be $160,000 per year
Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 9:08 am
by digits_
rando wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 8:37 am
digits_ wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 8:02 am
rando wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 7:55 am
Not according to life insurance stats. Aviation includes more than 705 ops.
The topic is about Westjet Captain salaries. Not 703 medevac ops or crop dusting.
Most westjet captains started at a job that was not statistically as safe as their current job.
How is that relevant? Does Westjet have to pay danger pay when they are offering you a safe job, because you had to work at unsafe jobs before WestJet hired you?
I'm all for raising pilot wages, but the mental gymnastics to justify it are sometimes quite baffling...
Re: Transit bus driver salaries can be $160,000 per year
Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 9:42 am
by photofly
None of this changes the fact that nobody longs for a career as a bus driver, and millions dream of being an airline pilot.
Re: Transit bus driver salaries can be $160,000 per year
Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 9:46 am
by digits_
I think the next company proposal during the WestJet negotiations will be that Onex is purchasing a bus company, and then pilots can bid to work there to make more money while accruing seniority at mainline.
High seniority bus drivers will be offered DEC 737 spots if they're ok with taking a pay cut

Re: Transit bus driver salaries can be $160,000 per year
Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 9:50 am
by photofly
digits_ wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 9:46 am
I think the next company proposal during the WestJet negotiations will be that Onex is purchasing a bus company, and then pilots can bid to work there to make more money while accruing seniority at mainline.
High seniority bus drivers will be offered DEC 737 spots if they're ok with taking a pay cut
Just to be clear, do you, or do you not, have to spend a year throwing bags in the back of that bus before the company will consider letting you drive it?
Re: Transit bus driver salaries can be $160,000 per year
Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 9:56 am
by digits_
photofly wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 9:50 am
digits_ wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 9:46 am
I think the next company proposal during the WestJet negotiations will be that Onex is purchasing a bus company, and then pilots can bid to work there to make more money while accruing seniority at mainline.
High seniority bus drivers will be offered DEC 737 spots if they're ok with taking a pay cut
Just to be clear, do you, or do you not, have to spend a year throwing bags in the back of that bus before the company will consider letting you drive it?
Only pilots will have to do that, because they have already demonstrated they are willing to do it.
But if the bus driver thinks they are a good worker, he will let them release the parking brake and operate the entertainment system. To gain experience you know. After all, it's an actual bus. Not a computerized airplane where the autopilot does all the work. And there's no substitute for experience. Some things you just can't train.
Re: Transit bus driver salaries can be $160,000 per year
Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 11:02 am
by JHR
photofly wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 9:50 am
digits_ wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 9:46 am
I think the next company proposal during the WestJet negotiations will be that Onex is purchasing a bus company, and then pilots can bid to work there to make more money while accruing seniority at mainline.
High seniority bus drivers will be offered DEC 737 spots if they're ok with taking a pay cut
Just to be clear, do you, or do you not, have to spend a year throwing bags in the back of that bus before the company will consider letting you drive it?
You could throw bags or there is also an option to instruct on bicycles first

Re: Transit bus driver salaries can be $160,000 per year
Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 11:22 am
by nutlord
digits_ wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 7:45 am
CanadaAir wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 7:31 am
Where's the danger pay for pilots?
It's interesting you're asking for danger pay when you're working in what's supposed to be the safest form of transportation....
You're not likely to crash, but you're making some big health sacrifices by spending long times sitting idly while getting bombarded with extra radiation. There are serious health implications to becoming a professional pilot.