bus driver

driver

owner operator driver

truck driver

diesel mechanic

First Transit

What is the best part of working at the company?
The people there are so easy to get along with,  even the managers/bosses are fairly good communicators and open to talking when you need to. The buses are in decent shape and there are crews that do the maintenance,  cleaning and fueling which is very nice. I drove for a school district and we had 15 minutes per day to clean and fuel our buses or we got in trouble. TransDev is a good place to work! You feel like an individual and not a number. Decent training, but speak up if you feel you need to go over something again and they normally will accommodate that. They can't read your mind so if you need more training,  tell the trainers! People there are happy and many have made it a career position which speaks well of the job and how they are treated.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Remembering new routes and not getting stops confused because some routes have some stops the same so need to keep your mind on the route you're driving then so as not to accidentally go to the wrong stop (switching routes mentally that have a lot of crossover). Going off route is a three strikes you're out thing, so keep your route trees with you so you can make sure you don't make a wrong turn! ASK if you're unsure about a direction, etc.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Business and fast moving, but also friendly is the overall mood. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Make sure your uniform is correct and that you have your ID which also gets you into the building, plus your card to scan to clock in.  Clock in at the exact minute you're supposed to for your run, re: if your run clocks in at 0643 then it won't let you clock in at 0642 and you're late at 0644. Then get paper towels to wipe your mirrors if you need them (available in a dispenser near the door to the busyard), sign in with dispatch and show your driver license and DOT Health Card, either memorize or write down your bus number and what row it's in and get to your bus. Make sure you have your yellow safety vest on in the lot but take it off to drive. Start your bus, write the mileage, date, bus #, and sign the book on the bus. Do your walk-around both outside and inside and mark of items in the checklist. Call for a radio check and once they call back, mark it on that list.  Tear off the top white sheet, drive your bus closer to the exit, park it/secure it, run that white sheet to a particularly for those sheets near the exit. Back to bus, remove yellow safety vest and hang behind drivers chair on hook provided. Buckle up and leave the yard.  Go to all your stops and either pick up or drop off people. Use your most friendly and appropriate customer service but mostly as they enter and exit. Try not to hold discussions with passengers while you are driving. Get back at the end of your run, park where you're supposed to for the bus you've had that day.  Put your yellow safety vest on and do another but quicker walk-around and verify by marking the yellow sheet that was under the white sheet you turned in before exiting the lot earlier.  Keep the yellow vest on till you're inside the building. Turn in paperwork if necessary.  Turn in any lost and found items after dispatch gives you the clipboard to log items in and a tag to log and attach to the item found.  Clock out when all your work duties are completed. Sign back in after all the paperwork and directly after you clock out.  Then give a smile and nice words to whomever is in dispatch and head home.

I'm reviewing this on my own personal experience. Your mileage may vary. I only stayed there for a month, and I feel I really gave this place an honest chance. For the most part, the people were mostly friendly. There was one young woman there who had a definite attitude. I made the HUGE mistake on disagreeing with her on something trivial and she gave me the "Big Freeze" for the rest of the time there. It was almost laughable, but I let it go because by that time I didn't care about that stupid place and already knew I wasn't going to stay. 

The bathrooms get overloaded with garbage and are filthy by the end of the day. The break room is cramped. The starting pay was only 12 dollars an hour, 13 if you can speak Spanish. Which to me was a bit unfair. It's not like I would pass a call to a Spanish speaking person. They have a translator option there, where everything goes through a translator on the phone. 

You are not "allowed" to look at your cell phone, look at the internet, eat at your desk, though some did break the rules. Some of the people calling for rides (these are FREE state paid for rides for people with Medicaid coverage) were incredibly abusive. 

If you want to work at a call center, there are MUCH better options. The health insurance isn't too bad, that was what I was mainly going to stick it out for, but as the timed neared where I had to make a decision, I knew I just couldn't do this job.

I'm not the only one. There are so many people flying out of that place it's hard to keep up with them. You can sort of tell which ones are counting the days, like a prison wall calendar. Marking off time until whatever small financial gain they need is met and they can get out of there. 

To be fair, there are the ones who are troopers, who are able to come in every day and just do there job and go home. But that is the hard core group and they are used to the place and sometimes it's easier to just stick out a job that you know than go through all the aggravation of trying to find and start a new job. It's not like they are in love with the place.

Another thing is they are just cheap. I remember asking if they had a Christmas Party there, and found out they have some lame pot luck, where everybody brings something into that dirty break room. Wow. I have never worked ANYWHERE where the management didn't splurge on SOMETHING for the workers at Christmas. Even if it's just cheap deli. 

They do nothing to make the place fun or interesting. It's boring, you are expected to take abuse from callers, and the pay was almost offensive for the work expected and abusive callers. The place is depressing as well. Ugly old building. 

Bottom Line, I left after a month (which I suspect is the normal time for many people) and I don't regret it. Although I'm assuming the minimum wage hike may attract more people. Perhaps that will make the job more worthwhile for some. But then again, if everybody is hiking the pay up, then I would still find someplace else. But again, that's just my opinion. Somebody else might find the place tolerable. The people are MOSTLY okay. And there are some very nice ones there as well.

Former Driver,  This location (Woodbridge, VA) was practically fine about 6 years ago, however with new "management" & unfair practices, rampant unfairness, Union weak (regardless of numbers of members) - sides with Management, little or no backbone), Union contract weak in favor of needs of business/Mgmnt, moral & work conditions have gone steeply downhill. Don't listen to employees concerns/don't care.  This included about on-job practices, bus & work conditions, route issues, weather & unsafe driving (even Metro closed for bad weather), during "snow" events  less than normal ridership/gov't closed but they penalized us if you didn't drive on icy, dangerous poorly pre-treated roads Certain Managers/Supervisors/Dispatchers have unfair and unhealthy work ethics - i.e.  outright lying on employees to upper Management - who unfortunately believe whatever comes to them .  Speak & treat employees in negative, rude manners in front of other employees, as to embarrass and degrade certain employees they don't care for.  While at the same time verbally & physically in view (emlpoyee lounge, etc.) favor & "buddy-up" to, practice the "Good Ol Boy/Girl" system - even though a soc-called "Incentive Program" is in place.  Most Dispatchers are rude (especially over the radio) as well as certain Supervisors who are placed from the ranks of employees, but have no Management training as far as how to treat employees.  Do not follow First Transit Workplace Policies and Procedures themselves.  American-born employees are shunned while employees from other groups are treated more favorably.  Filing complaints does no good and if you take off as "sick" - it is really not considered sick.  Expected to show up for work (as many do that are applauded) and spread germs to other employees and Commuters on the buses.   Buses not sanitized or cleaned properly as well.   No chance for advancement, unless you decide to join in with their unfair games.  Pay is decent, benefits good, but HR and Admin/Payroll Departments - you have to cross fingers you get correct pay (overtime also) or that you catch them in a good mood to discuss any questions.  Most enjoyable part of job was driving the passengers, getting commendations verbally from them and getting off yard where you're being constantly watched & harassed to perform nervously to the management's desire.  If you say or report anything, you are treated even worse, hard or not able to prove negative retaliation from Mgmnt, even though supposedly protected under "Contract/Whistleblower" laws.

Good job, pay is above minimum wage, the people are really nice, and the work is enjoyable; that is if you're a people person like myself. The only two negatives is that there is very little room for short term advancement, and management tends to micro-manage which places added stress on the drivers and dispatch personnel. 

The micro-management is one of the reasons I left and their was a "Barney Five/ Colonel Flag" Supervisor who all the drivers literally hated when I was there. He would drive use all crazy with his manipulative antics. Now, I actually finally left do to car/transportation issues.

Now, for the record, it is very good job, but their management practices need a little work. My opinion was they had managers in the wrong job positions. The managers were good, but some of them were in management positions their personalities and talents were just not suited for. Which resulted in poor communication and management strategies issues with the drivers.

Now, things might have changed since I left over 18 months ago, and I honestly I hope they have. It is the perfect job for someone who is considering being a professional transit or truck driver. The safety training and intense focus on safety and professionalism is way better than you would ever get at any professional commercial/truck driver training school. I should know, I went to one of the best professional truck driver schools. I learned so much about safety at Transdev and I am thankful for that. I'm a way better driver because of the training and work experience I received at Transdev.

To be honest, I actually do not like to talk negative about a past employer. But, I also believe in being honest about situations. I have found only through honesty can you find the issues and fix them. Plus, in this situation, it lets possible applicants be aware of things they may experience if they take the position. 

Now, if you should decide to apply for this position; be aware when going into the transit and transportation field, you will find that safety is always primary and being on time is the primary second, along with professionalism. Also be warned a lot of transportation companies micro-manage and if an employer doesn't micro-manage they tend to fire you if you get into a accident.The micro-management companies tend to give you a second, or even a third chance, as long as the accident(s) are not over a certain dollar amount.

This is a great job for safe driver who enjoys interacting positively with passengers and likes meeting new people on a daily basis.

I personally give this job a Thumbs Up...

I loved my job at first.

I was hired in 2019 and was amazed at how great everything seemed and how the culture in the place itself was like nothing I had ever experienced (in a good way).

Then COVID hit. Though I did go back sooner than some people, things had drastically changed. And I don't just mean having to wear masks and such. Before, there had been excellent (and free) snack and drink options. And there was a fairly small number of people that worked there, so parking could be a little annoying depending on when you worked and got there but it is horrible now. Beyond that, everything seemed so nice, and it was, sadly, the best job I had ever had.

But now, depending on where you launch from, parking can be so bad that you have to get there early if you want something close. Drink and snack options are nowhere near what they used to be. And that's just the little stuff. You have five PTO days for the year! Yes, you have 10 other days you can take off, but they won't be paid. Also, the pay seemed excellent, but I've come to find out that it's actually low compared to other companies.

You'll also always know that you are a contractor, even if you are a full-time Transdev employee. You'll feel it when it comes to being around any Waymo employees. Don't even think about trying to become a Waymo employee unless you know all the right people. Don't even think about advancing unless you are best buds with the right people.

Though I mostly like my direct managers, I've come to notice that they are sometimes just as helpless as you are in changing anything. Oh, and forget about communication. No one communicates with anyone else! Even the different shifts don't communicate with each other! Expect to get one answer from one person and a completely different answer from another. Even though training is mostly standardized for major things like being in the vehicle, it all depends on your instructor. I've driven and talked with many new people who were told completely different things than I was. Training has drastically changed as well. I know there are many people who are there that would have failed my training class. It's become all about the numbers. Miles, mainly. And you are replaceable. Come in, do your job, and don't complain; you'll be fine. Just don't expect a career here unless you know the right people.

If you're considering a Operator role here, be prepared for a workplace that consistently disregards personal time; it's an almost daily occurrence to work 1 to 3 hours past your scheduled shift, often disrupting your personal plans. While your workdays are predictably scheduled for 40 hours with easy time-off requests, the routine daily overtime is a significant challenge. Management largely stays in their offices, leading to low morale due to a lack of direct interaction. However, supervisors and trainers are a highlight, actively engaging with staff and even stepping in to help when needed.

Despite being a unionized environment, the pay and benefits are notably poor, often matching or falling below fast-food wages and significantly trailing industry averages for union roles, especially compared to fixed-route operators. This workplace also sees frequent state labor law violations, particularly through forced combined lunch and rest breaks or missed breaks due to excessive workload. Adding to the frustration, our own union member dispatchers often overstep their authority by assigning extra work that causes overtime and instructing us to shorten breaks. Operations are further complicated by daily route manifests that are almost always completely overhauled, leading to extended ride times for clients.

On the positive side, the training provided is excellent after the initial permit phase, with dedicated instructors offering extra practice. The company maintains a strong focus on safety with regular meetings and monitoring, and the workforce is notably diverse. While the main yard facilities are basic, they're mostly functional. Although our company takes passenger issues seriously, the overarching government transit agency we contract for often imposes arbitrary rules that hinder efficiency, such as preventing the use of direct routes. Complaints can be effectively filed with either the company or the union. Ultimately, the most enjoyable aspects of the job are the positive interactions with most coworkers and clients and the freedom of being out on the road. However, the overall sentiment among operators is one of widespread frustration, largely due to the unpredictable hours, low pay, detached management, and operational inefficiencies.


Loved driving the bus and meeting new people all the time.  Typical day check in with dispatch get bus number assignment.  Collect transfer slips, check detour list.  Go out to my assigned bus and do safety check.  This included checking all tires for tread wear, ensure that the lug nuts were secure. Check the engine for damaged belts, start the bus check the brakes by testing emergency brake. Test the wheelchair lift for any defects and in working condition. Check all doors and windows for cracks.  Check all mirrors ensure they are in good condition, adjust mirrors for my needs to drive.  Ensure that the fire extinguisher is valid and full.  Check the secure straps for the wheelchair area. Check the bike rack for any defects, and verify that all lights and flashers are in working order and not cracked or broken.  

I learned a lot that goes into getting your bus ready and safe before departing the garage. Learned how to be a defensive driver and to always look 15-20 seconds ahead to determine any traffic issues.  

Management is very good and understanding.  I had to leave unfortunately because i had severe illness that was not diagnosed correctly and i had to miss a lot of work.  I had to resign due to that issue.  Diagnosis has been resolved and I am at 100% healthy and ready to go full speed to get my career started.

My co-workers were awesome all very friendly and loving. 

The hardest part of the job was the fact that 80-90% of the shifts available are all split shifts example i had a 6 am start time i had to be at the garage by 530 am to get my assignment, park my car, walk to my bus in the lot begin my safety check to be out of the gate by 6 am to make my 1st stop location by 630.  I would work til 915am return my bus, do my report of miles and check for any damages that may have occurred during my route.  Leave for home around 925 am get home by 10 am.  Then return back to the garage for my afternoon shift that started at 3pm (same routine as am shift) leave home by 2 pm to arrive at garage by 230pm give myself 30 minutes to get assignment, safety check and leave by 3 pm.  Mind you that that 30 minutes that i was there early to ensure safety was not paid time.  My afternoon shift started at 3pm ended at 749 pm. Driving to and from the garage twice a day. 

The most enjoyable part of my job was the fact that i met a lot of interesting and nice people on the bus.  Got to know my regular passengers names and their pick up and stops.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Unfortunately this company which is heavily funded with R&D money from sources like Google, Waymo, and outside sources is truly poorly operated.  The management team at TransDev is full of inflated egos that not only play favoritism, is highly insecure, and has no true game plan.  After all these years they have no true leadership, guidance or strategy to promote an environment that encourages growth, but instead they stiffen people with ideas and experience.  Employees are not valued but treated more like cattle and made to feel "less than".  After one year I decided this job is not where I want to give my time, energy and efforts due to lack of appreciation and ethics from management.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The most stressful part was coming to work and not knowing if your AVOS would be in a good mood or if they would simply take out their frustration on the team.  Also stressful was coming to work just to find out last minute you are being relocated to another site with another assignment.  Or the countless times the vehicles were down, changed or simply at another site.  The management is clueless to where/why they do what they do.  The wasted resources is almost criminal.  

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The work environment is TOXIC and culture does not induce employees to give their best effort.   Not based on your true abilities, talent or experience, but more so about how you well pucker up to your AVOS, who then puckers up to another AVOM who thinks he or she is God's gift to this industry.  The people they promoted to AVOM really are not qualified and don't even know the product or the technology all that well themselves.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Arrive 15 minutes before shift and frantically have to look for your vehicle which you need to drive that day.  However often that vehicle is not ready to go, charge is so low  you can't go very far, and then they rush you to get out on the street.  If everything is in working order, then you better be ready for the vehicle to misbehave which is why we are hired to begin with.  We are basically the canaries that run into the mines to see if there are any issues.  They monitor our time very strictly, which is fine, but sometimes they do not account for unforeseeable issue, like vehicle failure to engage, etc.

I worked at the Transdev in Englewood, Colorado and this was the most unorganized and unprofessional place that I've EVER experienced. Your much better off working for RTD directly. This company is contracted by RTD so the pay and benefits are not as good. For one, during the training period, there were multiple times when there was no one available to train us. We would come in to work bright and early and were told not to be late only to end up sitting in the training room for hours because the trainer wasn't there. They are also cheap, they expect you to work whenever but wont even provide free coffee. There's a Kuereg machine but you have to bring your own Kcups. The management specifically Solomon and Subena (not sure how to spell his name) are very sexist. While i was being trained for some reason he felt the need to ask me why I wasn't married and if I can cook and have children. Explain to me what that has to do with driving a bus? There was also a Co-worker of mine that was openly gay and management had no problem showing that they didn't approve. At one point they even refereed to him as a "little sissy boy" and told him to stop acting like such a girl. They spend their time staring down women and making us feel uncomfortable. If your a female or openly gay and you think your going to get promoted or taken seriously you better be prepared to wait a long time. I also mentioned on my application AND in the interview that I under no circumstances could work on Sundays and when i was hired I was told that wouldn't be a problem. But when i get my schedule they scheduled me on Sundays anyway. When i asked Solomon about this and told him HR said it wouldn't be a problem he said "Too Bad". So i went directly to HR only to have them say "oh, I didn't know he had a problem with that, I cant do anything about it".  All in all, this place is unorganized, unprofessional, and some of the management is very sexist. There were even plenty of times where even the trainers would talk about how much they hate their job and cant wait to quit. That doesn't inspire employees to want to be there.The one thing i can say is positive about this place is that they train you to get your CDL and you take the CDL driving test on site.  Its been almost 2 years since I've worked there so I hope that for the sake of the company and employees that the management and overall work environment has drastically changed since then.

I was originally contracted at a one of the large silicon tech companies with Adecco. Unfortunately Adecco lost the contract and Transdev took over the contract. It was slightly annoying that we all had to reinterview for our positions and take mandatory health screenings to be hired on with Transdev, however I wanted to keep my job so I did. During the interview I was told by our new manager that we would be receiving 5 days PTO because we had been with the original contracting company for about a year. I was really happy to hear this as it met I could take a paid vacation. I later found out that I had to have surgery, I was bummed but relieved that one of the two weeks I would be off would be paid for with my PTO.  This is when the problems started. My Transdev Manager referred me to HR to discuss my PTO, she was unable to give me any sort of upfront information and took several days to respond to my email where I had requested the PTO a few weeks in advance. 
Eventually the date for my surgery came around, I was given the time off and was told to provide them with a doctors note. I went through with the scheduled surgery, though I had never received any info on my PTO even after a lengthy back and forth email exchange with Transdev HR. It took me two weeks to recover and during that time I never heard anything else about my PTO. I was frustrated but did my best to remain understanding as they had just taken over managing, and were still working out the bugs. During my time off, I received a job offer for a full time position with a company I had been trying to work for. I took the offer and notified Transdev that I would not be coming back, though I still wanted my PTO as I had not been working during my recovery. They still were unable to give me a direct answer which was very frustrating. Eventually I cut my losses and they told me I would not be getting PTO because I left the company before their PTO policy was in place. 
I would advise not working with this company because of their lack of organization and their complete lack of care for their employees health; even though they demanded an onsite doctors exam before hiring. I also found it frustrating that I always had to follow up with them, and they never followed up with me to answer my questions.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Bus driver 110 salaries reported	$23.71 per hour
Driver 134 salaries reported	$24.06 per hour
Owner operator driver 250 salaries reported	$24.19 per hour
Truck driver 8 salaries reported	$22.24 per hour
Diesel mechanic 40 salaries reported	$33.91 per hour

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