School Bus Monitors
Machines can already do 23% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 49%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
School Bus Monitors in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 23% of this job's tasks.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2036, and 49% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 78,420 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $35,100 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 79% for contact with people.
- Also called: Bus Aide, Bus Assistant, Bus Attendant, Bus Monitor.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monitor the conduct of students to maintain discipline and safety | 42% | 36% to 68% | |
| Assist children with disabilities or children with psychological, emotional, or behavioral issues with boarding and exiting the school bus | 11% | 3% to 25% | |
| Buckle seatbelts or fasten wheelchair tie-down straps to secure passengers for transportation | 8% | 3% to 25% | |
| Direct students boarding and exiting the school bus | 8% | 3% to 25% | |
| Respond to students' questions, requests, or complaints | 5% | 32% to 50% | |
| Clean school bus interiors by picking up waste, wiping down windows, or vacuuming | 5% | 3% to 25% | |
| Escort young children across roads or highways | 3% | 3% to 25% | |
| Operate a wheelchair lift to load or unload wheelchairs | 3% | 3% to 25% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills school bus monitors use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Psychiatric Aides44% of tasks by 2035 · US median $44,910
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- Nursing Assistants45% of tasks by 2035 · US median $42,260
- Massage Therapists45% of tasks by 2035 · US median $58,450
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of School Bus Monitors?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2036. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of school bus monitors?
Machines can do 23% of the tasks of school bus monitors today and 49% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 33-9094.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). School Bus Monitors: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/school-bus-monitors/