Bus Operator

Salary: $25.15 - $31.44 Hourly
Location : Lincoln, NE
Job Type: Full time/probationary or status
Job Number: 202600464R
Department: Transportation & Utilities Department
Division: StarTran
Opening Date: 08/26/2026


Job Posting Information
Next Stop, You're Hired! Join Lincoln's transit system as a StarTran Bus Operator and start enjoying the best view of the city. Bus Operators are essential to contributing to Lincoln's transportation options and they spend their careers connecting with the community while helping the public get to where they need to be.
Bus Operators offer professional and dependable service to riders who enjoy Lincoln's buses, paratransit, and on-demand services. Bus Operators work independently while always contributing to the team environment. Bus operators will need to bend, flex, push, and pull a wheelchair or other mobility device in order to assist passengers. Individuals who are bilingual are encouraged to apply.
StarTran is one of 11 divisions within the City of Lincoln Transportation and Utilities (LTU) Department. The LTU team provides transit, transportation and utilities services year-round. Nearly 600 team members make up LTU. We fuel the importance of building relationships within our divisions, department and with our partners. We value our team's forward-thinking and pride ourselves on our good stewardship of our environment. We celebrate our individual strengths that in turn, take our teams to new levels of accomplishment. We commit ourselves to offering additional training opportunities and develop a variety of paths for professional job growth. Our teammates enjoy benefits that include but are not limited to a retirement match, paid vacation, holidays, sick leave, and health, dental, and vision benefits. Join the largest department at the City of Lincoln today. We are excited to enhance our community's quality of life together.

• Possession of valid NE commercial driver's license is required, or ability to obtain CDL within 60 days of employment.
• All driving records will be checked to meet standards through the Department of Motor Vehicles.
• NOTE: Serious driving convictions will be cause for rejection if convicted within the last three (3) years. Other driving record factors will be considered on an individual basis.
• Must be able to pass Federal Department of Transportation physical standards.
• Must comply with the requirements of the established policies when working with passengers.
• Performs all actions necessary to comply with StarTran's reporting procedures.
• Uses two-way radio to communicate with dispatcher.
• THIS SAFETY SENSITIVE POSITION IS SUBJECT TO MANDATORY DRUG TESTING POLICIES AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT.

Qualifications : Must be at least 18 years of age and meet such driving record and physical requirements as established by the City of Lincoln.

Commercial Learner's Permit required at start date. Training, including Entry Level Driver Training, will be provided prior to testing for a Commercial Driver's License (CDL).

Hours: Full Time; Monday through Saturday; Hours to be scheduled.
Hours vary: Morning, Day, Evening, and Split Shift opportunities available. Mandatory overtime will be required at times.
Pay:

$24.42 - $30.52 Hourly

$1,953.60 - $2,441.60 Biweekly

$50,793.60 - $63,481.60 Annually
Will reimburse for Commercial Driver's License test/training for CDL

Multiple openings and eligibility list.

Take a look at what it is like to be a part of Lincoln's transit team! For more detailed benefits information, please visit
We value each City of Lincoln employee and one way we demonstrate this is by providing an attractive and competitive total compensation package that adds value to our employees' professional and personal lives. The following benefits are available for this position:

• Pay increases are available upon completion of the 6-month new employee probationary period, and annually thereafter based on performance.

• We encourage a healthy work-life balance by offering 10 days of vacation leave and approximately 12 days of sick leave annually that you begin accruing upon hire; plus 8 paid holidays and 4 personal convenience days.

• All medical, dental, and vision benefits for you and your family begin the first of the month following hire, no need to wait!

• 30 days of Paid Parental Leave

• Employee Assistance Programs offering work/life services, wellness coaching, short-term counseling, legal assistance, and financial coaching.

• Up to 3 days of Funeral and Bereavement Leave

• $50,000 of Life Insurance.

• 401(a) Retirement Plan . If you make a 7% contribution, the City will contribute 9%

• Employer provided Post Employment Health Plan for eligible medical expenses that occur after you leave City employment.

• Optional benefits include:
  • Medical and/or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
  • Allstate Voluntary Plans
  • Supplemental Term Life
  • Deferred Compensation Plans

01


APPLICATION COMPLETION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTTo successfully complete your application, please make sure you read each statement below and check ALL boxes prior to submission.

• 1. This application is hand scored.
• 2. ALL questions must be fully answered to receive full credit.
• 3. "See Resume", or answers such as "See ___" are not acceptable responses and will not receive full credit.
• 4. Copied/Pasted answers will not receive full credit.
• 5. ALL employers and education referred to in answers must be listed in the Work History and Education sections of the application for verification and to receive full credit.
• 6. I understand I am responsible for the accuracy and completeness of my application.
• 7. I Acknowledge that I have read and understand each of the above statements.

02


Are you at least 18 years of age? (It is unlawful to operate such a motor bus with a driver or operator under age 18 years old.)

• Yes
• No

03


Are you available to work between the hours of 5:00am and 10:00pm?

• Yes
• No

04


Are you willing to work a split shift? (Example: 5:00am to 9:00am and again same day from 3:00pm to 7:00pm)

• Yes
• No

05


Are you available to work six days/week - Monday through Saturday?

• Yes
• No

06


I understand that this position is at times required to work mandatory overtime, and I am able to work mandatory overtime.

• Yes
• No

07


I understand, as a condition of my employment for the position I am applying for with the City of Lincoln that I must at all times be legally licensed to operate a COMMERCIAL motor vehicle.

• Yes
• No

08


I understand that I will be required to obtain a valid Nebraska Commercial Driver's License with endorsements, if applicable, within 60 days of appointment or I will be terminated. Further, I understand that if my driving privileges and/or license is at any time suspended, revoked, impounded, or in any other way removed by the State of Nebraska, that I must, as a condition of future employment with the City/County, report that fact IMMEDIATELY to my supervisor. Forms are available in each department. Further, I understand that this document is an official City/County record, and that falsification of this document, or failure to report loss of driving privileges and/or license in the future is grounds for my being disciplined, if hired, or removed from the list of certified eligibles.

• Yes
• No

09


Do you have a valid commercial driver's license (C. D. L.)?

• Yes
• No

10


Endorsements: (Check all that apply)

• Passenger Transport
• Air Brakes
• None

11


If yes, for verification purposes please list your driver's license number, and the state of issuance.
12


Do you have a valid driver's license?

• Yes
• no

13


If yes, for verification purposes please list your driver's license number, and the state of issuance.
14


I understand that in accordance with Federal Transit Administration and Department of Transportation Regulations, each individual conditionally hired for a safety sensitive position is subject to mandatory drug and alcohol testing. Any applicant who refuses or fails to execute the City/County's general consent and release form to be drug and alcohol tested, who refuses or fails to execute the City/County's authorization to obtain past drug and alcohol test results forms, who refuses or fails to submit to a pre-employment/pre-duty drug and alcohol test as directed, or whose result is positive for either test, will not be considered eligible to work for the City/County. Existing workers who test positive will not be considered qualified for the position for which they are applying and will also be subject to the City/County discipline, up to and including discharge. All pre-employment job applicants covered by this policy who test positive will not be hired.

• Yes
• No

15


I understand that any applicant has the right to have their original split sample retested (by a DHHS certified laboratory, the original laboratory will follow approved transfer procedures) at their expense, if requested in writing to the City/County Human Resources Director within 72 hours of the final result provided by the Medical Review Officer. If upon retest the results are found to be negative, the City/County will reimburse the costs involved with the retest. (If the second test is found to be positive, the applicant will not be hired, and the cost of the retest will not be reimbursed.) Current employees transferring, promoting or demoting into a position requiring drug testing who test positive have the right to have their sample retested (by a DHHS certified laboratory, the original laboratory will follow approved transfer procedures) at their expense, if requested in writing to the City/County Human Resources Director within 72 hours of the final result provided by the MRO. If upon retest the results are found to be negative, the City/County will reimburse the costs involved with the retest. If the results of the retest, are positive, the cost will not be reimbursed.

• Yes
• No

16


I understand, if hired to a safety sensitive position, I am subject to Random, Post Accident, Reasonable/Suspicion, Return to Duty and Follow-Up drug and alcohol testing. Failure to comply with federal mandates and City/County Policy could result in discipline up to and including termination.

• Yes
• No

17


Have you previously failed or refused a Department of Transportation drug or alcohol test within the previous two years?

• Yes
• No

Required Question