Other drivers and transport operatives n.e.c.: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time other drivers and transport operatives n.e.c. in the UK earned a median £35,670 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): £3,369 below the all-jobs median of £39,039.
What the figures show
That puts it 190th of 382, in the middle third of occupations.
Median full-time pay: women £19.28 an hour, men £16.06 an hour.
Paid hours are long: a full-time median of 41.9 a week including overtime, against 37.5 across all jobs.
About 75% of the roughly 8,000 employee jobs are full-time.
Since 2021 it has risen 6.7%, from £710.90, slower than the 25.7% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 22,600 people in this line of work across the UK.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20th percentile | – | £542.40 | £13.71 | – | – | £12.91 |
| 25th percentile | £28,448* | £588.80 | £14.00 | – | – | £13.69 |
| 30th percentile | £29,900* | £653.70 | £14.24 | £23,181* | £517.40* | £13.78 |
| 40th percentile | £32,711* | £687.20 | £15.33 | £28,504* | £558.60* | £14.42 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £35,670* | £758.20* | £16.53* | £32,066* | £662.30* | £15.53 |
| 60th percentile | £41,473* | £817.20* | £18.48* | – | £750.10* | £16.48* |
| 70th percentile | – | – | £20.73* | – | £816.90* | £19.19* |
| Mean | £40,493 | £850.60 | £18.84 | £34,381 | £699.10 | £18.42 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | – | £710.90 | £17.52* | – | £696.30* | 5* |
| 2022 revised | – | £663.20* | £15.64* | – | £498.90* | 8* |
| 2023 revised | – | £665.60* | £13.02 | – | – | 5* |
| 2024 revised | £38,604* | £679.30* | £15.72* | – | £591.30* | 8* |
| 2025 provisional | £35,670* | £758.20* | £16.53* | £32,066* | £662.30* | 8* |
Other drivers and transport operatives n.e.c. by region
UK: 22,600 (± 5,800), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What other drivers and transport operatives n.e.c. do
Job holders in this unit group monitor the activities of bus drivers, conductors and other road transport depot drivers, undertake various tasks related to water transportation, and perform other transportation tasks not elsewhere classified in minor group 823: Other drivers and transport operatives. (ONS SOC 2020, 8239)
Also covers: bus inspector, marshal (transport), operations assistant (freight handling), test driver (motor vehicle mfr), transport supervisor, yard foreman (road transport), bank foreman, berthing man, bridge gateman, bridge master, bridge steersman, capstan operator, cart driver, cartage foreman, deck hand, delivery foreman, depot foreman and depot superintendent (115 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Checks that vehicles run as scheduled, monitors number of passengers travelling particular routes and makes recommendations for improvement of services
- Organises relief and replacement crews as necessary, ensures compliance with regulations regarding the carrying of passengers and luggage, and submits reports of any irregularities
- Checks that goods have been correctly loaded into vehicle, monitors and records information from tachograph, and arranges for servicing, refuelling, cleaning and repair of depot vehicles
- Operates and maintains lighthouses and navigational lights in harbours, and assists in mooring craft
- Operates and maintains locks, opens and closes moving bridges across inland waterways and docks, and measures depth of water in canals, rivers, etc. to determine possible dumping or dredging sites
- Guides horses or ponies and drives horse drawn vehicles to transport goods and passengers
There are no formal academic entry requirements. Training is provided both Off and on-the-job. In some areas relevant vocational qualifications are available at level 2 and 3.
Related
Other drivers and transport operatives (median £59,772) · Rail transport operatives · Air transport operatives · salary percentile · Average weekly hours worked in the UK · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026