New York City bus operator test practice

What MTA asks for

• The MTA hires bus operators for three separate positions: MaBSTOA (Manhattan and the Bronx), MTA Bus Company (the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens) and New York City Transit through an open-competitive exam (all boroughs). (source)
• No formal education is required to take the bus operator exam, but applicants need a valid driver’s license and a Commercial Driver permit or license when they file their application. (source)
• Written tests are offered every 10 to 18 months depending on the agency; after applying (fee $60 to $70, waivable for some applicants) candidates may take a multiple-choice test and/or the Bus Operator Selection Survey (BOSS), which cover customer service, safety and reading and understanding rules and regulations. (source)
• Passing candidates go on a hiring list ranked by test score or a randomly assigned list number; when called, they report to 180 Livingston Street in Brooklyn for a license check, employment history review and drug assessment, then a medical assessment, and can expect to start driving about six to eight weeks after accepting. (source)

Check the current job posting and follow it where it differs from this page.

What’s in the New York City pack

• 20 New York City landmark questions, each checked against an official source.
• Route-map drills on real New York City bus routes, drawn from the agency’s open data, with direction and compass questions.
• Traffic signs, citing the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), plus reading posted times and days on restriction signs.
• Timed 30-minute mock tests with a review of every answer.
• Questions you miss come back until you get them right.

Before practising for a New York City bus operator application

Record the agency, examination number and eligible applicant group.

Find the notice attached to the bus operator opportunity you are considering. Write its agency, title, examination number and application window. Check whether you qualify for that type of examination before studying. Keep the current notice with your preparation notes so a similarly named old notice cannot replace it.

MTA — Civil Service Exams (Non-Railroad) · Recruitment source checked October 1, 2026.

This pack provides independent practice. Buying it does not apply for a job, book an employer assessment or meet a licence requirement.

Read the local career and application notes · Plan your Canadian application

Practice packs for other cities

United States: Chicago (CTA) · Honolulu (TheBus) · Las Vegas (RTC) · Los Angeles (LA Metro) · Pittsburgh (PRT) · San Antonio (VIA) · Seattle (King County Metro)

Canada: Brampton Transit · Calgary Transit · Edmonton (ETS) · Halifax Transit · Hamilton (HSR) · Kitchener–Waterloo (GRT) · London (LTC) · Mississauga (MiWay) · Ottawa (OC Transpo) · Regina Transit · Saskatoon Transit · Toronto (TTC) · Vancouver (TransLink) · BC Transit (Victoria) · Winnipeg Transit

Free help for New York City applicants

MTA test, interview and jobs guide on BusOperatorTest.com · Interview preparation

Study guides: How to prepare for a bus driver written test · Bus operator hiring assessment or CDL test? · Bus timetable reading practice with answers · Bus operator reading comprehension practice · Bus operator customer-service judgement practice · A seven-day bus operator test study plan

Worked practice: A two-week bus operator study plan you can adapt · Bus timetable questions: headways, connections and midnight · Route-map practice: choose a direction and test a transfer · Reading-comprehension practice: bulletins, dates and exceptions · Bus operator numeracy practice: units, percentages and averages · Passenger-service scenarios: explain the decision using the rule · How to review a bus operator practice test with an error journal · Timed practice without rushing: a pacing plan for applicants