How to Become a GO Bus Driver: Requirements, Hiring Steps and Training
By Osama Chaudhary. Published October 24, 2026.
Searches for GO Transit driver jobs are among the top ways people find PublicJobs.ca. Metrolinx is the Crown agency of the Government of Ontario that runs GO Transit, and it hires GO's bus drivers. Its careers site lists the 9 hiring steps. It does not explain which licence class GO buses need, what a driver's abstract is or how to get one, or what the job pays. Its FAQ lists common questions but showed no answers when this guide was checked.
This guide fills those gaps using Metrolinx's recruitment page and the Government of Ontario's licensing and driving record pages. Facts were last checked on October 24, 2026.
Key takeaways
- Metrolinx does not consider applicants with more than two demerit points. Past postings also asked for an Ontario Class G licence held for at least 2 years.
- Hiring has 9 steps: application, testing, interview, driving assessment, candidate pool, references, offer, training and regular service.
- Training is in-house and lasts 4 or 7.5 weeks, depending on your driving assessment. It includes licence upgrade testing and the air brake (Z) endorsement where you need them.
- You bring a driver's abstract to the interview. Ontario's 3-year record costs $12 uncertified or $18 certified (certified takes up to 15 business days by mail).
- PublicJobs.ca is independent and not affiliated with Metrolinx. You apply on Metrolinx's own careers site.
Do you qualify? GO bus driver requirements
You need a driving record with no more than two demerit points, professional references, and the licence your posting asks for. Each posting lists the exact rules, so read it before you apply.
The requirements Metrolinx states on its GO Transit bus driver recruitment page:
- Demerit points: applicants with more than two demerit points on their driver's abstract will not be considered.
- Driver's abstract: you pay for it yourself and bring it to the interview.
- References: professional references only. Personal references are not accepted.
- Testing: you must pass the screening tests, the interview and a driving assessment.
The recruitment page does not state a licence requirement. An undated repost of a past Metrolinx part-time bus driver talent pool on CareerBeacon asked for a valid Ontario Class G licence held for at least two years. Treat that as a guide, not a rule. The posting that is open when you apply is the one that counts.
Which licence do you need? Class G, Class C and the Z endorsement
Past postings let you apply with a regular Class G licence. Metrolinx's training then includes "licence upgrade and renewal testing" and the Z (air brake) endorsement, both "where required". Its FAQ refers to drivers who already hold a Class BZ or CZ licence, which means a Class B or C bus licence plus the Z air brake endorsement. Together, these suggest GO drivers end up with a Class C (or B) licence and a Z endorsement. If you don't already have them, Metrolinx's training covers the upgrade where required.
Here is what each licence means in Ontario:
| Licence | What it lets you drive | Needed to apply? | Covered in Metrolinx training? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class G | Cars, vans and small trucks | In past postings (check yours) | No |
| Class C | Buses with more than 24 passenger seats (not school buses) | Not in past postings | Licence upgrade testing, where required |
| Z endorsement | Any vehicle with air brakes | Not in past postings | Yes, where required |
The MTO bus handbook says a Class C licence is needed to drive any bus with seats for more than 24 passengers, other than a school-purposes bus. It also says you need a Z endorsement to drive a bus with air brakes.
Ontario's bus licence page sets the rules for any bus licence. You must be at least 18 and hold a valid Ontario licence. You also pass a vision test, submit a medical report, and pass a knowledge test and a road test.
Metrolinx's FAQ asks whether BZ or CZ holders still need to train, but no answer was shown on October 24, 2026. Ask Metrolinx before you apply.
The 9 steps in Metrolinx's hiring process
Metrolinx hires GO bus drivers through a fixed 9-step process. Being placed in the candidate pool is not a job offer. You are contacted when a position opens.
- Apply online. Metrolinx keeps applications on file for future openings.
- Screening and testing. The best-matching applicants are invited to an information and testing session. This step is by invitation only.
- Interview. Only people who pass testing are interviewed. Bring your driver's abstract.
- Driving assessment. You must pass it. Your result decides whether you take the 4-week or the 7.5-week training program.
- Candidate pool. Successful candidates join a list ordered by the date Metrolinx received their application.
- References. You complete a Reference Consent Form.
- Offer of employment. An offer comes only after your references are complete.
- Training. Mandatory in-house training (see below).
- Regular service. After training you are assigned a shift and work hours.
Because the pool is ordered by application date, applying soon after a bus driver posting opens can put you higher on the list.
Your driver's abstract: what it is and how to get one
A driver's abstract is your Ontario driving record from the Ministry of Transportation. Metrolinx needs it at your interview, and you pay for it.
Metrolinx's page does not say which version it wants, so check your interview invitation. Ontario sells a 3-year driver record that shows your demerit point total and any convictions, suspensions and reinstatements from the past 3 years. You can order it from Ontario's driving record page in two versions:
- Uncertified 3-year record: $12. Order on the ServiceOntario website and pay by Visa or Mastercard. It arrives as a PDF by email.
- Certified 3-year record: $18. It carries a Ministry of Transportation seal and is mailed within 15 business days, so order it early if you might need it.
Check your demerit points before you apply. Points stay on your Ontario record for two years from the date of the offence. For example, points from a ticket for an offence on March 1, 2026 come off on March 1, 2028. If you have more than two, you may need to wait before applying.
What GO bus driver training covers
GO bus driver training is in-house and lasts 4 or 7.5 weeks. Your driving assessment decides which program you take.
According to Metrolinx, training covers:
- GO Transit system rules and regulations
- GO bus operation
- Route and garage familiarization
- Revenue service training
- Corporate courses such as first aid, accessibility, fitness for duty and violence in the workplace
- Vision testing
- Licence upgrade and renewal testing, where required
- The Z (air brake) endorsement upgrade, where required
GO bus driver pay, hours and union: what postings show
No GO bus driver posting was open on October 24, 2026, so this guide does not quote a rate. Past postings listed a training rate, a higher rate after training, and weekly hours. When a driver posting opens, it will appear with the other current Metrolinx openings on PublicJobs.ca.
Hours vary by posting. The talent pool linked above was part-time. Read the hours line in the posting before you apply, especially if you need full-time work.
GO bus drivers are unionized. They are represented by Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1587, whose 2,200 members ratified a new agreement in November 2022.
Where to find and apply for GO bus driver jobs
You apply on Metrolinx's careers site. PublicJobs.ca collects Metrolinx jobs every weekday and links each one straight to Metrolinx's own posting.
While you wait for a bus driver posting, other transit jobs may suit you:
- GO station jobs that don't need a bus licence, such as the station ambassador pool
- Other Metrolinx talent pools, such as customer protection officer
- TTC openings, including operator roles when they are posted. The TTC hiring process guide explains its steps and its stricter driving record rule.
To hear when the next GO bus driver posting opens, get new openings by email. It is free.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Class C licence to apply?
Past postings did not ask for one. They asked for a Class G licence held for at least two years, and Metrolinx training includes licence upgrade testing and the Z endorsement where required. Check the exact wording in the posting you apply to.
Can I apply with more than two demerit points?
Metrolinx says applicants with more than two demerit points on their driver's abstract will not be considered.
How long is GO bus driver training?
Either 4 weeks or 7.5 weeks. Your driving assessment decides which program you take.
Are GO bus driver jobs part-time?
Some are. The talent pool linked in this guide was part-time. Each posting states its hours, so check before you apply.
Can I apply without an Ontario driver's licence?
Metrolinx's FAQ lists this question, but no answer was shown on October 24, 2026. Ask Metrolinx before you apply. PublicJobs.ca cannot advise on eligibility.
Summary
- Keep your driving record at two demerit points or fewer. More than two rules you out.
- Apply with the licence your posting asks for. Past postings asked for a Class G held for 2 years.
- Expect 9 steps, a candidate pool and 4 or 7.5 weeks of in-house training.
- Apply on Metrolinx's site soon after a posting opens, because the pool is ordered by application date.
About this guide
Written by Osama Chaudhary, who runs PublicJobs.ca in Toronto and tracks openings from about 70 GTA public employers every weekday. He is not a recruiter and has no role in Metrolinx hiring.
Requirements come from Metrolinx's recruitment page and the Government of Ontario's licensing and driving record pages, all checked on October 24, 2026. The Class G guidance comes from a past Metrolinx posting reposted on CareerBeacon. Rules change, so the posting you apply to always comes first. If something here is out of date, email hello@publicjobs.ca and it will be corrected.
PublicJobs.ca is an independent job board and is not affiliated with Metrolinx or any government. It cannot get you an interview.