Rookie Driver. Salary: $26,000

"Dude, really, you expected me to drive for eight hours without some chow? That's, like, got to be against some labor law." Two weeks into your job as a bus driver, this is your response to your supervisor as you explain why the bus stops for line 30 were three deep because you had to have it your way at Burger King...for forty-five minutes. All of your rights and privileges to board the bus are revoked.

A Few Years Under Your Bus Driving Belt. Salary: $28,000. 

"Oops," you think as you look out your side mirror at the stunned faces, mouths opened in disbelief. You have just completely breezed past a stop full of people. You were a little off-schedule and trying real hard to make it to the next (and last) stop on time. You tell yourself that all of those people wouldn't have fit safely on the bus anyway. Your supervisor tells you that if it happens again, you'll be written up.

In the Groove. Salary: $32,000

You're feeling pretty good about yourself. You've been on the job for about five years and your recent informal evaluation was positive. Definitely a step up from the last one when you were reprimanded for handing out the wrong transfers for an entire day (you still can't figure out how that happened).

I Got This. Salary: $35,000

Who needs a corner office when you have an ergonomically-designed seat? Not only does your back feel better, your whole attitude is sunnier. Kudos to the transit union for following through on some of their promises. You're ten years into the job now and your last evaluation was stellar. It looks like you might have a shot at the morning shift on line 41.

Awesome Transit Hero (Where's your cape?). Salary $38,000 

You can't believe it. You are standing by a new trainee as he nervously navigates around a trash truck to pull up to the bus stop. You smile and speak soothingly, remembering when you were in that seat gripping the wheel. Now, you've earned the right to bestow your bus-ly wisdom upon the new kids on the block (or on the bus as the case may be). That's not all you've earned. You've hung in there and now you're at the top of the pay scale. You even have the route that you want—most of the time.