Will AI replace shuttle drivers and chauffeurs?

Some tasks are already being done by AI or machines; the rest still needs a person. About 5h 16m of a typical shift is made up of tasks that AI or robots have done on their own in real use somewhere. That doesn't mean those hours are automated in a typical workplace. The other 2h 44m (34%) stays with people. Separately, BLS expects about 7.1% more of these jobs by 2035 (all jobs: +3.5%).

None of this job's tasks show regular AI use yet. That can mean the work is hands-on or in person, or simply that it rarely comes up in AI usage data.

For some tasks, yes. Robots have done 10 of this job's tasks in workplaces like this one, about 5h 16m of a typical shift. 2 more tasks have only been done in factory setups built around the machine, so they stay with people here. For 3 physical tasks, no robot has shown it can do the work yet.

• Drive shuttle busses, limousines, company cars, or privately owned vehicles to transport passengers. (3h 9m a shift; e.g. Waymo Driver, in use)
• Pick up and drop off passengers at regularly scheduled neighborhood locations, following strict time schedules. (32m a shift; e.g. Zoox purpose-built robotaxi employee shuttle, in use)
• Pick up or meet passengers according to requests, appointments, or schedules. (32m a shift; e.g. May Mobility rider-only shuttle (Toyota Sienna Autono-MaaS), in use)
• Comply with traffic regulations to operate vehicles in a safe and courteous manner. (13m a shift; e.g. Waymo Driver, in use)

2h 44m of a typical shift, or 34%, goes to tasks with no AI or robot evidence yet. No AI usage or robot deployment has shown up for these so far. The biggest:

• Provide passengers with assistance entering and exiting vehicles, and help them with any luggage. (32m a shift)
• Operate vehicles with specialized equipment, such as wheelchair lifts, to transport and secure passengers with special needs. (19m a shift)
• Communicate with dispatchers by radio, telephone, or computer to exchange information and receive requests for passenger service. (19m a shift)
• Vacuum and clean interiors, and wash and polish exteriors of automobiles. (19m a shift)
• Check the condition of a vehicle's tires, brakes, windshield wipers, lights, oil, fuel, water, and safety equipment to ensure that everything is in working order. (13m a shift)

Much of it comes down to where and how the work happens. In-person, hands-on and high-stakes work is where AI and robots have made the least headway so far. In the official O*NET survey of people in this job:

• 100% work at arm's length or closer to other people
• 85% say dealing with the public is very or extremely important
• 73% work outdoors in all weather every day

We track 6 sourced company moves that affect this job. Most recent:

• Jul 8, 2026: Waymo goes driverless in Las Vegas, with Denver, San Diego and Tampa next (Rolling out)
• Jan 22, 2026: Tesla starts some Austin robotaxi rides with no safety monitor inside (Pilot)
• Nov 18, 2025: Zoox opens free robotaxi rides to the public in San Francisco (Pilot)

On Indeed, job postings in the Driving sector are at 81% of their February 2020 level (all U.S. postings: 104%), down 8.5% from a year earlier, as of Oct 9, 2026. BLS separately expects about 36,000 openings a year in this job through 2035. Across all U.S. postings, 7.3% now mention AI skills. Sector postings cover more than this one job and move for many reasons besides AI.

The median pay is about $37,290 a year ($17.93 an hour), 27% below the median for all U.S. jobs ($50,980). Most people in this job earn between $28,090 and $55,070 a year; that range covers the middle 80%. Pay figures are from BLS, May 2025, and vary a lot by state and employer. Pick a state to compare:

BLS projects growth of 7.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all jobs. That's about 269,000 jobs in 2035. It expects about 36,000 openings a year, mostly from people retiring or changing careers. These projections don't single out AI as a cause.

About 249,000 people in the U.S., roughly 0.16% of all workers (BLS, May 2025). That makes it the 152nd largest of the 796 jobs on this site. BLS expects about 269,000 in 2035.

The most common requirement is a high school diploma: about 56% of people in the job said so in the official O*NET survey. O*NET rates the job at level 2 of 5 for preparation, which usually means: high school diploma, some training. Requirements vary by state and employer, especially for licensed work.

These come from the job's official skill ratings and from the tasks that AI and robots touch least today. Building them keeps you strong in the parts of the work that still need a person:

• Skills that matter more here than in most jobs: Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness
• Get strong at the parts of the job that stay with people (listed above), which take 2h 44m of a typical shift
• Tools employers list: Facebook, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Windows

These use similar skills. Matches come from 109 official ratings of skills, knowledge and work activities, and each needs the same or less preparation unless the official list relates the jobs directly:

• Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity (5h 54m touched, $59k median pay)
• Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (5h 44m touched, $59k median pay)
• Light Truck Drivers (6h 29m touched, $45k median pay)

Each task carries its own evidence label. For this job: 10 with robots in real deployments, 16 with no AI or robot evidence found. The minutes per task are estimates, not measured hours, and "no evidence" doesn't prove a task is safe.