Hearse driver
Also known as: funeral driver, driver, chauffeur, funeral car driver
About this occupation
Hearse drivers operate and maintain specialised vehicles to transport deceased persons from their homes, hospital or funeral home to their final resting place. They also assist the funeral attendants with their duties.
Essential skills and knowledge
- maintain vehicle appearance
- control the performance of the vehicle
- drive vehicles
- interpret traffic signals
- maintain personal hygiene standards
- road traffic laws
- drive vehicles in processions
- lift heavy weights
- park vehicles
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs (O*NET 53-3053.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Test vehicle equipment, such as lights, brakes, horns, or windshield wipers, to ensure proper operation.
- 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.
- Comply with traffic regulations to operate vehicles in a safe and courteous manner.
- Follow relevant safety regulations and state laws governing vehicle operation, and ensure that passengers follow safety regulations.
- Operate vehicles with specialized equipment, such as wheelchair lifts, to transport and secure passengers with special needs.
- Report any vehicle malfunctions or needed repairs.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Social
Top skills: Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Operation and Control, Speaking, Social Perceptiveness
US median pay: US$37,290 a year (2025), 248,530 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (3.9)
- Business Studies or EntrepreneurshipO*NET: Administration and ManagementVery important (3.7)
- Government and PoliticsO*NET: Law and GovernmentVery important (3.5)
- PsychologyO*NET: PsychologyImportant (3.5)
- Economics or AccountingO*NET: Economics and AccountingImportant (3.2)
- Media StudiesO*NET: Communications and MediaImportant (3.1)
- Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsImportant (3.1)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Taxi Drivers
- Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity
- Light Truck Drivers
- Parking Attendants
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
- Passenger Attendants
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
- Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
- Subway and Streetcar Operators
- Bus Drivers, School
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.