To thank the Bus Driver in Fortnite, press your Emote input while you are still riding the Battle Bus: that is B on a keyboard by default, the Emote button on a controller, and the Emote button on the mobile HUD. A line saying you thanked the bus driver then appears in the feed for the whole lobby to see.
Below we cover the exact input on every platform, the timing, what the thank-you does (and occasionally earns), and what to try when it will not register.
Which Version This Covers
This guide is current for Chapter 7 Season 4, Fortnite Override, on the v42.20 update, as of September 28, 2026. Thanking the driver is not seasonal: it has worked the same way for years in every mode that starts on the Battle Bus, including Battle Royale and Zero Build. The bus itself changes looks with events, and seasonal quests rotate, so any quest that asks you to thank the driver will come and go.
It works identically on PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X and S, Nintendo Switch and mobile. Only the button differs.
The Button on Every Platform
Thanking the driver is tied to your Emote input. Epic’s own developer documentation lists B as the keyboard key that activates an emote, and Epic’s help center groups “thank the bus driver” with emoting when it troubleshoots binding problems.
| Platform | How to thank the driver |
|---|---|
| PC, keyboard and mouse | Press B (the default Emote key) |
| PlayStation 4 and 5 | Press the Emote input; player guides describe it as Down on the D-pad in the default layouts |
| Xbox One and Series X and S | Press the Emote input; player guides describe it as Down on the D-pad in the default layouts |
| Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 | Press the Emote input; player guides describe it as Down on the D-pad |
| Mobile | Tap the Emote button on your HUD while in the bus |
If you have remapped Emote, use your own binding. On PC, Epic’s help center says to open your profile, then Settings (the gear), then the Keyboard Controls tab to see and change keybinds. On a controller, the Controller tab in the same menu shows your current layout.
Step by Step
- Ready up for any match that starts on the Battle Bus.
- Wait until you are in the bus. The driver can be thanked any time before you jump.
- Press your Emote input once. On mobile, tap the Emote button.
- Check the feed. Per the community wiki, the standard message reads “[your name] has thanked the bus driver.”
- Jump when you are ready. Once you leave the bus, the chance is gone for that match.
Do not wait too long. The bus follows a fixed straight route, and anyone still aboard at the end of it is dropped out automatically, per the wiki. On mobile, Epic’s v42.00 update notes say the Emote button now grays out after you have shown your gratitude, which also tells you it worked.
What Thanking the Driver Actually Does
Normally, nothing beyond the message. There is no XP, item or advantage attached to it outside of specific quests. It is a courtesy that started as a community joke: per the community wiki, the option arrived in the v5.30 update in 2018 in response to a player petition, and press coverage at the time noted that Epic’s patch notes never mentioned it.
Epic has had some fun with it since. Per the community wiki:
- During the Birthday quests of 2023 and 2024, the feed line changed to “[your name] wished the bus driver a happy birthday.”
- In Chapter 6 Mini Season 2, the Simpsons season, the driver was Otto Mann and the message thanked him by name.
- In Chapter 7 Season 1, after the bus was destroyed in the story, the message briefly read that you “paid respect to the bus driver.”
- A past character quest from Farmer Steel asked players to thank the driver, telling them to respect their elders.
That last point is the practical one. When a seasonal or event quest asks you to thank the Bus Driver, it appears in the Quests tab, which Epic redesigned in v42.00. Epic calls quests the fastest way to earn XP, as our guide to leveling up fast explains, so knock these out on your first bus ride. Events rotate quickly, so check when the current season ends before planning around one.
The bus also sets the mood for crossovers. During the Kingdom Hearts crossover, per the wiki, it played the Kingdom Hearts II opening theme at night.
When the Thank-You Will Not Register
If pressing the button does nothing, work through these:
- Reset your controller bindings. Epic’s help article on being unable to emote, exit vehicles, thank the bus driver or mark items says to change your Controller Binding Presets to something different, save, then change them back and save again. If that does not fix it right away, restart the game.
- Check for a rebound Emote key. On PC, open Keyboard Controls and confirm Emote has a key and that nothing else shares it.
- Look for a gray button on mobile. If the Emote button is grayed out, you already thanked the driver on this ride.
- Make sure you are still aboard. The prompt only works inside the bus. After you jump, or after the bus auto-drops you, pressing Emote simply starts an emote.
For more lobby and settings fixes, including your ping, frame rate and field of view, browse every Fortnite guide, or see how to show ping and FPS if the bus ride itself feels laggy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What button thanks the bus driver on PC? B, the default Emote key. If you rebound Emote, use that key instead.
How do you thank the bus driver on PS5 or Xbox? Press your Emote input while in the Battle Bus. Player guides describe it as Down on the D-pad in the default controller layouts.
Do you get anything for thanking the bus driver? Usually just the feed message. Occasionally a seasonal or event quest asks you to do it, and completing that quest pays XP.
Can you thank the bus driver after jumping? No. The thank-you only works while you are still inside the Battle Bus.
Why is my Emote button gray in the bus on mobile? Since v42.00, Epic grays it out after you thank the driver, so you have already done it for this match.