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Table 4-4: Employment in Selected Freight Transportation and Freight-Transportation Related Occupations

Freight transportation is a major employer, with truck driving by far the largest freight transportation and freight transportation-related occupation in the United States. In 2002, there were approximately 2.9 million truck drivers, including driver/sales workers. Of these 2.9 million drivers about 53 percent drive heavy/tractor trailer trucks, 34 percent drive light/delivery service trucks, and about 13 percent are drivers/sales workers.

Table in Excel format

Occupation (SOC code) 1999 2001 2002
Vehicle operators, pipeline operators, and primary support empty Cell
Driver/sales worker (53-3031) 385,210 378,220 368,730
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer (53-3032) 1,558,400 1,548,480 1,520,880
Truck drivers, light or delivery services (53-3033) 1,085,050 996,000 977,920
Locomotive engineers (53-4011) 19,940 30,730 28,250
Rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers (53-4013) 5,070 4,840 4,600
Railroad brake, signal, and switch operators (53-4021) 14,500 17,070 15,030
Railroad conductors and yardmasters (53-4031) 36,680 40,910 38,070
Sailors and marine oilers (53-5011) 27,200 28,650 25,360
Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels (53-5021) 20,660 22,180 22,530
Ship engineers (53-5031) 6,800 7,470 8,020
Bridge and lock tenders (53-6011) 6,970 4,500 3,900
Gas compressor and gas pumping station operators (53-7071) 6,940 6,070 6,920
Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers (53-7072) 13,480 12,920 12,360
empty Cell
Transportation equipment manufacturing and maintenance occupations empty Cell
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (49-3031) 273,320 254,420 254,470
Rail car repairers (49-3043) 7,230 11,860 13,520
empty Cell
Transportation Infrastructure construction and maintenance occupations empty Cell
Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators (47-2071) 58,410 57,880 58,760
Highway maintenance workers (47-4051) 139,540 148,390 146,290
Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators (47-4061) 8,620 11,680 10,450
Signal and track switch repairers (49-9097) 3,720 8,550 7,990
Dredge operators (53-7031) 1,910 2,920 2,850
empty Cell
Secondary support service occupations empty Cell
Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance (43-5032) 171,560 170,050 168,380
Postal service mail carriers (43-5052) 352,550 355,120 347,420
Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks (43-5071) 886,230 802,600 792,470
Transportation inspectors (53-6051) 22,440 27,670 28,340
Tank car, truck, and ship loaders (53-7121) 20,830 19,430 16,960

Key: SOC = Standard Occupational Classification.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wages, 2002 (Washington, DC: November 2003), available at http://www.bls.gov/oes as of July 6, 2004.

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