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 occupation in the United States. There were nearly three million truck drivers in 2005; about 54 percent of these professionals drive heavy/tractor trailer trucks, 32 percent drive light/delivery service trucks, and about 14 percent are driver/sales workers.

Table in Excel format | Historical data

Occupation (SOC code)	1999	2000	2004	2005
Vehicle operators, pipeline operators, and primary support
Driver/sales worker (53-3031)	385,210	373,660	406,910	400,530
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer (53-3032)	1,558,400	1,577,070	1,553,370	1,624,740
Truck drivers, light or delivery services (53-3033)	1,085,050	1,033,220	938,730	938,280
Locomotive engineers (53-4011)	19,940	29,390	31,180	37,390
Rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers (53-4013)	5,070	4,020	6,170	6,970
Railroad brake, signal, and switch operators (53-4021)	14,500	16,830	16,410	20,700
Railroad conductors and yardmasters (53-4031)	36,680	40,380	35,720	38,330
Sailors and marine oilers (53-5011)	27,200	30,090	27,570	31,090
Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels (53-5021)	20,660	21,080	25,200	28,570
Ship engineers (53-5031)	6,800	7,370	10,330	13,240
Bridge and lock tenders (53-6011)	6,970	4,790	3,500	3,620
Gas compressor and gas pumping station operators (53-7071)	6,940	6,510	4,680	3,950
Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers (53-7072)	13,480	13,730	9,810	9,970
Transportation equipment manufacturing and maintenance occupations
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (49-3031)	273,320	258,800	251,430	248,280
Rail car repairers (49-3043)	7,230	10,620	18,140	24,270
Transportation Infrastructure construction and maintenance occupations
Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators (47-4061)	8,620	9,940	10,430	13,510
Signal and track switch repairers (49-9097)	3,720	5,540	7,780	6,100
Dredge operators (53-7031)	1,910	3,100	1,730	1,720
Secondary support service occupations
Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance (43-5032)	171,560	167,180	165,910	172,550
Postal service mail carriers (43-5052)	352,550	354,980	344,050	347,180
Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks (43-5071)	886,230	864,530	747,270	759,910
Transportation inspectors (53-6051)	22,440	26,520	24,140	25,570
Tank car, truck, and ship loaders (53-7121)	20,830	17,480	16,530	15,950

Key: SOC = Standard Occupational Classification.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wages, 2005 (Washington, DC: May 2005), available at http://www.bls.gov/oes as of May 24, 2006.