Freight Facts and Figures 2009

Table 4-4. Employment in Selected Freight Transportation and Freight Transportation-Related Occupations: 1999-2008 (Historical)

Occupation (SOC code)	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Vehicle operators, pipeline operators, and primary support
Driver/sales worker (53-3031)	385,210	373,660	378,220	368,730	397,630	406,910	400,530	396,680	382,360	372,720
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer (53-3032)	1,558,400	1,577,070	1,548,480	1,520,880	1,520,740	1,553,370	1,624,740	1,673,950	1,693,590	1,672,580
Truck drivers, light or delivery services (53-3033)	1,085,050	1,033,220	996,000	977,920	951,400	938,730	938,280	941,590	922,900	908,960
Locomotive engineers (53-4011)	19,940	29,390	30,730	28,250	30,070	31,180	37,390	36,870	41,760	42,760
Rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers (53-4013)	5,070	4,020	4,840	4,600	6,020	6,170	6,970	5,820	4,950	5,480
Railroad brake, signal, and switch operators (53-4021)	14,500	16,830	17,070	15,030	15,310	16,410	20,700	22,810	23,120	24,610
Railroad conductors and yardmasters (53-4031)	36,680	40,380	40,910	38,070	35,120	35,720	38,330	37,110	37,540	39,580
Sailors and marine oilers (53-5011)	27,200	30,090	28,650	25,360	27,170	27,570	31,090	31,690	32,520	32,420
Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels (53-5021)	20,660	21,080	22,180	22,530	24,050	25,200	28,570	29,170	30,540	30,600
Ship engineers (53-5031)	6,800	7,370	7,470	8,020	10,230	10,330	13,240	14,190	13,710	11,190
Bridge and lock tenders (53-6011)	6,970	4,790	4,500	3,900	3,490	3,500	3,620	3,700	4,750	4,490
Gas compressor and gas pumping station operators (53-7071)	6,940	6,510	6,070	6,920	5,250	4,680	3,950	3,900	4,230	4,050
Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers (53-7072)	13,480	13,730	12,920	12,360	10,540	9,810	9,970	10,030	10,400	9,280
Transportation equipment manufacturing and maintenance occupations
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (49-3031)	273,320	258,800	254,420	254,470	249,230	251,430	248,280	254,850	250,370	248,620
Rail car repairers (49-3043)	7,230	10,620	11,860	13,520	16,790	18,140	24,270	23,810	23,190	20,780
Transportation Infrastructure construction and maintenance occupations
Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators (47-4061)	8,620	9,940	11,680	10,450	12,120	10,430	13,510	13,680	14,050	15,020
Signal and track switch repairers (49-9097)	3,720	5,540	8,550	7,990	7,600	7,780	6,100	5,980	6,090	6,570
Dredge operators (53-7031)	1,910	3,100	2,920	2,850	2,190	1,730	1,720	1,780	1,910	1,910
Secondary support service occupations
Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance (43-5032)	171,560	167,180	170,050	168,380	161,570	165,910	172,550	185,410	190,190	193,210
Postal service mail carriers (43-5052)	352,550	354,980	355,120	347,420	344,090	344,050	347,180	346,990	348,070	354,570
Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks (43-5071)	886,230	864,530	802,600	792,470	757,750	747,270	759,910	763,350	755,790	760,950
Transportation inspectors (53-6051)	22,440	26,520	27,670	28,340	23,860	24,140	25,570	23,790	24,130	24,940
Tank car, truck, and ship loaders (53-7121)	20,830	17,480	19,430	16,960	15,910	16,530	15,950	15,360	14,870	12,330

Key: SOC = Standard Occupational Classification.

Source:

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wages, 2008 (Washington, DC: May 2009), available at www.bls.gov/oes as of May 13, 2009.

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