U.S. Class I workforce grew wider in March

The U.S. Class I workforce continued to grow last month. As of mid-March, the large roads employed 163,059 people, up 0.5 percent from February's level and 0.7 percent from March 2012's count, according to Surface Transportation Board data.

On a month-over-month basis, three workforce segments posted gains and three registered declines. The gainers were the maintenance-of-way and structures segment, up 1.3 percent to 36,742; transportation (train and engine) sector, up 0.7 percent to 65,581, and professional and administrative staff, up 0.2 percent to 14,165. The decliners were the transportation (other than T&E) force, down 0.7 percent to 6,753; executives, officials and staff assistants sector, down 0.6 percent to 9,779; and maintenance of equipment and stores segment, down less than a tenth of a precent to 30,039.

On a year-over-year basis, only the transportation (T&E) workforce decreased, and by a small margin at that: 0.06 percent. The professional and administrative staff grew 2.6 percent; executives, officials and staff assistants sector climbed 2.4 percent; maintenance of equipment and stores force increased 1 percent; maintenance-of-way and structures staff ratcheted up 0.6 percent; and transportation (other than T&E) ranks inched up 0.3 percent.