U.S. Class I workforce shrank a bit in September

As of mid-September, U.S. Class Is employed 152,486 people, down 0.2 percent from the same point in August, according to Surface Transportation Board employment data. On a year-over-year basis, the workforce declined 8.7 percent.

Only the transportation (train and engine) workforce segment posted a gain from mid-August to mid-September, rising 0.3 percent to 59,831. The other five segments registered the following declines: professional and administrative, 2.3 percent to 13,344; transportation (other than train and engine), 0.5 percent to 6,003; maintenance-of-way and structures, 0.3 percent to 35,879; executives, officials and staff assistants, 0.09 percent to 9,145; and maintenance of equipment and stores, 0.03 percent to 28,284.

Comparing each segment’s workforce level on a year-over-year basis, all six decreased, with two of them posting double-digit drops — transportation (train and engine) at 11.2 percent and transportation (other than train and engine) at 10.1 percent. The other decliners were maintenance of equipment and stores at 8.3 percent; professional and administrative at 6.8 percent; executives, officials and staff assistants at 6.1 percent; and maintenance-of-way and structures at 5.8 percent.