STB: U.S. Class I employment steady in March

As of mid-March, U.S. Class Is employed 145,105 workers, up 0.2 percent compared with mid-February’s level, but down 2.8 percent compared with mid-March 2017's count, according to Surface Transportation Board data.

Only two of six employment categories reflected workforce increases on a month-over-month basis. They were transportation (train and engine), up 0.8 percent to 60,297 employees, and maintenance of way and structures, up 0.6 percent to 32,433 workers.

Categories that reflected decreases were executives, officials and staff assistants, down 0.7 percent to 8,292; professional and administrative, down 0.9 percent to 11,938; maintenance of equipment and stores, down 0.6 percent to 26,589; and transportation (other than train and engine), down 0.6 to 5,556.

On a year-over-year basis, five of the six categories reflected decreases: professional and administrative, down 9.6 percent; executives, officials and staff assistants, down 8.5 percent; maintenance of way and structures, down 4.9 percent; transportation (other than train and engine), down 4.9 percent; and maintenance of equipment and stores, down 4.8 percent.

Only the transportation (train and engine) category reflected an increase — 1.9 percent — in mid-March compared with the same time last year.