U.S. Class I workforce grew again in April

The U.S. Class I workforce continued to expand last month. As of mid-April, the large roads employed a total of 163,775 people, up 0.4 percent versus March's level and 1.1 percent versus April 2012's count, according to Surface Transportation Board data.

Only two workforce segments registered month-over-month declines: professional and administrative staff, down 0.4 percent to 14,012, and executives/officials/staff assistants, down 0.4 percent to 9,744.

As of mid-April, the maintenance-of-way and structures staff grew 1.5 percent to 37,277; size of transportation (other than train and engine) ranks increased 0.5 percent to 6,787; number of transportation (T&E) crews rose 0.4 percent to 65,813; and level of maintenance of equipment and stores employees inched up less than a tenth of a percent to 30,052.

On a year-over-year basis, only the transportation (other than T&E) segment decreased in size, shrinking 0.3 percent. By category, the gainers were professional and administrative staff at 2.7 percent; executives/officials/staff assistants at 2.1 percent; maintenance-of-way and structures at 1 percent; maintenance of equipment and stores at 0.9 percent; and transportation (T&E) at 0.9 percent.