Class I employment level changed little in May

Class Is employed 115,508 workers in mid-May, a 0.02% increase from April’s level but down 2.84% year over year, according to Surface Transportation Board (STB) data.

Four of six employment categories logged increases from mid-April to mid-May. They were: maintenance of way and structures, up 0.55% to 28,690 workers; transportation (train and engine), up 0.2% to 47,044; executives, officials and staff assistants, up 0.17% to 7,278; and transportation (other than train and engine), up 0.13% to 4,721.

The two categories that logged month-to-month decreases were maintenance of equipment and stores, down 0.91% to 17,733 workers; and professional and administrative, down 0.83% to 10,042.

Year over year, only transportation (train and engine) posted an increase. That category rose 7.75%. The following categories’ year-over-year decreases were: maintenance of equipment and stores, down 16.7%; transportation (other than train and engine), down 9.32%; maintenance of way and structures, down 5.95%; professional and administrative, down 5.21%; and executives, officials and staff assistants down 4.56%.