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Halfway through 2006, the U.S. Class Is continued to increase their workforces to meet escalating traffic demand. As of mid-June, the Class Is employed 167,650 people, a 0.5 percent increase compared with mid-May and 2.7 percent rise compared with June 2005, according to Surface Transportation Board data.

Professional and administrative staff posted the largest month-over-month gain, increasing 1.2 percent to 14,024 compared with May’s total. The workforce segment also rose 2.3 percent compared with June 2005. As of mid-June, executives, officials and staff assistants numbered 9,782, up 0.5 percent compared with March and 3.9 percent compared with June 2005.

In the maintenance-of-way and structures department, Class Is employed 35,470 people, a 0.5 percent increase compared with May and 3.5 percent rise compared with June 2005. However, the number of maintenance of equipment and stores workers totaled 30,047, a 0.3 percent decrease compared with May. On a year-over-year basis, the segment increased 0.2 percent.

Meanwhile, train and engine-service (T&E) workers’ ranks rose 0.7 percent to 70,940 compared with May. The ranks also increased 3.7 percent compared with June 2005. The number of transportation (other than T&E) employees, which reached 7,387, went up 0.2 percent compared with May but dropped 0.5 percent compared with June 2005.