STB: Class Is end 2017 with smaller workforce

U.S. Class Is continued to shrink their workforce last month.

As of mid-December, Class Is in the United States employed 145,416 workers, down 0.37 percent since mid-November's employment figure and down 3.19 percent compared with mid-December 2016's level, according to Surface Transportation Board (STB) data.

Five of six employment categories reflected workforce decreases in mid-December compared with mid-November. Those categories were maintenance of way and structures, down 1.83 percent to 32,454 employees; executives, officials and staff assistants, down 1.06 percent to 8,124; transportation (other than train and engine), down 0.79 percent to 5,625; professional and administrative, down 0.25 percent to 12,151; and maintenance of equipment and stores, down 0.13 percent to 26,595.

Transportation (train and engine) rose 0.44 percent to 60,466 employees.

The same five employment categories reflected workforce decreases in mid-December compared with the same time a year ago. The number of employees in the executives, officials and staff assistants category fell 9.59 percent; professional and administrative, down 7.41 percent; maintenance of equipment and stores, down 6.01 percent; maintenance of way and structures, down 5.67 percent; and transportation (other than train and engine), down 5.02 percent.

The transportation (train and engine) category reflected a 1.6 percent increase as of mid-December 2017 compared with the previous year.