FOTW #1019, March 5, 2018: About 11 Million Employees were in Transportation-related Jobs in 2017

In 2017 there were 25 transportation-related employment categories with combined employment of about 11 million, which is 7.5% of total employment.

Vehicle Technologies Office

March 5, 2018
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In 2017 there were 25 transportation-related employment categories with combined employment of about 11 million, which is 7.5% of total employment. Retail motor vehicles and parts sales employment made up the largest share (18%), with truck freight transportation (including drivers) second with 13%.

Pie chart showing transportation-related employment in 2017. Retail motor vehicles and parts sales made up 18% and truck freight transportation made up 13%.

Notes:

  • "Other" category includes: Travel arrangement and reservation services, Rail transportation, Automotive equipment rental and leasing, Auto & light truck manufacturing, Motor vehicle body & trailer manufacturing, Oil & gas pipeline construction, Ship & boat building, Water transportation, Railroad rolling stock & other transportation equipment manufacturing, Tire manufacturing, Pipeline transportation, Scenic & sightseeing, and Heavy-duty truck manufacturing. Each of these categories represented less than 3% of transportation-related employment.
  • Employment is the total number of persons on establishment payrolls employed full- or part-time who received pay (whether they worked or not) for any part of the pay period that includes the 12th day of the month.
  • The employment shown is not seasonally-adjusted.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, website query, February 21, 2018.

Supporting Information:

Transportation-related Employment, 2017

Employment Category Employment (Thousands) Share
Motor vehicle and parts dealers - retail 2,008.3 18.3%
Truck transportation (includes drivers) 1,453.5 13.3%
Gasoline stations - retail 931.5 8.5%
Automotive repair and maintenance 923.4 8.4%
Support activities for transportation 690.1 6.3%
Couriers and messengers 682.8 6.2%
Motor vehicle parts manufacturing 586.3 5.4%
Air transportation 492.7 4.5%
Transit & ground transportation 491.5 4.5%
Aerospace products and parts manufacturing 484.6 4.4%
Motor vehicles and parts - wholesale 337.5 3.1%
Highway street and bridge construction 324.7 3.0%
Other 1,550.3 14.2%
 - Travel arrangement and reservation services 217.6 2.0%
 - Rail transportation 215.0 2.0%
 - Automotive equipment rental and leasing 214.4 2.0%
 - Auto and light truck manufacturing 182.9 1.7%
 - Motor vehicle body and trailer manufacturing 154.2 1.4%
 - Oil and gas pipeline construction 137.3 1.3%
 - Ship & boat building 136.7 1.2%
 - Water transportation 65.2 0.6%
 - Railroad rolling stock & other transportation equipment mfg. 57.9 0.5%
 - Tire manufacturing 56.1 0.5%
 - Pipeline transportation 48.3 0.4%
 - Scenic & sightseeing 35.6 0.3%
 - Heavy-duty truck manufacturing 29.1 0.3%
Total transportation-related employment 10,957.2 100.0%

Fact #1019 Dataset

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