Careers in Transportation: Moving Everyone and Everything - Everywhere

NHTSA · 1997 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration. Office of Human Resource Management

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Summary

This document, published in 1997 by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Human Resource Management, serves as a career guide titled *Careers in Transportation: Moving Everyone and Everything - Everywhere*. The handbook was created to support the Garrett A. Morgan Technology and Transportation Futures Program, an initiative aimed at preparing a skilled workforce for the 21st century. Motivated by the need to attract students to the transportation sector, the text highlights that one in seven jobs in America is transportation-related and that the sector offers some of the highest-paid positions in the nation. It frames transportation not merely as infrastructure but as a complex system reliant on diverse human skills, from vehicle operation to engineering and safety monitoring. The document is structured as a comprehensive overview of various occupational categories within the transportation industry. It details specific roles across several sectors, including Vehicle Operation, Passenger Assistance, Vehicle Assembly and Maintenance, Planning and Engineering, and Safety and the Environment. For each occupation, the text provides standardized information regarding the nature of the work, employment statistics, salary ranges, and necessary qualifications. The guide draws inspiration from Garrett A. Morgan, an African-American inventor who patented the three-position traffic signal, using his story to encourage students to apply their talents to solving transportation challenges. The content covers a wide spectrum of jobs, from truck drivers and bus operators to aircraft pilots, locomotive engineers, and environmentalists, illustrating the breadth of opportunities available. Specific findings and data points are provided for numerous professions. For instance, the text notes that nearly 3 million truck drivers were employed, with trucks moving six billion tons of goods in 1993. Bus drivers, numbering over 500,000, were projected to see increased demand due to population growth. In the rail sector, approximately 35,000 locomotive engineers earned between $47,700 and $63,900 annually in 1993, while 26,000 railroad conductors averaged $40,000. Airline pilots, holding 90,000 jobs in 1994, faced significant competition but offered salaries ranging from $13,000 for entry-level positions to $200,000 for senior captains. The guide also outlines entry requirements, such as commercial driver’s licenses for truckers, certification programs for locomotive engineers, and physical fitness tests for pilots. It emphasizes that while some roles require advanced technical training, others rely on on-the-job experience and high school education. The significance of this publication lies in its role as a strategic recruitment tool for the transportation sector. By detailing the economic stability, variety, and importance of these careers, the Department of Transportation aimed to inspire students to pursue education in math, science, and technology. The handbook underscores that the U.S. transportation network is vital to the nation’s well-being, serving 260 million people and 6 million businesses. It concludes by encouraging readers to view transportation careers as opportunities for service and achievement, positioning the sector as a dynamic field essential for moving the country into the future.

Key finding

The transportation sector employs approximately 10 million people, representing 7 percent of the U.S. workforce, and offers some of the highest-paid jobs in the nation.

Methodology

dataset

Sample size: 10000000

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

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• truck driver fatigue