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Rail News Home Labor

4/8/2026



Rail News: Labor

U.S. labor bureau: Size of rail workforce slipped in March


Shown: UP maintenance-of-way employees conducting trackwork.
Photo – Union Pacific Railroad

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The unemployment rate in the U.S. transportation sector fell to 3.4% versus 4.6% in March 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). 

“Unemployment in the transportation sector was lower than overall unemployment,” BLS officials said in a press release. “The U.S. unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted, in March was 4.3%.” 

The employment figure for the U.S. rail industry in March wasn't as promising. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the number of rail employees totaled 149,600, down 0.5% from February’s level and down 4% year over year. 

The number of workers in the U.S. trucking industry totaled 1,464,100 last month, down 0.1% from February’s level and down 1.8% from March 2025’s count. 

When comparing workforce sizes in other modes last month on a year-over-year basis, air transportation’s rose 1.2% to 575,200; transit/ground passenger transportation’s inched up 0.9% to 492,200; water transportation's climbed 2.9% to 71,600; and pipeline transportation’s increased 1.6% to 55,900. 

 



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