Class Is' year-over-year employment fell 3.5 percent in February

Class Is employed 148,843 workers in the United States as of mid-February, up 0.28 percent compared with mid-January's employment figure, but down 3.48 percent compared with the year-ago figure, according to the Surface Transportation Board (STB).

Of the six employment categories, three reflected increases compared with last month's employment report. The number of transportation (train and engine) employees rose 1.05 percent to 58,650 employees; executives, officials and staff assistants were up 0.24 percent to 9,098; and professional and administrative employees were up 0.08 percent to 13,200.

Categories reflecting decreases compared with last month were maintenance of way and structures, down 0.31 percent to 34,067 employees; maintenance of equipment and stores, down 0.33 percent to 27,941; and transportation (other than train and engine), down 0.41 percent to 5,887.

Compared with mid-February 2016, all employment categories reflected decreases. The number of executives, officials and staff assistants was down 4.03 percent; professional and administrative, down 5.87 percent; maintenance of way and structures, down 4.91 percent; maintenance of equipment and stores, down 5.8 percent; transportation (other than train and engine), down 7.07 percent; and transportation (train and engine), down 0.41 percent.