Transportation Career Overview and Job Outlook

Transportation represents the nation's critical infrastructure: the backbone of the economy and an important civic utility for millions of citizens. Transportation careers place you at the center of the effort to move goods and people. You may play a role in commercial shipping and logistics; public or private transportation; or the development of the nation's vast network of roads, bridges, and transportation systems.

Which Types of Jobs Are Available For Those Interested in Transportation?

Transportation careers span commercial and personal transport, as well as the maintenance of transportation systems nationwide. Commercial transportation careers exist in shipping and transportation logistics, transportation systems research and development, and construction. In the public sector, transportation careers may fall under the purview of urban planning, civil engineering, public administration, or regulation and safety inspection.

Transportation job descriptions vary widely depending on the sector you choose. Some sample transportation careers in each category include:

• Commercial Shipping and Delivery: Vehicle operators include truck drivers, delivery drivers, cargo pilots, merchant mariners, and mobile sales workers. Shipping support jobs include cargo and freight agents, dispatchers, and vehicle mechanics. Management-level transportation careers include operations managers, distribution managers, shipping-and-receiving supervisors, and staff supervisors. Operations research and management analysts may play a consulting role in transportation logistics.
• Public Transportation: Transportation careers behind the wheel include bus driver, taxi driver, airline pilot, and locomotive engineer. Support roles include air traffic controller, flight attendant, mechanic, planner, and safety inspector. Transportation managers may oversee drivers, plan schedules, or manage budgets and fare pricing.
• Transportation Infrastructure: Public agencies and private contractors plan, construct, and maintain the infrastructure for transportation. Roads, highways, traffic signals, bridges, and railways are among the components of the vast transportation system. Transportation job titles include urban planner, civil engineer, public administrator, construction manager, and safety inspector.

Transportation careers offer widely varied work conditions. Vehicle operators, for example, spend long hours on the road. The job typically offers freedom, variety, and relatively high pay for the education level, but exposes the operator to risk and can be physically exhausting. Managers and planners, by contrast, work regular hours in an office setting. They solve interesting logistical and strategic problems, and benefit from standard office-job perks such as regular hours, benefits, and job security.

Formal Training Required to Work in Transportation

Transportation careers generally require a minimum of a high school diploma or GED. To secure the best positions and advance in the field, however, many transportation workers pursue post-secondary vocational education or transportation degree programs.

• Vocational certification courses in transportation typically focus on professional driver's training and license certification. Courses include the commercial drivers license 'class A' and 'class B', tractor trailer driving, preparatory driver, and heavy straight truck driving.
• Transportation degree programs prepare you to take the next step in your career. Most advanced transportation roles require at least a bachelor's degree in the field. A bachelor of science from a specialized merchant marine academy, for example, qualifies you for deck officer and engineering officer jobs. Aviation transportation careers may require an associate's or bachelor's degree from an FAA-certified program. Government transportation administration careers require a bachelor's or master's degree in public administration, urban planning, or transportation engineering, depending on your specific career goals.

Most transportation degree programs and some certification courses are available online. Time to completion varies widely: certifications may take several weeks to several months to complete, while degrees take several years. Generally speaking, an associate's degree lasts two years and a bachelor's degree, four years. A master's degree requires an additional one to two years following graduation from a bachelor's program.

Job Outlook and Salary Information for Those Interested in Transportation

Transportation job prospects generally track the state of the economy. As the nation heads into economic recovery, job opportunities in transportation should also revive. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 11 percent growth in truck transportation job opportunities in the 2008-2018 decade, and 7 percent air transportation growth. Some transportation support jobs may see a surge in demand; cargo and freight agents, for example, should see employment rise 24 percent between 2008 and 2018. Urban planners and operations analysts may both see hiring up by as much as 19 to 22 percent in the same period.

Transportation salaries run the gamut, but generally reflect experience and education level. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the following median earnings for 2009:

• Drivers and Sales Workers: $22,740
• Truck Drivers: $37,730
• Cargo and Freight Agent: $38,940
• Urban Planners: $61,820
• Operations Research Analyst (Shipping): $70,070
• Air Traffic Controller: $109,850

Transportation represents a vast system of services and infrastructure dedicated to moving goods and people. Vocational training helps you launch a transportation career. To advance into public administration or supervisory roles, pursue transportation degree programs. Either road you choose leads to a world of transportation job opportunities.