Transportation and Warehousing Snapshot

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics:

The transportation and warehousing, and utilities, super sector is made up of two parts: the transportation and warehousing sector (sectors 48 - 49), and the utilities sector (sector 22).

The transportation and warehousing sector includes industries providing transportation of passengers and cargo, warehousing and storage for goods, scenic and sightseeing transportation, and support activities related to modes of transportation. Establishments in these industries use transportation equipment or transportation related facilities as a productive asset. The type of equipment depends on the mode of transportation. The modes of transportation are air, rail, water, road and pipeline.

The utilities sector comprises establishments engaged in the provision of the following utility services: electric power, natural gas, steam supply, water supply and sewage removal. Within this sector, the specific activities associated with the utility services provided vary by utility: electric power includes generation, transmission, and distribution; natural gas includes distribution; steam supply includes provision and/or distribution; water supply includes treatment and distribution; and sewage removal includes collection, treatment and disposal of waste through sewer systems and sewage treatment facilities.

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages data show that utilities, transportation and warehousing account for a small part of the nation's employment and a smaller portion of business establishments. In the economy as a whole, transportation and warehousing makes up about 3.1 percent of all employment and about 2.6 percent of all establishments. Utilities represents about 0.5 percent of all employment and about 0.2 percent of all establishments.

Annual employment of non-supervisory workers in transportation and warehousing was 3,152,800 in 1994 and grew to 3,753,200 in 2000. Employment of non-supervisory workers in transportation and warehousing averaged 3,555,500 in 2003. In utilities, employment of non-supervisory workers was 540,900 in 1994. Non-supervisory workers in utilities averaged 466,700 in 2003.

Annual averages of the average weekly hours of non-supervisory workers in transportation and warehousing were 36.8 in 2003; in utilities, average weekly hours were 41.1 in 2003. Average weekly hours in both sectors were above the 2003 private industry average of 33.7 for production and non-supervisory workers.

In 2003, the average hourly earnings of non-supervisory workers in transportation and warehousing were $16.25. In utilities, non-supervisory workers' average hourly earnings were $24.76. In all private industry, production and non-supervisory workers earned an average of $15.35.

Employment Projections data indicate that transportation and warehousing employment will increase 21.7 percent over the 2002-12 period. Utilities employment is expected to decrease by 5.7 percent over the same period. Total employment for all industry sectors is projected to grow 14.8 percent.