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Subway and Streetcar Operators

Transportation, Distribution and LogisticsO*NET 53-4041.00United States

Operate subway or elevated suburban trains with no separate locomotive, or electric-powered streetcar, to transport passengers. May handle fares.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning
Median annual earnings
$86,382

50th percentile, United States

Projected change
+5.5%

2025 to 2035

Typical education
High school diploma or less

86.5% of the workforce

Employment
14.81K jobs

Growing to 15.63K by 2035

Explore this career by location

Compare nationwide estimates with state or county job-market data.

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

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The work

What subway and streetcar operators do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

  • Monitor lights indicating obstructions or other trains ahead and watch for car and truck traffic at crossings to stay alert to potential hazards.
  • Operate controls to open and close transit vehicle doors.
  • Drive and control rail-guided public transportation, such as subways, elevated trains, and electric-powered streetcars, trams, or trolleys, to transport passengers.
  • Report delays, mechanical problems, and emergencies to supervisors or dispatchers, using radios.
  • Regulate vehicle speed and the time spent at each stop to maintain schedules.
  • Direct emergency evacuation procedures.
  • Make announcements to passengers, such as notifications of upcoming stops or schedule delays.
  • Complete reports, including shift summaries and incident or accident reports.
  • Greet passengers, provide information, and answer questions concerning fares, schedules, transfers, and routings.
  • Attend meetings on driver and passenger safety to learn ways in which job performance might be affected.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile
$55,182
25th percentile
$61,984
50th percentile
$86,382
75th percentile
$90,147
90th percentile
$90,149

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $86,382 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+5.5%average or slower
202514,806 jobs
2035 projected15,626 jobs

820 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

High school diploma or less
86.5%
Certificate
8.9%
Some college
4.6%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

  • Good Driving Record
  • Lifting Ability
  • Loading And Unloading
  • Bus Driving
  • Pre-Trip And Post-Trip Vehicle Inspections
  • Safety Procedures
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Equipment Inspection
  • Forklift Truck
  • Machinery
  • Accounting
  • Autonomous Vehicles
  • Machine Operation
  • Passenger Transport
  • Network Switches
  • Vehicle Maintenance
  • Mechanical Aptitude
  • General Mathematics
  • Vehicle Inspection
  • Safety Standards

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Persuasion
Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Negotiation
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Troubleshooting
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

  1. 01CDL-A Truck Drivers130 postings
  2. 02Ride Operators104 postings
  3. 03Track Operators93 postings
  4. 04Tram Drivers93 postings
  5. 05Motorcoach Operators90 postings
  6. 06Autonomous Vehicle Operators71 postings
  7. 07Independent Operators71 postings
  8. 08Vehicle Operators67 postings
  9. 09Drivers66 postings
  10. 10Motor Coach Operators57 postings
  11. 11Operators56 postings
  12. 12CDL-A Hazmat Truck Drivers50 postings
  13. 13Luxury Specialists46 postings
  14. 14Press Operators40 postings
  15. 15CDL-A Flatbed Truck Drivers39 postings
  16. 16Driver Trainers34 postings
  17. 17Metrology Managers34 postings
  18. 18Local CDL-A Truck Drivers33 postings
  19. 19Transit Operators31 postings
  20. 20Delivery Drivers29 postings

Top employers

  1. 01Velocity Rail Solutions139 postings
  2. 02Coachman Luxury Transport125 postings
  3. 03K1 Speed67 postings
  4. 04Exile Truck Lines37 postings
  5. 05H&H Recruiting37 postings
  6. 06Cedar Point36 postings
  7. 07Carowinds22 postings
  8. 08Farrow Logistics22 postings
  9. 09Hope Administrative Services21 postings
  10. 10Zeus21 postings
  11. 11Balance Staffing19 postings
  12. 12Kennametal19 postings
  13. 13Six Flags Great Adventure19 postings
  14. 14Republic Services17 postings
  15. 15Vulcan Materials16 postings
  16. 16Adecco15 postings
  17. 17Domino's Pizza15 postings
  18. 18Ryerson15 postings
  19. 19Tesla15 postings
  20. 20Aerotek13 postings

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