The increase in US transportation sector hiring follows a revised decrease of 10,200 jobs in January and a revised 13,400 gain in December 2016. For the full year in 2016, transportation and warehousing companies added 62,000 jobs, down from a 110,000-job increase in 2015.
Job gains in the sector during February were led by the trucking segment, which grew employment by 10,600 positions. Increases were also seen in the passenger transit sector, up 1,400 from the previous month, and the courier and air segments, up 900 and 400 jobs, respectively.
Those increases were offset slightly by declines in the rail and water transportation sectors, down 1,100 and 700 jobs, respectively, for the month. Pipeline employment was relatively flat in February, down just 100 positions compared with the same 2016 period, according to American Shipper.
Overall, the US added 235,000 jobs in February, which could be a positive indicator for the US economy after a "second" preliminary estimate from the Department of Commerce late last month showed gross domestic product (GDP) rose just 1.9 per cent during fourth quarter 2016, down from a revised 3.5 per cent advance in the third quarter, but up from the 1.4 per cent growth rate seen in the second quarter and 0.8 per cent increase in the first quarter.
Job gains in the sector during February were led by the trucking segment, which grew employment by 10,600 positions. Increases were also seen in the passenger transit sector, up 1,400 from the previous month, and the courier and air segments, up 900 and 400 jobs, respectively.
Those increases were offset slightly by declines in the rail and water transportation sectors, down 1,100 and 700 jobs, respectively, for the month. Pipeline employment was relatively flat in February, down just 100 positions compared with the same 2016 period, according to American Shipper.
Overall, the US added 235,000 jobs in February, which could be a positive indicator for the US economy after a "second" preliminary estimate from the Department of Commerce late last month showed gross domestic product (GDP) rose just 1.9 per cent during fourth quarter 2016, down from a revised 3.5 per cent advance in the third quarter, but up from the 1.4 per cent growth rate seen in the second quarter and 0.8 per cent increase in the first quarter.