Transportation53-4041.00Specialization

Subway and Streetcar Operators

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

$84,270
Median Pay
Less than 6 months
Training
🟠
In Transition

This is a specialization of

Rail Transportation Workers

AI Impact Assessment

AI Resilience Score

Score 2/6: limited human advantage indicates this career is being transformed by AI

🟠In Transition

How we calculated this:

AI Exposure
Medium+1

41% of tasks can be accelerated by AI

Job Growth
Stable+1

+3% projected (2024-2034)

Human Advantage
Weak+0

EPOCH score: 10/25

Total Score2/6
Methodology: v2.0 - GPTs are GPTs / BLS / EPOCH Additive ScoringUpdated: 2026-01-09

Key Responsibilities

  • 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.
  • Make announcements to passengers, such as notifications of upcoming stops or schedule delays.
  • Direct emergency evacuation procedures.
  • 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.

Education & Training

Typical Entry Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Time to Job Ready

0-1 years

Based on Job Zone 2. For formal education duration only, see education_duration.

Technology Skills

Train control systemsCommunication systemsSafety documentationMicrosoft Office

Key Abilities

Control PrecisionMultilimb CoordinationReaction TimeProblem SensitivityRate ControlNear VisionFar VisionAuditory AttentionOral ExpressionDeductive Reasoning

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Compensation Details

$54,690
10th Percentile
$84,270
Median
$87,110
90th Percentile

Based on 14,860 employed workers

Also Known As

Combined Rail OperatorElectric MotormanElevated MotormanLight Rail OperatorLight Rail Train OperatorLight Rail Transit OperatorLight Rail Vehicle Operator (LRV Operator)Monorail OperatorMotor OperatorRail Operator

Data from O*NET 30.1 and BLS Occupational Employment Statistics

O*NET Code: 53-4041.00