Chart 5. Level of rail transportation employment and number of freight carloads, January 2018–December 2020, seasonally adjusted (in thousands)
Month Employment Rail freight carloads

Jan 2018

179.3 1,095.4

Feb 2018

179.7 1,134.4

Mar 2018

179.6 1,161.5

Apr 2018

180.1 1,157.4

May 2018

181.2 1,160.7

Jun 2018

181.3 1,157.2

Jul 2018

181.8 1,145.3

Aug 2018

182.3 1,145.4

Sep 2018

183.2 1,135.9

Oct 2018

183.7 1,131.4

Nov 2018

184.1 1,122.8

Dec 2018

183.4 1,141.7

Jan 2019

183.6 1,126.3

Feb 2019

182.5 1,102.2

Mar 2019

181.2 1,058.9

Apr 2019

179.5 1,149.6

May 2019

177.4 1,129.2

Jun 2019

175.6 1,093.3

Jul 2019

174.6 1,099.1

Aug 2019

172.3 1,091.1

Sep 2019

169.9 1,057.2

Oct 2019

166.8 1,034.9

Nov 2019

164.9 1,039.1

Dec 2019

163.4 1,034.3

Jan 2020

160.5 1,057.6

Feb 2020

159.4 1,020.9

Mar 2020

158.3 982.8

Apr 2020

153.9 863.2

May 2020

148.2 806.5

Jun 2020

145.2 855.0

Jul 2020

144.8 910.6

Aug 2020

145.1 915.2

Sep 2020

145.4 952.1

Oct 2020

144.4 965.1

Nov 2020

143.3 984.3

Dec 2020

144.5 983.9

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.