Transportation & Logistics
Subway and Streetcar Operators
Also called: Combined Rail Operator, Light Rail Operator, Light Rail Train Operator, Light Rail Vehicle Operator (LRV Operator)
US median pay
$86,380
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+3.7%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
900
10,500 employed
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
Operate subway or elevated suburban trains with no separate locomotive, or electric-powered streetcar, to transport passengers. May handle fares.
What they do day to day
- 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.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Operations Monitoring3.9/5
- Operation and Control3.9/5
- Service Orientation3.1/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1/5
- Time Management3.0/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.0/5
- Coordination3.0/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.0/5
Knowledge
- Transportation4.4/5
- Public Safety and Security3.9/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.7/5
- English Language3.2/5
- Education and Training2.8/5
- Telecommunications2.6/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 2 of 5 — Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma; some previous work experience or training helps.
Typical entry education (BLS): High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest education of people in this job:
- High school diploma87%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.