What Do Transit Planners Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for transit planners?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what transit planners do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Transit Planners Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about transit planners by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Transit Planners all social scientists and related workers not listed separately.
Popular Job Titles For Transit Planners
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Transportation Planners
- Research Analysts
- Traffic Control Technicians
- Transportation Analysts
- Transportation Technicians
- Research Associates
- Research Technicians
- Research Scientists
- Transit Planners
- Research Specialists
- Transportation Operations Specialists
- Transportation Planning Managers
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for transit planners can be found.
Best Industries for Transit Planners
Transit Planners Jobs By Industry
- Federal Government, Civilian: 57.6%
- Scientific Research and Development Services: 9.4%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 9%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 4.3%
- Federal Government, Military: 3.9%
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 3.5%
- Other: 12.3%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of transit planners can be found working in the Federal Government, Civilian sector. In 2022, about 57.6% of all jobs for transit planners were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Scientific Research and Development Services (9.4%), Education and Hospitals (State Government) (9%), State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (4.3%), Federal Government, Military (3.9%) and Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (3.5%).
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What Do Transit Planners Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what transit planners do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work transit planners do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that transit planners tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for transit planners, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Transit Planners
Based on 16,545 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Transit Planners
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | 5,204 | 31% |
| Data Analysis | 3,447 | 21% |
| Project Management | 3,144 | 19% |
| Transportation Planning | 2,687 | 16% |
| Statistics | 2,631 | 16% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Transit Planners
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Research | 8,943 | 54% |
| Communications | 6,706 | 41% |
| Writing | 5,526 | 33% |
| Planning | 4,858 | 29% |
| Management | 4,695 | 28% |
Based on 16,545 job postings related to transit planners, economics was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 31% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for data analysis, project management, transportation planning, statistics and data collection were also highly sought.
As for common skills, research was the most desired skill found in job postings for transit planners, followed by communications, writing, planning, management and presentations.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | 5,204 | 31% |
| Data Analysis | 3,447 | 21% |
| Project Management | 3,144 | 19% |
| Transportation Planning | 2,687 | 16% |
| Statistics | 2,631 | 16% |
| Data Collection | 2,267 | 14% |
| Finance | 1,986 | 12% |
| R (Programming Language) | 1,952 | 12% |
| Python (Programming Language) | 1,668 | 10% |
| Marketing | 1,663 | 10% |
| Traffic Control | 1,606 | 10% |
| Geographic Information Systems | 1,500 | 9% |
| SAS (Software) | 1,337 | 8% |
| Computer Science | 1,269 | 8% |
| SQL (Programming Language) | 1,268 | 8% |
| Statistical Analysis | 1,253 | 8% |
| Business Development | 1,231 | 7% |
| Public Policies | 1,228 | 7% |
| Stata | 1,157 | 7% |
| Urban Planning | 1,130 | 7% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Research | 8,943 | 54% |
| Communications | 6,706 | 41% |
| Writing | 5,526 | 33% |
| Planning | 4,858 | 29% |
| Management | 4,695 | 28% |
| Presentations | 4,219 | 26% |
| Operations | 3,824 | 23% |
| Microsoft Excel | 3,067 | 19% |
| Detail Oriented | 2,612 | 16% |
| Leadership | 2,577 | 16% |
| Coordinating | 2,552 | 15% |
| Problem Solving | 2,369 | 14% |
| Customer Service | 2,256 | 14% |
| Microsoft Office | 2,134 | 13% |
| Mathematics | 2,036 | 12% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 1,888 | 11% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 1,859 | 11% |
| Forecasting | 1,828 | 11% |
| Innovation | 1,671 | 10% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 1,565 | 9% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Transit Planners
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation Planners | 6,001 | 22.9% |
| Research Analysts | 3,138 | 12% |
| Traffic Control Technicians | 3,128 | 11.9% |
| Transportation Analysts | 2,115 | 8.1% |
| Transportation Technicians | 2,274 | 8.7% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was transportation planners, with 2,750 unique job postings. Research analysts were second, with 907 postings, followed by traffic control technicians, transportation analysts and transportation technicians.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to transit planners.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation Planners | 6,001 | 22.9% |
| Research Analysts | 3,138 | 12% |
| Traffic Control Technicians | 3,128 | 11.9% |
| Transportation Analysts | 2,115 | 8.1% |
| Transportation Technicians | 2,274 | 8.7% |
| Research Associates | 1,589 | 6.1% |
| Research Technicians | 2,054 | 7.8% |
| Research Scientists | 736 | 2.8% |
| Transit Planners | 621 | 2.4% |
| Research Specialists | 1,202 | 4.6% |
| Transportation Operations Specialists | 473 | 1.8% |
| Transportation Planning Managers | 370 | 1.4% |
| Traffic Technicians | 480 | 1.8% |
| Research Data Analysts | 491 | 1.9% |
| Traffic Analysts | 383 | 1.5% |
| Transportation Consultants | 258 | 1% |
| Transportation Designers | 275 | 1% |
| Economic Research Analysts | 184 | 0.7% |
| Investment Research Analysts | 264 | 1% |
| Summer Analysts | 165 | 0.6% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for transit planners? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for transit planners.
How much do transit planners make?
Transit Planners: How do you become one?
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