Transportation and material moving
Subway and streetcar operators
Operate subway or elevated suburban trains with no separate locomotive, or electric-powered streetcar, to transport passengers. May handle fares.
Median pay
$86,380
Growth to 2035
+4%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
900
Time to qualify*
6 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Subway and streetcar operators
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Subway and streetcar operators: 76% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- 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.
Also called: Combined Rail Operator · Light Rail Operator · Light Rail Train Operator · Light Rail Vehicle Operator (LRV Operator) · Rail Operator · Rapid Transit Operator (RTO) · Streetcar Operator · Train Operator
Outlook and AI
Subway and streetcar operators held 10,500 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 10,900 by 2035 (+4%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Subway and streetcar operators vs. Locomotive engineer
- Subway and streetcar operators vs. Railroad conductors and yardmasters
- Subway and streetcar operators vs. Bus drivers, transit and intercity
- Subway and streetcar operators vs. Railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers
- Subway and streetcar operators vs. Taxi driver
- Subway and streetcar operators vs. Rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers
- Subway and streetcar operators vs. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Subway and streetcar operators vs. Air traffic controller
- Subway and streetcar operators vs. Truck driver
- Subway and streetcar operators vs. Light truck driver