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The workforces of transportation organizations, both public and private, are characterized by considerable size and diversity. The most expansive definition of transportation, which includes carriers, government, and vehicle manufacturing and retailing, encompasses firms and agencies that employ about 11 million people, or about 8 percent of the total U.S. labor force. Even if the definition of transportation is restricted to private carriers in all modes and government agencies involved in transportation infrastructure and services, the total transportation workforce numbers in excess of 5 million employees. Moreover, because transportation is a field of activity rather than a discipline, the labor force includes individuals with diverse expertise and training. Engineering, management, economics, planning, finance, and law are among the most important disciplines at the professional level. The largest segment of the workforce, however, comprises vehicle and system operators, maintenance workers, and clerical and other staff.

As in any enterprise, transportation systems depend first and foremost on the expertise and skills of the people who make the system work. Studies produced by Transportation Research Board (TRB) committees have addressed several human resource issues, including preparing the surface transportation workforce, providing an adequate number of air traffic control personnel, and compensating injured railroad workers.