Subway and Light Rail Operator
Operate subway or elevated suburban trains with no separate locomotive, or electric-powered streetcar, to transport passengers. May handle fares.
Annual openings
35
BLS median wage
n/a
Typical education
High school (GED)
10-year growth
+8%
Career requirements
What does this career require?
The education, credentials, and on-the-job competencies Colorado employers expect for this role.
Typical education
High school (GED)
Credential requirement
A Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Class B is required for this job. Some employer require this before you start and others will help you get it after you are hired.
Work experience
Many employers expect some previous work experience, with Customer Service experience being highly valued.
Is this work a fit?
What the work actually feels like
How people in this career tend to spend their time, the interests it draws on, and a look at a typical day.
Automation exposure
Moderate exposure
Some routine tasks may shift as tools improve, but the role is likely to adapt.
A typical day
- 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.
- Greet passengers, provide information, and answer questions concerning fares, schedules, transfers, and routings.
- 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.