Transportation sector loses 2,000 jobs in June

{mosads}Supporters of the recently approved highway bill have long cast the measure as a job-creator.

“Our bill will save and create about 3 million jobs, provide a boost to the economy by rebuilding our roads and bridges and make our nation more competitive,” Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), who was chairwoman of the conference committee on the transportation bill, said after it was approved last week.

The highest-employment sector in transportation, according to the BLS, was the trucking industry, which has 1,342 million jobs as of June, compared to 1,340,700 jobs in May.

The bureau found that the aviation industry had 458,500 jobs in June, down slightly from 459,900 in May. Rail companies employed 234,000 people in June, compared to 235,000 in May.

Public transit had 426,200 jobs in June, down from 433,600 jobs in May.

President Obama is scheduled to sign the new transportation spending bill in a White House event with construction workers on Friday. The event is intended to highlight the Obama administration’s efforts to combat the national unemployment rate, which has remained above 8 percent as the president campaigns for reelection.

The full BLS statistics can be read here.