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AI exposure Transportation and material moving

Will AI replace subway and streetcar operators?

Subway and Streetcar Operators. US occupation 53-4041.

0.0%

of the time subway and streetcar operators spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of subway and streetcar operators' working hours go on tasks AI has already started taking off their plate.

Ranked 346 of 756 US occupations. No AI use seen in the work yet, along with 410 other occupations.No handover started yet, along with 410 other occupations.

Average US job 7.7%

Among the least exposed jobs there are.Still waiting for liberation.

What AI already does for subway and streetcar operatorsWhat subway and streetcar operators no longer do alone

O*NET lists 10 tasks for subway and streetcar operators. None of them shows meaningful AI use at work yet.

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

10 of the 10 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Attend meetings on driver and passenger safety to learn ways in which job performance might be affected.Core task
  • Complete reports, including shift summaries and incident or accident reports.Core task
  • Direct emergency evacuation procedures.Core task
  • Drive and control rail-guided public transportation, such as subways, elevated trains, and electric-powered streetcars, trams, or trolleys, to transport passengers.Core task
  • Greet passengers, provide information, and answer questions concerning fares, schedules, transfers, and routings.Core task
  • Make announcements to passengers, such as notifications of upcoming stops or schedule delays.Core task
Show the other 4
  • Monitor lights indicating obstructions or other trains ahead and watch for car and truck traffic at crossings to stay alert to potential hazards.Core task
  • Operate controls to open and close transit vehicle doors.Core task
  • Regulate vehicle speed and the time spent at each stop to maintain schedules.Core task
  • Report delays, mechanical problems, and emergencies to supervisors or dispatchers, using radios.Core task

How that compares

Among the 44 transportation and material moving occupations, subway and streetcar operators rank 39. The group averages 0.6%, and its most exposed job is Passenger Attendants at 11.7%. The average US occupation sits at 7.7%.

All 756 occupations, ranked

Level with 0.0%

  1. 346Stockers and Order Fillers 0.0%
  2. 346Stonemasons 0.0%
  3. 346Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters 0.0%

What this does and does not mean

Exposure is observed use, not a forecast. Anthropic maps work conversations with Claude onto the tasks O*NET lists for each job and asks, of the tasks AI could speed up, which are actually being used for at work. A use that does the task outright counts in full and a use that assists a person counts half. The task scores are averaged into the occupation figure by the share of time spent on each task.

A high figure means AI is already part of how this work gets done. It does not mean anyone has been replaced. Anthropic's own reading of the labour market finds no systematic rise in unemployment among exposed workers so far, and about 14% fewer 22 to 25 year olds starting exposed jobs.No measurable rise in unemployment among exposed workers so far, and about 14% fewer 22 to 25 year olds starting these jobs. Gap years for everyone. Labor market impacts, 5 March 2026.

Task list and titles from O*NET 31.0 by the US Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. Scores from the Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Checked 1 November 2026. How the ranking works.