U.S. transportation sector hiring grows for second straight month in November

Transportation and logistics companies added 8,900 positions last month, following a revised 12,200-job increase in October, according to recent preliminary data from the U.S. Department of Labor.    United States transportation and logistics companies added 8,900 jobs for the month in November 2016, according to the latest preliminary data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
   The increase in U.S. transportation sector hiring follows a revised increase of 12,200 jobs in October, which came on the heels of a 3,200-job decline in September. Revised BLS data indicates the industry added 18,600 and 12,200 positions in August and July, respectively, following a 6,700-job cut in June.
   Job gains in the sector during November were led by the courier and messenger segment, which grew employment by 5,700 positions, although some of this can be attributed to seasonal hiring for the increased parcel volumes during the upcoming holidays. Increases were also seen in the warehouse and storage, truck, and support activities sectors, up 3,100, 1,100, and 200 jobs, respectively, from the previous month.
   Those increases were offset in part by declines in the air, rail, water, and pipeline transportation sectors, down 1,000, 500, 300 and 100 jobs, respectively, for the month.
   Overall, the U.S. added 178,000 jobs in November, which could be another positive indicator for the U.S. economy after a “second” preliminary estimate from the Department of Commerce late last month showed gross domestic product – the broadest measure of an individual economy – rose 3.2 percent during third quarter 2016, up from a revised 0.8 percent advance in the first quarter and 1.4 percent growth in the second quarter.