U.S. transportation, logistics employment slips

Firms shed 1,300 jobs during July, but June hiring figures were revised upward.    Employment at U.S.-based transportation and logistics companies slid in July after six consecutive months of hiring growth to start the year.
   Firms shed 1,300 jobs during the month, but hiring figures for June were revised upward, from 15,400 jobs added to 18,900 new positions, according to the latest preliminary data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
   Despite the July decline, the U.S. transportation and logistics sector has added 88,600 jobs so far this year, according to BLS.
   Employment losses in the sector during July were seen primarily in the transit and ground passenger segment, which dropped 14,800 jobs compared with the previous month.
   Other segments that saw decreases in employment included the support activities for transportation and pipeline segments, down 3,200 and 200 jobs, respectively.
   Those decreases were offset in part by growth in the couriers and messengers segment, up 7,600 jobs; truck transportation, up 4,400 positions; warehousing and storage, up 3,600 jobs; air transportation, up 500 positions; and rail and water transportation, up 400 jobs each.
   Total U.S. non-farm payroll employment increased by 157,000 in July compared with the previous month, and the unemployment rate edged down 0.1 percentage points to 3.9 percent, according to BLS.