Little change in employment is expected for locomotive engineers through 2033, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). Despite this prediction, the DOL says that "an expected increase in intermodal freight activity—the shipment of goods through multiple transportation modes—may support demand for railroad workers." In recent years, employment growth also has benefitted from federal legislation that has raised the number of hours engineers must rest between work shifts (which has created a need for more workers to cover shifts).
Falling demand for the transportation of coal, oil, and other bulk commodities, and the transportation of oil and natural gas via pipelines, will have a negative impact on the industry. Employment growth also may be limited as a result of advances in technology and efficiency. For example, the use of remote-control locomotive technology allows engines to be moved in rail yards remotely without locomotive engineers. Additional passenger cars can be added to trains to meet demand without requiring additional locomotives; this also has the potential to reduce demand for engineers.