What You'll Do

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

Essential Skills

Operations Monitoring 3.88/5
Operation and Control 3.88/5
Active Listening 3.62/5
Speaking 3.38/5
Monitoring 3.25/5
Reading Comprehension 3.12/5
Service Orientation 3.12/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.12/5
Critical Thinking 3.0/5
Active Learning 3.0/5
Social Perceptiveness 3.0/5
Coordination 3.0/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.

Top passions

  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Helper: Supporting people and making a difference matters to you.

Common styles

Cautiousness, Dependability, Attention to Detail, Self-Control, Stress Tolerance

Want a personal read on fit? Take the free assessment and compare this career to your current role, nearby alternatives, and broader stronger-fit options.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Control Precision 4.12/5
Multilimb Coordination 3.88/5
Reaction Time 3.88/5
Problem Sensitivity 3.75/5
Rate Control 3.75/5
Near Vision 3.75/5
Far Vision 3.75/5
Auditory Attention 3.75/5

Technologies & Tools

Microsoft Office software Word processing software

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

  • Cautiousness (High importance: 4.83/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 4.77/5)
  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.46/5)
  • Self-Control (High importance: 4.43/5)
  • Stress Tolerance (High importance: 4.42/5)

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How to Become One

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful but is usually not required. Training is often provided on the job.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Combined Rail Operator Electric Motorman Elevated Motorman Light Rail Operator Light Rail Train Operator Light Rail Transit Operator Light Rail Vehicle Operator (LRV Operator) Monorail Operator Motor Operator Rail Operator Rail Transit Operator Rapid Transit Operator (RTO) Service Vehicle Operator Shuttle Route Vehicle Operator Streetcar Motorman Streetcar Operator Subway Conductor Subway Train Driver Subway Train Operator Track Car Operator Trackmobile Operator Train Operator Tram Driver Tram Operator Trammer Transfer Car Operator Transit Operator Trolley Car Operator Trolley Operator Vehicle Operator

Career Fit FAQs

Is this career a good fit for me

This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.

Can this help if I want to stay in my field

Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.

What should I compare first

Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.