Occupation · SOC 19-3099.01
Transportation Planners
Prepare studies for proposed transportation projects. Gather, compile, and analyze data. Study the use and operation of transportation systems. Develop transportation models or simulations.
Median wage
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Projected growth
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Annual openings
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per year
Employed (US)
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Job Zone 4
Typical preparation
Considerable preparation
Stackable credential programs
530 mapped
Core skills
WritingSpeakingReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingActive ListeningJudgment and Decision MakingSystems EvaluationActive LearningCoordinationSystems AnalysisMathematicsTime ManagementOperations AnalysisMonitoringSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationPersuasionNegotiationLearning StrategiesInstructingManagement of Personnel ResourcesScienceManagement of Material ResourcesProgrammingManagement of Financial ResourcesOperations MonitoringTechnology DesignOperation and ControlQuality Control AnalysisEquipment SelectionTroubleshootingRepairingInstallationEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
TransportationEnglish LanguageMathematicsGeographyLaw and GovernmentComputers and ElectronicsAdministration and ManagementEngineering and TechnologyCustomer and Personal ServiceDesignEconomics and AccountingCommunications and MediaPublic Safety and SecuritySociology and AnthropologyPersonnel and Human ResourcesAdministrativePsychologyEducation and TrainingSales and MarketingBuilding and ConstructionHistory and ArcheologyProduction and ProcessingPhysicsTelecommunicationsChemistryPhilosophy and TheologyBiologyForeign LanguageMechanicalMedicine and DentistryFood ProductionFine ArtsTherapy and Counseling
Technology & tools
Adobe AcrobatAdobe IllustratorAdobe InDesignAdobe PhotoshopAutodesk AutoCADAutodesk AutoCAD Civil 3DBentley MicroStationCaliper TransCADCitilabs CubeCrash Mapping Analysis Tool CMATDowling Associates TRAFFIXESRI ArcGIS softwareESRI ArcViewGeographic information system GIS softwareGeographic information system GIS systemsIBM SPSS StatisticsIteris Turbo ArchitectureMapInfoMcTrans Center TSIS-CORSIMMcTrans HCS+Microsoft AccessMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft ProjectMicrosoft Visual BasicMicrosoft WordOracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio ManagementPTV VISUMQuadstone ParamicsRoundabout Delay RODELSAP softwareSASStrong Concepts TEAPACStructured query language SQLTRL Software TRANSYTTexas Transportation Institute TTI Progression Analysis and Signal System Evaluation Routine PASSERTraffic signal softwareTransportation management system TMS software
Representative tasks
Getting InformationAnalyzing Data or InformationWorking with ComputersProcessing InformationInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesThinking CreativelyEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersDeveloping and Building TeamsEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationDocumenting/Recording InformationCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersCoaching and Developing OthersGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicTraining and Teaching OthersSelling or Influencing OthersMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsScheduling Work and ActivitiesStaffing Organizational UnitsJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeoplePerforming Administrative ActivitiesMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesAssisting and Caring for OthersDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentPerforming General Physical ActivitiesHandling and Moving ObjectsControlling Machines and ProcessesRepairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Regional transportation data — collect and organize under direct supervision to support identification of local planning problems and priorities.Public meeting materials — assist in preparing and distributing to help explain planning proposals to affected community members.Draft planning reports — compile background sections and format data tables under senior planner guidance for internal review.Traffic modeling software outputs — interpret basic results with supervisor support to summarize travel demand patterns on assigned corridors.Geographic information systems — execute standard queries and produce map exhibits under direction for use in transportation studies.Land use and transportation databases — enter, verify, and retrieve records using database interfaces to maintain project data integrity.Spreadsheet tools — apply pre-built templates to organize traffic counts, demographic data, and project schedules as directed.Environmental and policy documents — read and summarize relevant sections to support senior planners conducting project impact analyses.Transportation planning terminology and regulations — demonstrate foundational knowledge of federal and state frameworks when supporting project teams.Meeting notes and correspondence — draft clear, accurate summaries of stakeholder discussions for planner review and project files.
developing
Local and regional transportation problems — identify and frame priorities by synthesizing land use, demographic, and traffic data with reduced oversight.Public hearings and community meetings — participate as a presenter, explain planning proposals clearly, and capture feedback for integration into project documentation.Planning reports and recommendations — prepare complete draft documents, including analysis sections and supporting maps, for supervisor review and agency submission.Transportation design issues — coordinate with engineers to analyze technical constraints and propose viable solutions within established project parameters.Computer travel demand models — run scenario analyses using analytical software and validate outputs against observed traffic data on routine study corridors.GIS-based spatial analyses — develop thematic maps and perform network analyses to evaluate land use and transportation system relationships for active projects.Economic and population projections — apply standard methodologies to assess transportation system needs and inform preliminary project recommendations.Environmental impact assessments — review project-level analyses, identify data gaps, and contribute technical findings to NEPA or state-equivalent documentation.Stakeholder coordination — schedule and facilitate working group sessions, reconcile conflicting input, and maintain productive relationships across agency partners.Time and project resources — manage personal task schedules and deliverable timelines to meet milestone commitments on multi-phase planning studies.
proficient
Regional and local transportation planning problems — define scope, establish evaluation criteria, and lead problem-framing processes autonomously across complex, multi-modal study areas.Public engagement programs — design and lead hearings, workshops, and comment processes, adjusting communication strategies to build consensus among diverse stakeholder groups.Comprehensive planning reports — author technically rigorous documents with policy recommendations, integrating quantitative analysis, agency goals, and community input for decision-maker audiences.Complex transportation design issues — lead cross-disciplinary collaboration with engineers and planners, resolving non-routine technical conflicts and ensuring design solutions align with planning objectives.Transportation system improvements — develop and defend project recommendations grounded in long-range traffic, economic, land use, and demographic projections for regional plan adoption.Advanced travel demand and simulation models — build, calibrate, and apply custom computer models to address non-standard planning scenarios and evaluate policy alternatives.Multi-source data synthesis — integrate GIS, modeling outputs, environmental data, and policy information to produce authoritative analyses supporting corridor, subarea, or long-range plans.Regulatory and legal frameworks — interpret federal, state, and local transportation law and government requirements to ensure project compliance and advise agency decision-makers.Funding and programming cycles — evaluate project readiness, develop cost estimates, and prepare submissions for transportation improvement programs and grant applications.Emerging transportation technologies — assess autonomous vehicle, shared mobility, or multimodal innovation impacts on regional systems using active learning and systems evaluation approaches.
advanced
Regional transportation planning vision — establish long-range strategic priorities for metropolitan or statewide transportation systems, aligning investments with economic development and equity goals.Organizational planning practice — develop agency-wide methodologies, standards, and quality review processes that elevate the technical rigor of all planning products.Policy advocacy and legislative engagement — represent the organization before elected bodies, regulatory agencies, and federal partners, translating technical findings into actionable policy positions.High-stakes public engagement strategy — design and oversee comprehensive community involvement frameworks for major capital programs, ensuring equitable representation and durable stakeholder consensus.Cross-agency and intergovernmental coordination — lead multi-jurisdictional task forces to resolve transportation corridor conflicts, align planning horizons, and negotiate cooperative agreements.Next-generation modeling platforms — direct the acquisition, customization, and institutionalization of advanced analytical tools, including activity-based models and big-data analytics pipelines, across the planning division.Workforce and talent development — mentor and formally develop junior and mid-level planners, establishing career pathways and structured learning programs within the transportation planning unit.Capital program and budget leadership — oversee multi-year transportation improvement programs, set investment priorities, and ensure fiscal alignment with state and federal funding constraints.Innovation and research agenda — identify emerging trends in land use, mobility, and climate resilience, and commission applied research that advances regional planning practice.Organizational performance and accountability — define measurable outcomes for transportation system performance, establish monitoring frameworks, and report progress to executive leadership and governing boards.
Also known as
18 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Airway Transportation Systems Specialist (ATSS)Fleet CoordinatorPlannerProgram OfficerTraffic AnalystTransit PlannerTransportation AnalystTransportation ConsultantTransportation Data Programs ManagerTransportation DesignerTransportation Logistics AnalystTransportation Management ConsultantTransportation ModelerTransportation Operations SpecialistTransportation PlannerTransportation SpecialistTransportation Systems AnalystTransportation Technician (Transportation Tech)