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How exposed to AI is a Transportation Engineer?

Of the 26 tasks O*NET lists for transportation engineers, 5 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 7 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
EngineerProject EngineerRail EngineerRoadway DesignerRoadway EngineerState Roadway Design EngineerTraffic EngineerTraffic Operations EngineerTransportation Engineer
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
26
tasks rated for this occupation
91%
hold a degree, from a survey of 22
304k
people do this job in the US
16 of 56
least protected in architecture and engineering

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Reachable with a chat window today

5
  • Prepare project budgets, schedules, or specifications for labor or materials
  • Investigate traffic problems and recommend methods to improve traffic flow or safety
  • Present data, maps, or other information at construction-related public hearings or meetings
  • Prepare administrative, technical, or statistical reports on traffic-operation matters, such as accidents, safety measures, or pedestrian volume or practices
  • Review development plans to determine potential traffic impact

Only with software built on top

14
  • Check construction plans, design calculations, or cost estimations to ensure completeness, accuracy, or conformity to engineering standards or practices
  • Design or prepare plans for new transportation systems or parts of systems, such as airports, commuter trains, highways, streets, bridges, drainage structures, or roadway lighting
  • Design or engineer drainage, erosion, or sedimentation control systems for transportation projects
  • Plan alteration or modification of existing transportation structures to improve safety or function
  • Prepare final project layout drawings that include details such as stress calculations
  • Estimate transportation project costs
  • Evaluate transportation systems or traffic control devices or lighting systems to determine need for modification or expansion
  • Evaluate traffic control devices or lighting systems to determine need for modification or expansion
  • Model transportation scenarios to evaluate the impacts of activities such as new development or to identify possible solutions to transportation problems
  • Evaluate construction project materials for compliance with environmental standards
  • Develop plans to deconstruct damaged or obsolete roadways or other transportation structures in a manner that is environmentally sound or prepares the land for sustainable development
  • Analyze environmental impact statements for transportation projects
  • Design transportation systems or structures with sustainable materials or products, such as porous pavement or bioretention structures
  • Develop or assist in the development of transportation-related computer software or computer processes

Cannot be sped up

7
  • Confer with contractors, utility companies, or government agencies to discuss plans, specifications, or work schedules
  • Inspect completed transportation projects to ensure safety or compliance with applicable standards or regulations
  • Direct the surveying, staking, or laying-out of construction projects
  • Participate in contract bidding, negotiation, or administration
  • Investigate or test specific construction project materials to determine compliance to specifications or standards
  • Supervise the maintenance or repair of transportation systems or system components
  • Inspect completed transportation projects to ensure compliance with environmental regulations
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.