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.
$101,110 a year (for the broader BLS group this job sits in).
of the working time. Estimate.
- 81%
- 19%
- 0%
Measured, from Anthropic's usage data (2025). Counts help on part of a task.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 0%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 1%. Today's estimate: 2%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 22 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collaborate with other professionals to develop sustainable transportation strategies at the local, regional, or national level.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 12% | 1.7 work days3.3 h to 1 work week | Stays with people | |
| Develop computer models to address transportation planning issues.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 12% | 4.2 work days6.7 h to 2.8 work weeks | 0%Half by Feb 2029 | |
| Analyze information related to transportation, such as land use policies, environmental impact of projects, or long-range planning needs.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 11% | 1.7 work days3.3 h to 1 work week | 2%Half by Apr 2028 | |
| Prepare reports or recommendations on transportation planning.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 11% | 1.7 work days3.3 h to 4.2 work days | 2%Half by Feb 2028 | |
| Prepare or review engineering studies or specifications.Done more than yearly by most who do it. AI observed on this task. | 9% | 1.3 work days3.3 h to 4.2 work days | 4%Half by Dec 2027 | |
| Develop or test new methods or models of transportation analysis.Done yearly or less by most who do it. | 6% | 4.2 work days1 work day to 2.8 work weeks | 0%Half by Dec 2028 | |
| Interpret data from traffic modeling software, geographic information systems, or associated databases.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 5% | 6.7 h1.7 h to 2.5 work days | 8%Half by Sep 2027 | |
| Collaborate with engineers to research, analyze, or resolve complex transportation design issues.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 5% | 6.7 h1.7 h to 2.1 work days | Stays with people | |
| Produce environmental documents, such as environmental assessments or environmental impact statements.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 5% | 1.7 work weeks2.1 work days to 4.2 work weeks | 0%Half by May 2029 | |
| Recommend transportation system improvements or projects, based on economic, population, land-use, or traffic projections.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 4% | 1.7 work days3.3 h to 4.2 work days | 2%Half by Feb 2028 | |
| Define regional or local transportation planning problems or priorities.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 4% | 6.7 h1.7 h to 2.1 work days | 9%Half by Aug 2027 | |
| Prepare necessary documents to obtain planned project approvals or permits.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 3% | 1.7 work days3.3 h to 1.4 work weeks | 2%Half by Jun 2028 |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025). Counts are for the broader BLS group this job sits in.
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025). Counts are for the broader BLS group this job sits in.