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Life As a Traffic Technician
Traffic Technician Definition Conduct field studies to determine traffic volume, speed, effectiveness of signals, adequacy of lighting, and other factors influencing traffic conditions, under direction of traffic engineer.
Traffic Technician Responsibilities
- Study factors affecting traffic conditions, such as lighting or sign and marking visibility, to assess their effectiveness.
- Interact with the public to answer traffic-related questions, respond to complaints or requests, or discuss traffic control ordinances, plans, policies, or procedures.
- Provide technical supervision regarding traffic control devices to other traffic technicians or laborers.
- Operate counters and record data to assess the volume, type, and movement of vehicular or pedestrian traffic at specified times.
- Review traffic control or barricade plans to issue permits for parades or other special events or for construction work that affects rights of way, providing assistance with plan preparation or revision, as necessary.
- Time stoplights or other delays, using stopwatches.
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Traffic Technician Needed Skills
These are the skills Traffic Technicians say are the most useful in their careers:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Street Light Technician
- Highway Traffic Control Technician
- Transportation Planning Technician
- Transportation Technician
- Traffic Control Specialist
Traffic Technician Job Outlook
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 6,600 jobs in the United States for Traffic Technician. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 9.1% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 600 new jobs for Traffic Technician by 2026. The BLS estimates 800 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Traffic Technician are North Dakota, Arkansas, and Kentucky. Watch out if you plan on working in South Carolina, Pennsylvania, or New Jersey. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Traffic Technician Salary
The salary for Traffic Technicians ranges between about $29,750 and $79,070 a year.
Traffic Technicians who work in Oregon, Nevada, or New York, make the highest salaries.
How much do Traffic Technicians make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Arizona | $49,730 |
| Arkansas | $41,200 |
| California | $61,750 |
| Florida | $41,970 |
| Georgia | $39,520 |
| Hawaii | $55,020 |
| Illinois | $56,940 |
| Iowa | $44,960 |
| Kansas | $48,860 |
| Kentucky | $37,720 |
| Louisiana | $40,830 |
| Maryland | $42,550 |
| Massachusetts | $49,030 |
| Michigan | $42,420 |
| Missouri | $45,820 |
| Nevada | $69,320 |
| New Jersey | $52,130 |
| New Mexico | $37,560 |
| New York | $62,100 |
| North Carolina | $41,310 |
| Ohio | $51,270 |
| Oklahoma | $40,350 |
| Oregon | $70,500 |
| Pennsylvania | $56,240 |
| South Carolina | $43,630 |
| Tennessee | $42,730 |
| Texas | $46,110 |
| Utah | $47,170 |
| Virginia | $51,260 |
| Washington | $63,560 |
| Wisconsin | $50,380 |
| Wyoming | $45,870 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Traffic Technicians
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Traffic Technicians:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Python
- Microsoft Access
- Word processing software
- Microsoft Windows
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- The MathWorks MATLAB
- SAS
- R
- Oracle software
- Salesforce software
- Tableau
- Bentley Microstation
- ESRI ArcView
- Computer aided design and drafting software CADD
- Structure query language SQL
Becoming a Traffic Technician
Are there Traffic Technicians education requirements?
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where do Traffic Technicians Work?
The table below shows the approximate number of Traffic Technicians employed by various industries.
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Are you already one of the many Traffic Technician in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.