Rail operator vs trolley operator

The differences between rail operators and trolley operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a trolley operator has an average salary of $37,590, which is higher than the $37,389 average annual salary of a rail operator.

The top three skills for a rail operator include CDL, rail cars and DOT. The most important skills for a trolley operator are pre-trip, trolleys, and CDL.

Rail operator vs trolley operator overview

	Rail Operator	Trolley Operator
Yearly salary	$37,389	$37,590
Hourly rate	$17.98	$18.07
Growth rate	4%	5%
Number of jobs	30,057	30,015
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	-	-

Rail operator vs trolley operator salary

Rail operators and trolley operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Rail Operator	Trolley Operator
Average salary	$37,389	$37,590
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $54,000	Between $25,000 And $55,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between rail operator and trolley operator education

There are a few differences between a rail operator and a trolley operator in terms of educational background:

	Rail Operator	Trolley Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common major	Business	General Studies
Most common college	-	-

Rail operator vs trolley operator demographics

Here are the differences between rail operators' and trolley operators' demographics:

	Rail Operator	Trolley Operator
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 81.3% Female, 18.8%	Male, 78.3% Female, 21.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 16.6% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 6.3% White, 53.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%	Black or African American, 16.7% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 5.7% White, 56.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%
LGBT Percentage	21%	21%

Differences between rail operator and trolley operator duties and responsibilities

Rail operator example responsibilities.

Operate radio system in accordance with set radio protocols and FCC regulations.
Regulate trolley speed and inspect trolleys before leaving the yard.
Operate heavy machinery such as bobcat equipment and also operate and pave asphalt perform demolition work.
Maintain proper communication with management and frac crews on/off-site.

Trolley operator example responsibilities.

Operate heavy machinery such as bobcat equipment and also operate and pave asphalt perform demolition work.
Oversee all transit mode operations for para-transit.services.

Rail operator vs trolley operator skills

Common rail operator skills

CDL, 27%
Rail Cars, 22%
DOT, 20%
Safety Rules, 13%
Product Quality, 9%
Switches, 3%

Common trolley operator skills

Pre-trip, 34%
Trolleys, 29%
CDL, 24%
Transport Passengers, 8%
Mobility Aids, 5%

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Transportation Industry
Rail Operator
Rail Operator vs Trolley Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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