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Calibre 2023 Traffic & Transport Survey Summary

In October 2023, Calibre conducted an industry survey of professionals in the traffic and transport survey. This survey was mainly focused on industry sentiment in the industry and included a number of questions that were also asked in the 2022 Calibre and AITPM survey.

Here are the findings from the survey:

2022 vs 2023 Industry Experience:

50% reported a positive or very positive work experience in 2023, a drop from the robust 67% in 2022.
Only 15% felt the year was negative, with the majority in neutral territory.

Reward/Recognition Impact:

Positive responses were influenced by reward and recognition, with those attaining promotions showing the most positivity.
Transitioning to new roles was generally positive, but 10% reported a negative experience.

State-to-State Variations:

All states reported a positive response, with Queensland professionals having the most positive year
Whilst still overall a positive response, New South Wales recorded the lowest average.

Employer Type and Experience:

In the private sector, those in smaller specialist firms (76%) had a more positive experience compared to larger international consultancies (44%).
In the public sector, local and state government responses were comparable, with 55% reporting a positive year.

Career Growth and Promotion Prospects:

Large multi-disciplinary firms showed lower confidence in career growth and promotion prospects, with 68% in smaller firms feeling positive.
Public sector employees had evenly distributed responses about career growth, with 20% feeling more secure than the previous year.

Variance Based on Professional Focus:

Traffic engineers had the most positive experience, while modellers had a neutral experience.
Planners had a positive year, but their industry outlook for 2024 was demonstrably less positive.

Variance Based on years in the Industry:

Professionals in their first four years were the most positive, while those with five to nine years recorded the most negative experience in 2023.
Job security confidence remained high for those with fewer years in the industry.

Looking Ahead to 2024:

Only 9% strongly agreed that the outlook for 2024 was positive, with the majority being neutral.
Those with a negative outlook cited economics as the primary factor, while positive outlook factors were more diverse, including role expectations and relationships with managers.
Those with a positive work experience in 2023 were more likely to see a positive industry outlook for 2024 (50%), compared to 25% for those with a negative experience.