Employment in the Transportation, Communication and Public Utilities (TCPU) division increased slower than employment in Colorado as a whole at 2.4 percent or 2,769 jobs. Average wages increased by 7 percent to $42,034 due to executive bonuses in the Communications industry. Seventy percent of the jobs in this division were in the Denver MSA.

The largest sector within TCPU is Communications with 36 percent of total employment. Telephone Communications employment increased by 388 to 28,612 and the average annual wage rose by $5,028 to $59,315. Cable and other Pay Television Services experienced an increase in employment of 480 jobs to 8,080 and an average annual salary increase of $8,256 to $52,609. There was consolidation in the Radio Broadcasting Stations due to FCC deregulation that reversed the growth in the number of establishments. The number of establishments dropped by 8 to 152. Telegraph and other Message Communications declined by 101 jobs to 438 but the average salary increased by 12.6 percent to $83,654.

Employment in Transportation by Air increased by 1,643 due to an increase of 1,419 jobs in Air Transportation, Scheduled, and Air Courier Service. There was an addition of 866 jobs in Denver County to 13,890 and 327 jobs in El Paso County to 2,961. Airports, Flying Fields, and Airport Terminal Service employment increased by 194 jobs to 2,957. All of the increase was in Denver County where employment increased from 1,171 to 1,372.

Employment in Trucking and Courier Services, Except Air decreased by 160 jobs to 21,827. The number of establishments increased by 88 to 1,768 due to truckers leaving large firms and going into business for themselves. Public Warehousing and Storage increased from 223 establishments and 1,431 jobs to 242 establishments and 1,476 jobs in 1997.

The Electric, Gas, and Sanitary Services division had an employment decrease of 249 jobs in 1997 due to a decline of 303 jobs in Combination Electric and Gas, and Other Utility Services sector. However, the Combination Utility sector did experience an average salary increase of $8,013 to $57,963. Gas Production and Distribution employment increased by 174 jobs to 2,233 with the addition of five new establishments. Employment in Sanitary Services declined by 135 to 5,768.

Local and Suburban Transit and Interurban Highway Passenger Transportation private industry employment increased by 286 jobs to 5,290. Within this sector, Local and Suburban Passenger Transportation increased by 114 to 3,609. Intercity and Rural Bus Transportation increased by 102 jobs to 563.