Skills
Traffic Technician Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in traffic technicians, and how to build and show them.
What skills do traffic technicians need?
Traffic Technicians need technical skills such as traffic counting, signal timing, and data analysis, plus people skills like attention to detail and communication. They also use tools such as Tube counters and Traffic cameras.
Technical (hard) skills
- Traffic counting
- Signal timing
- Data analysis
- MUTCD standards
- GIS
- Sign inspection
People (soft) skills
- Attention to detail
- Communication
- Safety awareness
- Problem-solving
Tools, equipment and technology
- Tube counters
- Traffic cameras
- Radar guns
- Signal controllers
- GIS software
- Spreadsheets
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how traffic technicians put their skills to work:
- How to run a turning movement count
- How to set up traffic tube counters safely
- How to check pedestrian walk timing
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Traffic counting” and “Signal timing.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “attention to detail,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as IMSA Traffic Signal Technician near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our traffic technician glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Traffic Technician training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.