Mode of Transport

Mode of Transport

Introduction

Mode of transportation means distinguished substantial different ways in which transportation is performed. Overall, the most dominant mode of transportation tends to be aviation, ship transport as well as land transport incorporating the use of rail, road and the off-road transport. As well, there are other mode of transport such as pipelines, space and cable transport. Generally, according to research, transportation has been used for movement of people, animals and other things (Rondinelli & Berry, 2000). In each case of the mode of transport, there are fundamental distinct technological solutions that are set and require separate environment to thrive. In addition, each mode of transport has its unique infrastructure, operations and vehicles with their unique regulations. As well, each mode of transportation posses it separate subsystems. Mainly, subsystems are group of many parts that tend to make one part. Use of transport mode that are more than one is referred to as intermodal whereas transportation mode that tend to carry many people as well as being used by public is referred to as mass transportation (Sriraman, et al 2006).

Air Transport

Air transport has been an essential enabler toward achieving economic growth as well as development. Air transport is the main mode that facilitates aspect of integration in global economy since it offer crucial connectivity on national, regional and international boundaries. Air transport has aided in generation of trade, promotion of tourism and creation of employment opportunities. Typically, a fixed-wing aircraft, or the airplane, tends to be heavier than the air flight vehicle where the special geometry applied on its wings tends to have capacity of generating lift. Generally, gyroplane has both the rotary wing and fixed wings. The fixed airplane tends to range from the small trainers to the recreational aircraft and the large airlines and military cargo airplanes. However, in case of short distances and other inaccessible places, use of helicopter tends to be practical (Sriraman, et al 2006).

According to research, air transport is the second fastest mode of transport after the space transport. Commercial jets have capacity of reaching a speed that is up to 955 kilometers per hour or 593 mph with considerable high speed in case of jet stream tailwind. On the other hand, the piston-powered aviation airplane mat reach a speed of up to 555 kilometers per hour or 345 mph. however, the celerity is associated with high cost as well as energy use. As well, use of air transport tends to impact the environment especially when it comes to the global climate hence requiring other consideration when thinking of mode of transports (Sriraman, et al 2006).

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) it has been estimated that use of commercial jets cause 2-4 times effect to the climatic conditions when the same carbon dioxide (Co2) are made on ground. This is because there are distinct environment atmospheric chemistry as well as radioactive force effects especially on the higher levels. According to research conducted, the United States airline, for example, burned almost 16.2 billion gallons of airplane fuel between Oct 2013 and Sept 2014. According to estimates, internationally there are almost 500,000 people at a time who are using air transport. Checking the global trend, there has been an increasing number of people who are attracted to use air travel. Individually, people do so with increased frequency for long distances.

Air transport charges incorporate fee or charges that a client need to pay in case of purchase of the air service. The charges include the cost of the air carrier for provision of the service and excluding third party charges. According to regulations set out by Air Transport and Regulation Authority, the objectives set out by ICAAO target reduction of state costs in performance of economic regulatory functions, increasing consumer benefits and choices, improving on air connectivity as well as creating more competitive business environment within the marketplaces (Sinha & Labi, 2011).

Generally, air cargo services need to be used at times when the most essential factors in movement of products all over the world. Speed of moving needs to be a necessity while shipping via the use of air since it is considered as the premium mode of transportation. For the full services of air transport, airline companies have to manage the entire services for the clients. They offer services such as handling client’s documentation, management of the ground transportation at each end as well as overseeing the entire freight process (Sinha & Labi, 2011). Airline companies ensure that clients achieve the speed they require via using the air cargo at reasonable adjusted prices. Airline companies always work closely with core groups that are leading in the commercial and character operations for more than hundred trade lines. They offer clients the most suitable as well as cost effective services for the business form one network provider to the best class service provided. Air land and sea express offers the client various air cargo services such as:

• Cargo, Character Flights and Commercial
• There are no restriction on the size or the weight since they do utilize more than thousands airline flights on daily basis with no limitation to the designated pickup or the delivery times
• Clients enjoy door-to-door extended services via the airline company networks for the domestic and international partners. Airline operates on major continents of the world, with best resources that ensures smother clearance as well as delivery to the final destinations.

Land

On the other hand, land transport incorporate all the land based transportation systems and facilities that offer movement of goods, services as well as people. Within the economic aspect, land transport is useful and it plays a crucial role in the process of connecting communities with each other. According to research, land transport is cheaper than any other form of transportation. Land transportation tends to be a crucial factor in the process of urban planning in many states. Land transport incorporates two types which are Rail and Road (Sinha & Labi, 2011).

Rail Transport

Under rail transport, this incorporate the means of conveyance of goods, services and passengers by the use of wheels vehicles that are run on rail track well known as railroad or railway. Rails tend to be attached vertical to the railway trains that contains one or even more connected vehicle that have to run on the rails. The promotion in many instances is offered by the locomotives that do haul a series of unpowered cars carrying passengers or goods. Actually, the rail locomotives tend to be powered by use of steam, diesel or even electricity that is supplied from the trackside systems (Sinha & Labi, 2011). Conversely, there are some or even the entire locomotive may be powered which is known as the multiple unit. As well, the train may be powered by use of horses, cables, pneumatics, gas turbines and gravity. For the railed vehicles, they have to move with less friction than for the case of rubber tires on a paved ground. This makes the train to be more energy efficient though not all that efficient when compared to the ships (Rondinelli & Berry, 2000).

In addition, there are the uses of intercity trains that have long-haul services with capacity to connect cities. For the model high speed trains, they have capacity of reaching a speed of up to 430 Km/h or 270 mph, although such speed do require a special build track. As well, the regional and commuter trains do service the cities ranging from suburbs and the neighboring areas whereas the intra-urban transport is always performed under higher capacity rapid transits and tramways. These make up the backbone of the entire city public transport. In the old days, the traditional trains used the box cars whereby they required manual process of loading as well as unloading for cargos. Container trains become dominant in 1960s which emerged as a solution for general freight whereas the larger quantities on build were transported using the dedicated trains (Sinha & Labi, 2011).

Rail transport is part of intermodal transport mode which generally implies on the use of rail services and truck. In this case, containers are easily picked up and are delivered similarly to the normal truckload. Despite this being the case, transits ranging from city to city are carried out via use of the special equipments. There is the use of special interchange containers that do allow goods be transferred from the ship to the rail truck without repackaging the process. This tends to save money since it has low fuel costs with decreased labor using similar containers for all the mode of transport. Reduction of cost in the intermodal transport is significant (Sriraman, et al 2006). Some of the drawback in the form of transport include being less flexible since firms have limitation of space where train routes are available with slow shipping times. It is essential to use the intermodal transport in case shipments are:

• Between 10,000 and 45,000 pounds
• While traveling for more than 1,000 miles among the major metropolitan cities
• When in capacity to practically use 40’, 48’, 53’ trailers and containers
• When there are no needs of expedited services for 4-12 days while in transit time depending on the distance to be covered.

Road

Roads are defined as identifiable routes of travel that are mainly surfaced with gravel, concrete or asphalt. Roads are used in supporting the passage via foot or using vehicles. In the entire world, the most common road vehicle that has been developed and used is automobile, a wheeled vehicle that carriers it own motor. The entire world, by 2013, there were almost 601 million automobiles (Sinha & Labi, 2011). As well, there are other users of the roads such as the motorcars, buses, trucks, motorcycles, bicycle and pedestrians. For each of these groups, there are special provisions that are provided for them with governmental regulation on usage. For instance, in most states, use of the bus lanes has to offer priorities for the public transport means whereas the cycle lanes offers special areas on the roads especially for the bicycles to use. Generally, motorcars are said to offer higher flexibility but are said to have high energy especially on their use. They are said to be the main source of noise as well as air pollution within cities. Use of buses is attributed with capacity to allow more efficient and effective travelling at a lower cost with reduced flexibility. In addition, road transport using truck tends to be the initial and the final stage for the freight transportation (Zhang, et al 2004).

Water Transport

Water transport has been the cheapest mean of transport. It is as well the oldest mode of transport. Water transport tends to operate on natural track hence require little capital investment in the process of construction and maintenance of the track except in the use of canals. As well, cost of operation for the water transport tends to be little. Water transport has the largest carrying capacity and has been suitable when it comes to transportation of bulky god for long distances. Actually, water transport has played an essential role to bring different parts of the world together as well as closer to each other and being indispensable to foreign trade (Næss, 2006).

Under the inland water transport, there is use of rivers, lakes and canals, rivers tend to be natural highway that can be use as a mean of transport. Rivers are suitable for the use of small boats and big barges. In the development of the modern land transport, water transport played a major role. On the other hand there is the use of ocean. Oceans are indispensable means of transport for enhancement of foreign trade. Ocean transport has enhanced connection of the entire world while bringing all nations together and knitting together nations to become a one big world market. The transportation process operates on natural track and do not require any investment when it comes to the construction or maintenance of the track. It is the cheapest mode of transport in the entire world (Milne, Niskanen & Verhoef, 2001).

Other Forms of Transport

Use of pipeline transport assists in sending goods via the pipe especially the gases and the liquid. However, the use of pneumatic tubes as well assists in sending solid capsules via the use of compressed air (Moses & Lindstrom, 2012). On the other hand, the liquid and gases or any stable chemical liquid may be easily sent via pipelines. In addition, there are short distance systems exist for slurry water, beer, sewage whereas for the long distance systems are mainly used for transportation of natural gases and petroleum (Ballou, 2007).

Cable transport tends to be broad where vehicles are pulled by use of cable rather than the internal power sources. The transportation mode is mostly used in steep gradient. Some of the typical solutions that are available are aerial tramway, escalators, ski lifts and elevators. On the other hand, there is space transport use to transport out of the earth atmosphere to the outer space by use of spacecrafts.

Reference List:

Ballou, R. H. (2007). Business Logistics/Supply Chain Management, 5/E (With Cd). Pearson Education India.

Milne, D., Niskanen, E., & Verhoef, E. (2001). Legal and Institutional Framework for Marginal Cost Pricing in Urban Transport in Europe. Valtion taloudellinen tutkimuskeskus.

Moses, L. N., & Lindstrom, D. (Eds.). (2012). Transportation of hazardous materials: Issues in law, social science, and engineering. Springer Science & Business Media.

Næss, P. (2006). Cost-benefit analyses of transportation investments: neither critical nor realistic. Journal of critical realism, 5(1), 32-60.

Rondinelli, D., & Berry, M. (2000). Multimodal transportation, logistics, and the environment: managing interactions in a global economy. European Management Journal, 18(4), 398-410.

Sinha, K. C., & Labi, S. (2011). Transportation decision making: Principles of project evaluation and programming. John Wiley & Sons.

Sriraman, S., Venkatesh, A., Karne, M., & Mohite, V. (2006). Competition issues in the road goods transport industry in India with special reference to the Mumbai metropolitan region. The Competition Commission of India.

Zhang, A., Boardman, A. E., Gillen, D., & Waters, I. I. (2004). Towards estimating the social and environmental costs of transportation in Canada. Report for Transport Canada.