Transport

Transportation



 The purpose of transport is to make possible the transfer of people and goods from one place to another, whether locally or across the world

 Transport is necessary in order to allow the exchange of goods between different parts of a country or between different countries

 A good and efficient transport is a key factor in mass production where the goods can reach the consumer from the production site or factory which situated many miles away

 For example, Padi have to be transfer from the padi field in Tutong to the processing plant in Muara and then the finished product need to be transported to the consumer within the country or to overseas



Importance of Transport



 Increased transport facilities have brought our world so close together which has resulted in an interdependent world

 Transport can opened new doors so that places which were once considered to be out of reach are easily accessible

 The construction of railways has further facilitated the transport of goods from one part of the country to another and all over the world

 Easy air transport has enabled the distribution of foodstuff from one part of the world to another in their fresh state

 Road transport has also made places within the reach of individuals with the increasing use of cars which offer convenience to the owner

 Due to the increase development in each type of transports, it provide a safe, speedy and cheap means of transport for goods thereby increasing their demand world wide and making it possible for producers to engage in mass production and specialization



Benefits for having good transport facilities for people and goods



1. Goods can be produced in the most suitable areas of the world, they can be provided more cheaply

2. There is a larger market, businesses can produce on a much bigger scale at a lower cost

3. Consumers can have a much wider variety of goods available

4. People have a wider choice of jobs and can earn more money

5. Better standard of living



Factors influencing the choice of transport



1. Distance

The distance of which the goods have to travel and the cost of carrying increases with distance whereas the cost of rail and shipping will not increase with the distance thus its more cheaper for long distance travel for rail and shipping but road transport is cheap and faster for short distance travel



2. Types of goods to be transported

- Perishable goods like vegetable and milk is transported by specially designed refrigerated trucks

- Goods like flowers is transported overseas is done by the use of air transport

- Heavy goods like coal is normally transported by sea or rail

- Some commodities like oil is transported by specially designed oil tankers or pipelines may have to be constructed in the case of transport of oil within the country



3. Quantity of bulkiness

Bulky goods (like timber, iron, etc) are normally transported by railway or canals in case of home trade and are transported by sea in case of overseas trade.



4. Value of goods

- Valuable and expensive goods which are small and light are transport by air which provide a cheap and safe means of transport and there is reduced risk of damage due to handling or theft

- Road transport also can be used because the latter is more impersonal without constant surveillance of goods

- In case of no alternatives but the use of sea transport the best type of sea transport will be ocean liner or passenger liner which stops at fewer ports



5. Risk of damage

The fragile and breakable goods are normally sent by sea or by air after careful packing and handling with a precaution and label of “Fragile – Handle with care”



6. Urgency or speed

The urgency with which the goods are needed will determine whether it will be transported by air or sea



7. Convenience

The type of transport which is most conveniently available to the consignor will be chosen. Of all the type of transport, road transport is widely accepted for its convenience due to the door to door delivery



8. Cost of transport

The type of transport which is most economical is the choice of the consignor unless the goods are urgently needed or when they’re fragile. Bulk cargo is normally sent by tramps and small parcels by post



Types of transport

There are several ways to transfer people and goods from one people to another and the following diagram shows the possibilities:

Types of transport

LAND

a) Road

 

 

b) Rail

 

 

c) Pipelines

 

 

AIR

 

 

 

 

WATER

 

a) Cargo Liner

 

b) Tramps

 

Road Transport

Road Transport is by far the most important type of transport been uses to transport both people and goods


Advantages


1. It’s much quicker than rail over short distance as there is no intermediate handling

2. Door to door delivery reduces the chance of damage or theft and is generally more convenient

3. It’s usually cheaper than rail for smaller loads and over shorter distances – lower operating costs and less handling

4. Delivery times and routes are more flexible compared with other forms of transport



Disadvantages


1. It is much less suited for carrying large quantities of bulk goods such as coal and iron ore

2. It can be slower than rail over long distances, because of traffic jam

3. Road vehicles can carry only a certain maximum weight

4. Road transport is more likely to be disrupted in bad weather conditions compared with rail

5. More pollution in term of air and noise and also they can damage to roads or buildings



Rail Transport



 Rail transport is the most economical and cheap type of transport of goods over long distance

 They are most suitable type of transport for heavy or bulky goods like coal, iron, timber

 They also provides the facilities of special containers for specialized items like oil, tin and livestock



Advantages



1. Bulky goods like coal and iron can be handle more cheaply than by road transport, where large number of vehicles would be needed to transport the same quantity carried by one train

2. Over long distance, rail can be faster than road

3. Rail routes go direct to the centre of cities and avoid road traffic jam

4. Less damage to the environment

5. Very bad weather conditions are less likely to halt rail transport than road



Disadvantages


1. Rail transport itself cannot generally make door to door delivery

2. They are slower in term of short distance delivery

3. The need to transfer goods increases the risk of theft and damage

4. Rail has very high fixed costs because of the need to operate and maintain its own permanent way and stations

5. Due to the cost of transfer and operation, rail tends to be more expensive than road especially over short distances

6. Rail transport has to run to fairly rigid timetables, whereas road transport is more flexible



Pipelines

A major use of pipelines is in the transport of crude oil, gas and water as this is safe means of transport



Advantage


1. Once they are built they cost very little to use since it requires little or no maintenance

2. A continuous flow of the product is more guaranteed as pipelines are not normally affected by the weather or labour strikes

3. There are less pollution compared to vehicles and there is greater safety especially for flammables



Disadvantages


1. It’s limited in use when considering the type of product which can be carried

2. Once built, they can be used only for one type

3. Installation costs are high as they are usually placed underground and its for long term use



Air Transport


 Air Transport plays a important role in the transportation of goods which is needed urgently

 Although the charges is high, it is a safe means of transport and prevents damage or loss and also keep the goods like flowers fresh



Advantages


1. A high traveling speed which makes air transport a very quick method over long distances

2. Both land and sea can be crossed in one journey without the need to transfer people or cargo

3. The speed of air transport over long distances makes it especially important for transporting perishable goods or live animals and urgent medical supplies or spare parts

4. Light valuable goods such as diamonds can be transferred with less fear of theft and therefore the insurance rates are low

5. Expensive delicate equipment such as computers can be carried with less fear of damage and less packing is needed

6. People can reach destinations very quickly thus saving time and energy



Disadvantages



1. Air is an expensive means of transport. especially for heavy bulky goods such as cement and coal

2. The carrying capacity of aircraft is limited in terms of weight and volume

3. Over short distances, the aircraft speed cannot make up the time lost getting to and from an airport and the longer checking in time

4. Bad weather conditions are more likely to delay or halt air transport compared with land or sea transport


Sea Transport

 An economical means of transport for bulky and heavy goods such as timber, iron and grains

 Has been aided and is made more rapid by introduction of containerization which has made loading and unloading easier and reduce the risk of damage of goods

 Specially designed truck can carry the containers and deliver them right up to the consignee’s door

 Refrigeration facilities are also provided for meat and dairy products to prevent from getting spoil



Advantages


1. It has easy accessibility to most countries

2. It is suitable for heavy and bulky goods

3. It’s the cheapest mode of transport



Disadvantages

1. It’s quite slow

2. It can cause delays at the port due to shortage of labour

3. There are risk of deterioration due to the salt water

4. It depends on the weather and tide conditions


Containerization

 It’s a form of transporting goods by air, sea, road and rail where by the goods to be transported are packed into containers at the point of departure and unpacked on the point of destination



Advantages:



1. It decreased in handling therefore decreased in risk of damage

2. It make loading and unloading easier

3. It can be easily shifted from the ship to the trucks which going to carry them

4. It can reduce the cost of labour



Disadvantage

1. Labour unrest due to use of advance mechanization, which lead to increase in unemployment

2. The financial cost of adaptiong port, rail and rolling stock to the new techniques is very high

3. Equipment use to transport the containers are very expensive