Transportation: Road, Rail, Air, Pipeline, Containerization and Water

CONTENT

• Advantages  and disadvantages of :

1.   Road Transportation                           4.  Transportation by pipelines

2.   Rail transportation                              5.         Containerization

3.   Air transportation                                6.         Water transportation

NOTES

There are four major forms of transportation namely: land, air, pipeline and water. Land transportation can be divided into road and rail transport while containerization can be adapted to suit the other methods of transportation.

Road Transportation: The various means of transportation by road are buses, lorries, trailers, tankers, bicycles, tricycles, other motor vehicle, camels, donkeys etc.  it is the most extensively used of all the means of transportation.

Advantages of Road transportation

1.  It is very cheap-cost of transportation is low

2.  It is flexible – it has no fixed time schedule         

3.  It offers door to door delivery of goods

4.  It is faster on a short journey

5.  Packaging procedures  –  i.e loading and unloading is not complicated

6.  It does not require special routes like trains

7.  It is available in a variety of vehicles.

Disadvantages of Road Transport

1.         it is more prone to accidents compared to rail or air transport

2.         Slow for long journeys

3.         It does not operate on schedule

4          .It is not suitable  for carrying fragile  goods

5.         Welfare facilities such as toilet, canteen, television etc, are not usually provided

6.         It has limited capacity for carrying heavy and bulky goods

2.  Rail transportation: This consists of passengers trains and good train of various types.

Advantages of Rail Transportation

1. larger capacity for bulky goods/passenger
2. Standard rate of charges
3. less prone to accidents compared with road transport
4. It operates on schedule
5. Welfare services e.g.  bath, toilets, canteen are provided

Disadvantages of Rail Transportation.

1. high capacity and maintenance costs
2. it is not flexible as it observes rigid time table in its movement
3. Slow for short distance journeys
4. The routes are fixed making it unsuitable for door to door

3.  Air transportation: The various means of transportation by air includes planes, hovercrafts, helicopters, jets, rockets etc.

Advantages of Air Transportation

1. It is the fastest means of transportation
2. It is comfortable, luxurious and efficient
3. it is suitable for long distances
4. it is reliable  as it moves on schedule
5. It has multi-purpose usage.

Disadvantages of Air Transportation

1. The cost of air fare is very expensive
2. High capital expenditure and operating system
3. It is vulnerable to limited by weather condition
4. It is unsuitable for heavy and bulky goods
5. Accidents are usually fatal.

EVALUATION QUESTIONS

1. State five reasons why road transport would be preferred to rail transport
2. Explain five problems of using rail transport in Nigeria

4.  Transportation by Pipelines: Pipelines are means of transporting gases and liquid through pipes  laid underground or on the land surface.

Advantages of Transportation by pipelines

1. it occupies little space
2. It has low running  cost/maintenance costs
3. Can be constructed in any type of terrain e.g. land, swamp, air, or under the sea
4. It makes possible continuous flow of goods within obstructions
5. It is relatively safe

Disadvantages of Transportation by Pipelines

1. Non flexibility –pipelines, once laid cannot change their course
2. It is not suitable for all types of goods
3. Heavy capital expenditure
4. prone to leakages, unauthorized tapping which may be undetected for a long time.

5.  Containerization: This refers to the packaging of goods into large rectangular containers of uniform size and weight.

Advantages of Containerization

1. it facilitates easy handling of goods
2. it reduces incidence of pilfering
3. It protects the goods against the elements of weather
4. it is adaptable for transportation in ships, lorries, trains or air planes

Disadvantages of Containerization

It reduces employment opportunities available for dock workers as containers are usually loaded into ship by cranes or special fork-lifts.

6.   Water Transportation: this is the form of conveying goods and people from one place to another through the rivers, lakes, seas or oceans by ships, boats, canoes, ferry etc.

Advantages of Water Transportation

1. suitable for heavy and bulky goods
2. It is very safe
3. It is relatively cheaper
4. It may be adapted to carry perishable goods e.g. refrigeration
5. it operates on schedule
6. It is comfortable and has luxurious facilities

Disadvantages of Water Transportation

1.         High capital expenditure requirement

2.         It is very low

3.         It is limited by weather condition

4.         High maintenance costs

5.         it is not flexible – as it moves on schedule

EVALUATION QUESTIONS

1.         State five advantages of transportation by pipe lines.

2.         List five disadvantages of water transportation.

GENERAL EVALUATION QUESTIONS

1. Explain five ways by which foreign trade is different from home trade
2. Identify five advantages and four disadvantages of automatic vending
3. Explain six functions of wholesalers to manufacturers
4. List and explain six methods used in correcting an adverse balance of payments
5. State six facilities a good seaport should have

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

1. Which of the following is not a factor to be considered in selecting a means of transport
2. Sea transport is unsuitable for the movement of A. antiquities  B. coal  C. fertilizers D. vegetables
3. Gases are best transported by A. air   B.  canal  C. pipelines  (d0 rail
4. The mode of transport that conveys goods at low cost per unit is A. road  B. rail  C. air  D. pipelines
5. Which of the following  is not an advantage of water transport over all transportation A. speed B. flexibility  C. cost   D. capacity.

Theory

1. What is transport by rail
2. State three reasons why rail transport would be preferred to road  transport

READING ASSIGNMENT

Comprehensive Commerce SSS page 100-114

Essential Commerce for SSS page  214-228