Modes Of Transportation SS2 Marketing Lesson Note

IDENTIFICATION OF MAJOR MODES OF TRANSPORTATION.

Transportation has different modes of transporting goods and people from one place to another. These can be seen below;

1. Land transportation
2. Water transportation
3. Air transportation
4. Pipeline Transportation

1. Land Transportation: this is the means of conveying goods and people/passengers from one place to another either by road or by rail transport. Most countries make good use of this means of transportation for trading within the country.

Land transportation can be divided into two namely;

1. Road transportation 
2. Rail transportation

Road Transportation: This is the movement of goods and passengers on the road through means of motor vehicles, Lorries, motorcycles etc. It is the most extensively used of all the means of transportation.

Advantages Of Road Transport.

• Low maintenance cost: The cost of maintaining motor vehicles is low compared to ships or aeroplanes.
• Fast on short journeys: Road transport is fast on short journeys.
• Flexibility: There is no time you cannot have a vehicle for movement quite unlike air and water. There is no schedule.
• High cost of operation: Purchasing construction and maintenance of rail transportation is capital intensive.
• Not suitable for perishable goods: Transport is slow, hence not suitable for perishable goods.
• Not convenient: Door-to-door can be possible by road transport but not possible by rail.
• Much delay: Train stops at almost all terminals thereby delaying passengers.

2. Water Transportation.

This means moving people and goods from one place to another through water. This facilitates international trade due to the movement of goods especially bulky and heavy ones from one country to another.

Transport by water can be divided into two.

1. National Or Internal Or Inland Water Transportation: This is the movement of passengers and goods within a country which operates on the river and creek.
2. International Water Transport: this is the movement of goods and passengers across national boundaries. It links more countries together and facilitates foreign trade.

Types Or Classes Of National Or Internal Or Inland Means Of Water Transport.

i. Canoes: It is the commonest and oldest means of transport in the creek areas they are propelled

manually through human effort. They are used in carrying goods and passengers, fishing and hawking.

ii.Engine Boats: Is an improved canoes because they are mechanically propelled and this differentiates them from canoes. They are used in carrying passengers and goods.

iii. Launchers: They are improved luxurious passenger boats that carry passengers within a town from one 

town to another.

iv. Ferry boats: ferry boats are mainly used in carrying passengers and goods across a river especially where there are no bridges.

Types Or Classes Of International Means Of Water Transport.

It is classified under different groups. Ships used in transporting passengers and goods along oceans 

and seas may be classified into:

i. Ocean liners (a passenger ship that travels on the oceans & seas).

ii. Coastal liners or steamers.

iii. Tramp liners.

i. Ocean liners: These may be subdivided into:

a. Passenger liners.

b. Cargo liner ship.

1. Passenger liners: It is a luxurious passenger-carrying ship that sails on the high seas and oceans of the world. 

It is designed to carry many passengers and move on definite routes and schedules whether fall or not. They are also used to carry many passengers, mail, and less bulky cargoes.

b) Cargo Liners: These are ships meant for carrying bulky cargoes along high seas and oceans. They turn on schedule and along specific routes. They carry few passengers in a less luxurious passenger accommodation.

ii. Coastal Liners Or Streamers: They are used mainly to collect cargo from firms situated along the coast 

and forward to main ports. Some of them are called lighters and tugs and they have flat bottom that 

enables them to sail through the rivers and creeks. {Cost is the land next to the sea}.

iii. Tramp Liners: Tramp liners are used in carrying goods wherever they are found. They have no definite route and do not run on schedule and are therefore used as cargo taxicabs in water transport. It is smaller in size than ocean liners.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Water Transportation.

Advantages Of Water Transport.

1. Water transport connects countries of the world especially where transport by land cannot reach.
2. It is the most suitable means of transport for carrying bulk and heavy goods.
3. It is cheaper long distance than air transport.
4. Water transport helps to make international trade possible.
5. Cargoes are expertly packed in ships.
6. Some ships run on regular routes and schedules.
7. Accidents are not a common occurrence in water transport as they happen in road transport.
8. In water transport luxurious facilities like swimming pools, cinemas, theatres etc. are provided in passenger ocean liners.
9. It provides specially built vessels for carrying perishable goods which keep them in perfect condition.
10. Also routes of ships cost nothing to construct, they are provided by nature.

Disadvantages Of Water Transport.

1. It is very expensive to acquire a ship.
2. Water transport is faced with dangers like sea storms.
3. It is not a common means of transport in a country.
4. It is a very long distance.
5. The construction of a seaport is a substantial expense.
6. Loading and unloading in ships are not easy.

3. Transportation by Air.

Air transportation is the movement of passengers and goods through the air with the help of airplanes. It carries both passengers and goods from one part of the country to another.

ADVANTAGES OF AIR TRANSPORT.

1. It is the fastest means of transport.
2. It is a very good means of transport over long distances, especially between one country and the other.
3. It is the most suitable means of transporting perishable goods.
4. Clearing goods at the airport is easier than at the seaport due to fewer customs formalities.
5. It is rarely involved in accidents when compared with road transport.
6. It costs nothing to provide air routes.
7. In air transport congestion and hold-ups that bring about delay do not occur.
8. It is one of the most sophisticated means of warfare in modern times.

DISADVANTAGES OF AIR TRANSPORT.

1. Air transport fares are very expensive.
2. It is not suitable for carrying bulky goods.
3. The construction and equipment of the airport are very expensive.
4. It is not flexible because it operates on schedule.
5. It is true that accidents are very rare in air transport, but whenever they occur, they are always fatal.
6. It is not economical on short journeys.

Transported By Pipelines.

This is a means of transporting liquid goods for example oil, gas etc. through pipelines underground. It can also be used in carrying water to homes. This is constructed from the oil fields to refineries and from there to storage depots for this is the transportation of refined products.

Advantages Of Pipelines.

1. It requires little maintenance.
2. It is a safe means of transporting liquids.
3. It is cheap to operate.
4. It can be constructed in any type of land or sea.
5. It has fewer possibilities of accidents with pipelines.
6. Transport by pipelines has less risk of contamination through handling.

Disadvantages Of Pipelines.

1. It takes up a lot of land space.
2. It is an inflexible means of transport because it carries only liquid products.
3. Pipelines are very expensive to operate.
4. Late discovery of damage can lead to a lot of waste.
5. When damaged it brings a lot of destruction of life and properties in some cases.
6. It can easily be damaged when road construction drilling.
7. People can easily illegally tap oil along the pipelines since they are not guarded