dentify the major modes of the current transportation system. In addition, list the major benefi ts and limitations of each system in terms of its role in the transportation system.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The major modes of transportation can be classifi ed as the following:
• Human powered
• Water
• Road
• Rail
• Air
• Intermodal
Uses and Limitations:
• Human-powered transportation is convenient and inexpensive but is
slow, and terrain or obstacles can limit it.
• Water-based transportation allows heavy objects to be moved easily.
Large ships can move large quantities of goods and people effi ciently.
Ships are slow when compared to some other modes, and they need
expensive port facilities to load and unload their cargo.
• In countries with a well-developed road system (such as the United States
Interstate system), road-based transportation allows smaller loads to be
transported quickly and conveniently. The number of people or quantity of
freight that can be moved is limited, and the cost can be high, particularly
if the cost of the road infrastructure is factored into the equation.
• If speed is essential, then moving people or goods by air is the quickest
means of getting people or goods from one place to another. The number
of people or the volume of freight to be moved is limited. The cost of
transportation by air is high. Aircraft also need a well-developed airport
infrastructure to operate effi ciently.
• When people or goods are transported effi ciently by combining various
modes of transportation, this combination off ers benefi ts in terms of
speed, convenience, and often costs. For example, a manufacturer places
goods in a container that is loaded on a rail car that takes the container to
a port, where it is loaded on a ship. This is an effi cient use of several modes
of transportation and, so, can be described as intermodal.