Transportation is an integral part of the daily commercial and industrial activities of a country. Transportation moves raw materials from source to manufacturers and finished goods to consumers. It also makes possible overseas trade and thus foreign exchange earnings for an economy.
There are various modes/forms of transportation that can be used to transport goods. Commodities may be transported by land, air, sea and pipeline. The mode of transportation will depend on weight and size of the commodities being transported, as well as the urgency for delivery and the transportation costs.
Modes/Forms of Transportation
-Land
->Road
->Rail
-Air
-Sea
-Pipeline
Land-Road
Types of transportation include trucks, vans, cars etc. It is the most popular mode of transport as all types of goods can be transported by road. Road transport is affected by bad roads, traffic congestion and challenging terrain. Lengthy delays can affect perishable goods such as farm produce being transported from rural areas to cities.
Land-Rail
This is a cheap form of transportation over long distances. Trains are suitable for heavy and bulky things such as bauxite. Trains are a very slow mode of transportation.
Air
Types of transportation include cargo planes and helicopters. Because of the high cost involved with air transportation it is suitable for important documents and expensive items e.g. jewellery.
Sea
Cargo ships and barges are some of the types of transportation used for transporting goods by sea. Goods such as oil, bauxite and cars are transported by sea.
Pipeline
Pipelines are used to transport commodities such as water and gas. High costs are involved in laying pipes initially. However overtime it becomes very economical.