COMPARISON OF TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS ‘TABLE 1.1 Overview gf Mial6t steBbortation Systems Sytem ‘Ubiquity Mobility Efficiency Mode Passenger Service Freight Service Highways Very Hight lind ‘Speeds arelimited by Nothighas regards “Truck, Negligible Tnterety, local, fara Cowmers have direct human factors and safety, energyvand to processing and access toaroador speed limits some costs ‘market centers street. Direct routing Capacity per vehicle - Small shipments; limited by terrain and is ow, but many containers land use. vehicles are available, Bw Tatereity ges (inter) i : Au erely jiems only Frecrea Tegligible Ral Tinted by large ‘Speed and capacity Generallyhgh, but Railroads Mostly <300 Intercity. Mostly i fan be higher than Labor costs may miles and suburban bulk and oversized forhighway modes result in ow commuters shipments; cost efficiency. containers Rail ransit Regional, intracity None ‘Speeds are highest, Falrlylow asregards __Aircarriers Mostly > 300 High-value freight but capacity per energy and miles and across (no bulk) on long vehicle is limited. ‘operating costs bodies of water hauls, containers General Tnteraty; business, Minor aviation recreation Tow speed. Vary ‘Very high: Tow cost, Ships Cruise traffic Bulk cargos especially high capacity low energy use. Ferry service —_—petroleuimjcontainers per vehicle. Safety varies Barge None ‘Bulk corgos expecially petroleum; containers Hovercraft Ferny sence Minor ‘Continuous Limited to few routes Low speeds. Generally high: Pipelines None Liquids, gases, and flow ‘and access points. ‘High capacity. low-cost energy use. ‘lures on short systems and long hauls Bets Exalaton and Bulk materials belts for short" handling, mostly distances <10 miles 5 Gables Lifts and tows for _ Materials handling short distancesin jn rough terrain rough terrainLinks Reed Tens cede Wighney Ferries seas SEA Plant Ro \woy Hae tews Bar space Skepan acean TTerrnmals Reme, wail, Caray Deck, pies Airport — Gontcle Schae\ Sotto n slokon Flexwicle Gr -Choiee Sor Lim ised) Tastroption “Doe cable. Loe aed crge ord occesg te Oxputive jeSengges pe ee deg High ce! modernde cast ~ 2hiag cerreres te “bu Breen de Snes Adakwely — Siowet fargo = Limitedd Anaxgereive ~ Lined eceees gees to Ge shippmay — M0 airport terminals exae + dwe core urna, Ceaigmoms ) Muse be in = Serves, remete, Weinithy fo 2° well Leder ay Slow spud Alaskan. pigeine enw oil delay = Can etoab as WX VL Toso | Leclere | en. 2/18 Lalwiay Lai Seo Ac Coat. Flons| Vehicle oi evs? Rarlerr Borge Air pare, ie Gordeila, pippit ey Comperchio —Veliwepey Tran,changes do you foresee happening in (a) urban form, (b) transportation, and (c) quality of life of the average citizen? 5. Interview 20 students (at random) on your campus and determine the mode of transport they use to commute to school and the number of trips they make every day for different purposes (reasons) per week and their approximate length. Tabulate your results in a meaningful way. Determine the cost of these trips (out-of-pocket expenses). Write a short report about this interview and summarize your results 6. What are the major characteristics of the automobile that have made it the predominant mode of travel in the United States? 7. Suppose that you arc attending a university where you have the choice of walking, bicy- cling, taking a bus, riding with a friend, or driving. Make a matrix in which your criteria for \ choice between these modes of travel are listed in the rows and your rough scores of al- |__| tematives are listed in columns. Which mode would you choose? | iV ‘A survey of a region in the state of Washington yielded the results shown in the table on | |“ page 29.Plot these figures with cumulative percentage of miles on the horizontal axis and | cumulative percentage of vebicle-miles on the vertical axis. What conclusions do you draw | from examining your plot? Rural Areas Urban Areas Miles.(%) Vebicle-Miles(%) ‘Miles (%) __‘Vehicle-Miles (%) | | | i | { | 65 5 5 15 20 20 5 5 45 6 \ 15 5 i 5 20 L | ¢ transportation gaps can be Billed with suitable modes by, sayy the 1 | year 2020? Support your answer with convincing facts. 40. What would you suggest that federal, state, and local governments ought to do to induce filling up the transportation gap? I. Refer to Table 1-3. 9. Convert the distance column (km) and theoretical transport speed column (km/h) into miles and miles per hour, respectively. b. What are the values of a and b in the expression t = ad? if time t is measured in min- utes and distance d is measured in miles? 12, What lesson have we, as a nation, leamed in the last three decades with respect to our transportation system? 43, For each of the transportation problems mentioned in this chapter, suggest at least two ways of mitigating the problem. Are all these “solutions” compatible? Will society accept these solutions? If not, why? 14, Identify problems connected with each of the following transportation systems in a large metropolitan area: (a) street network, (b) transit system, (c) travel information system, and (@) pedestrian facility systern 19. Do you think that ti