TRANSPORT PLANNING

TOPIC ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. DEFINITIONS

Transport planning: - Is defined as a process for moving goods and human beings and sometimes even
animals to their destination. It is referred to as a collaborative process of identifying future
designs, goals, and policies of transport facilities

Transportation Planning can also be defined as Activities related to changing the way transportation
services are provided

It is the process of looking at the current state of transportation in the region, designing for future
transportation needs, and combining all of that with the elements of budgets, goals and policies. It helps
shape how a community or city grows by evaluating everything from streets and highways to cargo ships
to public transit and bike lanes. It can influence everything from business to recreation to quality of life.
Contributors to the Transportation Planning Process

The transportation planning processes includes many contributors. The thoughts and ideas from all of
the stakeholders are critical to ensure a successful outcome.

Public policy: - Is the means by which governments attempt to reconcile social, political, economic, and
environmental goals and aspirations with reality. These goals and expectations change as the society
evolves, and thus a feature of policy is its changing form and character. Policy tends to be dynamic and
evolutionary.

2. OBJECTIVES/GOALS
a) Safety: - To promote safety in the transportation sector reducing or eradicating accidents related to
transport
b) Improving security: - It helps with regulations of both human and goods movement thereby
ensuring enactment of security measures along the travel modes
c) Reduce accidents: - Good transport planning systems do eradicate the numerous incidents rampant
with the transport sector
d) Environment: -It helps in preservation of our surroundings as only areas designated for transport
system are utilized.
e) Reducing the levels of noise: - Human settlements are not encroached thus noise is controlled
f) Minimizing greenhouse gases: - Dangerous gases are out of human settlements
g) Improving the ambiance during the journey: - It makes the environment very attractive as most
sectors are well placed
h) Economy: - Through infrastructural network developments, it increases the economic threshold of
an economy.
i) Social inclusion: - It opens up ones closed up but socially and economically viable areas for
development
j) Access to facilities: - Enables accessibility of various economic areas and divisions easy
k) Integration: - It is an integral undertaking whereby several key actors in transportation sector come
together as a team for economic effectiveness
l) Integration between different modes of transport: - It aids in linking different modes of transport
for ease of connectivity
m) Integrate transportation policy with other government policies: - It unifies different government
policies for operational harmony

3. DEYTERMINANTS OF TRANSPORT PLANNING

There are several factors that contribute transport planning and they include;

a) Economic factors: - The structure and nature of transport costs are examined, together with service
quality and methods of pricing and charging.
b) Historical factors: - This involves the location and patterns of systems, technological development,
institutional development and settlement, and land-use patterns.
c) Political factors: - These include political motives for transport facilities; government involvement in
capital, monopolies competition, safety, working conditions and coordination between modes,
transport as an employer and social consequences of transport developments.
d) Technological factors: - The technological characteristics of each major transport mode are
considered together with a discussion of the effects of technological advances.
e) Physical factors: - This includes physiographic controls upon route selection, and geological and
climatic influences.

4. BENEFITS OF TRANSPORT PLANNING

a) Access to Employment: - Provide for transportation system connections to areas of employment
density and key activity centers, with an emphasis on connecting to areas of high poverty rates.
b) Freight Mobility: - Enhance freight corridors and intermodal connections to facilitate goods
movement into, within and out of the region.
c) Safety & Security: - Provide for transportation improvements that increase safety and security for
system users.
d) System Reliability: - Implement technologies and programs to improve travel times and support the
ease of travel throughout the region.
e) Congestion Mitigation: - Support transportation system improvements that address existing and
expected future traffic congestion.
f) Environment & Air Quality: - Provide for project alternatives that protect and enhance the region’s
natural resources.
g) Multimodal Connectivity: - Improve accessibility and interconnectivity of various transportation
modes for all systems users.
h) Preservation & Maintenance: - Ensure that existing transportation infrastructure and facilities
achieve a constant state of good repair.
5. TRANSPORT PLANNING FACTORS

The planning factors that must be considered in transportation planning processes are:
a) Economy: - Support the economic vitality of an economy, the countries’ nonmetropolitan areas, and
metropolitan areas, especially by enabling global competitiveness, productivity, and efficiency;
b) Safety: - Increase the safety of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users;
c) Security: - Increase the security of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized
users;
d) Accessibility: - Increase the accessibility and mobility of people and freight;
e) Environment: - Protect and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation, improve the
quality of life, and promote consistency between transportation improvements and State and local
planned growth and economic development patterns;
f) Integration: - Enhance the integration and connectivity of the transportation system, cross and
between modes throughout the State, for people and freight;
g) Efficiency: - Promote efficient system management and operation; and
h) Preservation: - Emphasize the preservation of the existing transportation system.

6. CHALLENGES OF TRANSPORT PLANNING

a) Traffic congestion and parking difficulties: - Identifying the true cause of congestion is a strategic
issue for transport planning since congestion is commonly the outcome of specific circumstances
such as the lack of parking or poorly synchronized traffic signals.
b) Longer commuting: - Time spent during commuting is at the expense of other economic and social
activities. However, information technologies have allowed commuters to perform a variety of tasks
while traveling.
c) Public transport inadequacy: - Planning for peak capacity leaves the system highly under-used
during off-peak hours, while planning for an average capacity will lead to congestion during peak
hours.
d) Difficulties for non-motorized transport: - These difficulties are either the outcome of intense
traffic, where the mobility of pedestrians, bicycles, and other non-motorized vehicles is impaired,
but also because of a blatant lack of consideration for pedestrians and bicycles in the physical design
of infrastructures and facilities.
e) Loss of public space: - Most roads are publicly owned and free of access. Increased traffic has
adverse impacts on public activities, which once crowded the streets such as markets, agoras,
parades and processions, games, and community interactions. More traffic impedes social
interactions and street activities. People tend to walk and cycle less when traffic is high.
f) High infrastructure maintenance costs: - Cities facing the aging of their transport infrastructure
have to assume growing maintenance costs as well as pressures to upgrade to more modern
infrastructure. In addition to the involved costs, maintenance and repair activities create circulation
disruptions.
g) Environmental impacts and energy consumption: - Pollution, including noise generated by
circulation, has become an impediment to the quality of life and even the health of urban
populations. Further, energy consumption by urban transportation has dramatically increased, and
so the dependency on petroleum. There are pressures to “decarbonize” urban transport systems,
particularly with the diffusion of alternative energy sources such as electric vehicles.
h) Accidents and safety: - The growth in the intensity of circulation in urban areas is linked with a
growing number of accidents and fatalities, especially in developing economies. Accidents account
for a significant share of recurring delays from congestion. 
i) Land footprint: - The footprint of transportation is significant, particularly for the automobile.
Between 30 and 60% of a metropolitan area may be devoted to transportation, an outcome of the
over-reliance on infrastructures supporting road transportation.
j) Freight distribution: - Globalization and the materialization of the economy have resulted in
growing quantities of freight moving within cities. As freight traffic commonly shares infrastructures
supporting the circulation of passengers, the mobility of freight in urban areas has
become increasingly controversial.

TOPIC TWO

PLANNING PASSENGER TRANSPORT

1. SOURCE OF DEMAND

Transportation is a market composed of suppliers of transport services and users of these services. Well-
functioning transport markets should allow the transport supply to meet transport demand to satisfy
transport needs for mobility. An economic system, including numerous activities located in different
areas, generates movements that the transport system must support. Without mobility, infrastructures
would be useless, and without infrastructures, mobility could not occur or would not occur in a cost-
efficient manner. This interdependency can be considered according to two concepts, which are
transport supply and demand:

Transport supply. The capacity of transportation infrastructures and modes, generally over a

geographically defined transport system and for a specific period of time. Supply is expressed in terms of
infrastructures (capacity), services (frequency), and networks (coverage). Capacity is often assessed
in static and dynamic terms where static capacity represents the amount of space available for transport
(e.g. terminal surface), and dynamic capacity is the improvement that can be made through better
technology and management. The number of passengers, volume (for liquids or containerized traffic), or
mass (for freight) that can be transported per unit of time and space is commonly used to quantify
transport supply.

The supply side of the transport market can be divided into two categories:

Third-party transportation. Transport companies offer transport services to users who require such
services, often on open markets. Transport users pay for the services delivered according to the terms of
the agreed contract. Examples include third-party trucking companies, container shipping lines, railway
operators, and bus companies. Competitiveness is a key advantage of third-party transportation as
providers strive to offer better and lower-cost services for their customers.

Own account transportation. The transport user deploys his own transport means to move freight or
travel (e.g. motorists using private cars or large industrial companies owning a fleet of trucks or rail
wagons). The transport user has direct access to a known capacity but at the risk of a lower level of asset
utilization (e.g. empty movements or idle equipment).
Transport demand. Transport needs, even if those needs are satisfied, fully, partially, or not at all.
Similar to transport supply, it is expressed in terms of the number of people, volume, or tons per unit of
time and distance.

Transport demand is generated by the economy, which is composed of persons, institutions, and
industries and which generates the mobility of people and freight. A distinction can be made
between consumptive and productive transport needs.

Productive transport needs have a clear economic focus. For example, the transport of semi-finished
products from one production site to the final production or assembly site creates added value in the
production process by benefiting from the locational advantages of each of the production sites.
Consumptive transport needs to generate less visible added value. For example, a road trip does not add
value in a purely economic sense but generates subjective utility and satisfaction to the users.

Demand determinants of Passenger Transport

a) Cost of Travel: - The generalized cost of a journey is the sum of fares charged directly on each leg,
plus traveler-specific components associated with a traveler’s valuation of his/her own time
b) Fares: - Fares are essential to the supply of PT services since they create a main source of income to
operators. The effects of fares on PT patronage are relatively easy to observe. In general, if fares are
increased, PT patronage will decrease.
c) Travel Time: - The term ‘travel time’ includes several components within the PT frame. Walk (or
access) time, waiting time and journey (in-vehicle) time are the three main components of the travel
time. Sometimes interchange (connection) time is also added to this list. Each of these components
has different value for travelers.
d) Service Quality: - Includes but not limited and equivalent to, waiting times and service frequency
but it is a more comprehensive than each of these concepts. It includes various prominent attributes
of services such as service frequency, walking distance (also called access and egress time), waiting
time (service intervals), operating speed, reliability and comfort. 
e) Reliability: - Reliability refers to the degree of dependability on and trust-ability of passengers in a
specific mode of transport and PT services. It also includes features such as accessibility and
confidence. Passengers should be able to depend on those services and be able to see that they are
obtainable on regular basis and are long termed.
f) Comfort: - Comfort is another indicator of service quality. Although the degree of importance given
to it may differ from one group of passengers to another based on the journey time, journey
purpose and passenger type, the comfort is a quality factor that should be taken into account.
Different transport modes provide different degree of comfort and it is a major factor that
influences the demand.
g) Travel Distance: - Travelers’ tendency and desire to make journey gets lower and lower as the travel
distance increases and they make less frequent journeys. In contrary, shorter distance trips tend to
be made more frequently.
h) Availability and Costs of Alternative Travel Modes: - PT demand is also closely related to the
availability and costs of alternative travel modes. If the number of alternative transport modes is
numerous, the passengers are likely to choose among those alternatives.
i) The Time of Travel: - Time of travel is already known to be an important factor on PT demand.
Especially in work trips, journeys are made in certain times of the day. Morning and evening times
are the peak times, while other times of the day are more relaxed. People generally go to their work,
school and other activities in the morning and return their home in the evening times.
j) The Purpose of Travel: - The purpose of travel, also called the ‘principal activity’, is one of the main
characteristics that determine the time, location and, mostly, mode of the travel. While a traveler
has a limited time frame for work trips in which the journey has to be performed, he/she has more
freedom to choose the time in non-work trips.
k) The Level of Transport Supply: - Transport is a basic element of the city life. In many cities PT
services are provided by the local authorities (or under the supervision of them) or private
companies. Travelers choose which ones to use among the transport mediums or modes available to
them.
l) The Level of Public Transport Dependency: - The PT dependency can be described as the degree of
necessity that one needs to use PT to travel. If a traveler is heavily dependent on the PT, which
means he/she does not have many alternatives to use for travel, the demand is expected to be
higher.
m) Economic Factors: - If economic factors like household income exceeds certain threshold, it reduces
the demand because people tend to use their own private cars and vice versa.
n) Population Density: - Population density influences the volume of PT demand. In areas with higher
population density, more PT planning is key

2. TYPES OF SERVICE SOLUTIONS

Service solutions refer to the means of addressing the passenger transport planning. These is anchored
on the modes of transport which include;

a) Road

It has the advantage of being able to provide door-to-door service. Travel by any other means
would therefore invariably, require conveyance by road at the beginning or end of end of the
journey. It is therefore an essential feeder service to rail, water and air. It is also suitable for short
and medium distance. It is however vulnerable to congestion in concentrated areas traffic
i) High frequency: - Plan for the trip numbers of the passenger transport and ensure that
the frequencies are captured in your plan.
ii) Limited stop: - Passenger transportations are characterized by several stops along the
way. Capture the stops in planning.
iii) Direct: - Also take note of the direct trips in planning for the passenger transport.
iv) Connecting: - There are also connections along the way which are taken care of when
planning.
v) Inter-urban: - Inter-urban passenger movements are to be equally handled in a proper
manner.
 vi) Hail and tide: - Take note of the bumpy and smooth runs in planning for passenger
transport
vii) Demand responsive: - The speed at which the demand responds to supply is critical in
planning for the passenger transport.
viii) Group and private hire: - There are instances where hiring is considered either
in group or private.

b) Rail

By nature, rail transport must provide its own permanent way, stations, signaling, and all the
necessary apparatus to ensure the safe passage of trains. A large part of capital expenditure is
spent on the provision of the way. Rail transport is suitable for medium and long distance traffic.
It is also able to meet the substantial demands of concentrated morning and evening peak
business commuter movements in/out of large urban centres.

i) Intercity: - These are concerned with movement between major cities like Mombasa – Nairobi,
Nairobi – Kisumu. Time schedules, resting places, etc should be considered
ii) Local/urban: - Local/urban planning is done within a given town or city.
iii) Charter: - These are trains which are hired or are tailormade for specific operations as per design.

c) Air

The main characteristic of air transport is speed. It is however generally expensive provision of
terminals is also extravagant on land space and is capital intensive. Airports cannot be built in
the immediate vicinity of large towns. Air transport is competitive for long haul journeys and
short distances where Terrain physically and politically provides barriers.

i) Scheduled (domestic and international): - This encompasses various levels of travels and their
planning is key to the sector. We have VIP, Business and Economical lounges both in the plane and
rest places.
ii) Charter: - This is a customized flight for a group of travelers to a given destination and for a purpose.

Factors Considered when Considering/Planning for Modes of Transport

a) Distance: - Generally, road transport is at a disadvantage over rail or sea transport for longer
distances.
b) Total Transit Time: - Although allied to distance the transit time is particularly important if
inventory costs are an issue. An item in transit is a cost for somebody, usually the supplier until it
reaches the supplier.
c) Client Deadline: - If the goods must be supplier within a short interval, slower transport
modes may have to be discounted.
d) Commodity Value per Tonne: - While it may be cost- effective to transport high-value
items by air it will not be cost- effective to transport many thousands of tonnes of a bulk
product by the same method.
e) Freight Rates: - As always relative cost will be a major consideration. Generally, the
fragmented nature of the road freight industry ensures highly competitive rates when
compared with the often monopolistic and unresponsive rail industry.
f) Additional Costs: - The freight rate may not be the only figure to consider when choosing a
route. If more than one mode is utilized, then the cost of unloading and loading must also be
included. Shipping freight rates often exclude port charges.
g) Product Perishability: - Goods such as chilled foodstuffs and flowers are physically
perishable and must be delivered before they spoil. Other goods such as newspapers and
goods for special promotions may not be physically perishable but are economically
perishable and if they are delivered too late will be worthless.
h) Size of Shipment: - Rail or sea often transports large bulk shipments. However, for small
amounts road may prove cost effective. (competitive rates for the transport of containers at
sea has meant a proportion of bulk shipments are containerized).
i) Reliability: - Modal choice will depend on the real and perceived performance of the
transport mode. Freight deliveries must be on time with a minimum amount of disruption.
j) Level of Service:-Other non-quantifiable factors that affect the choice of mode include the
communication between the transporters i.e. the transport company and customer, and the
way problems are resolved.
k) Friction Costs: - These are a measure of the inefficiency of a transport operation. They
include some of the factors listed above such as reliability and quality of service. But other
factors include delays such as caused by traffic congestion or border controls. Delays could
also be caused by the non-standardization of the supply chain

3. OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS

a) Opportunities
There are several opportunities in proper planning of passenger transport including but not limited
to;

 New origin and destinations: - It attracts more business openings which will improve on the
revenue collection by governments.
 Market segmentations: - Areas which had been dormant are opened up economically and
hence a boost in economic stand of an area.
 Network provision: - Increased economic infrastructure in would be origins and destinations.
b) Threats/Bottlenecks:

Threats in transport planning can be categorized under;

i. Infrastructural Threats
 Climate: - Climate is the long-term pattern of weather in an area, typically averaged over a
period of 30 years. More rigorously, it is the mean and variability of meteorological variables
over a time spanning from months to millions of years.
 Underinvestment: - Lack of adequate investment may hinder proper transport planning for a
given area as such infrastructural undertakings are very costly.
 Physical Restriction:- This application of mechanical means for immobilization, compulsory
isolation in a special closed premises and use of medical products for reduction of the physical
activity of the patient in cases when he is dangerous for himself or for those around. Barrier, or
separation Test and maintenance policies.
 Weather:- The conditions in the air above the earth such as wind, rain, or temperature, or
especially a particular time over a particular area. They are temporal
 Construction and Accidents:- These are also temporal bottlenecks meant to improve the
planning techniques of transport
 Demand Surge: - Rise in demand for transport will provoke extra planning too.
 Dis-investment:- Where investment is reduced or rescheduled, planning hitches occur too.

ii. Regulatory Threats

 Customs: - This relates to revenue collection and management of an economy.
 Security: - Life and property security must be properly defined in the planning blue print.
 Compliance (quality, safety):- This is the standard measures of operations.
 Cabotage: - Cabotage is the transport of goods or passengers between two places in the same
country by a transport operator from another country. It has its own restrictions.
 Competition policies: - Competition policies should be friendly and devoid of any bureaucratic
undercuts.
 Fiscal policies: - This is the use of government revenue collection and expenditure to influence
a country's economy.

iii. Operational Threats

Availability of Conveyance: - The linkages of the transport modes are to be clear.
Labour Shortage: - Labour must be in adequate supply for greater outcomes to be realized.
Productivity of modes and terminals: - Transport modes are interconnected are if the
connections are not done well, future planning is threatened.
 Labour Skills:- Where relevant skills are lacking, poor planning outcomes are realized
 Coordination: - Poor coordination will often hinder proper planning outcomes.

4. SOLUTIONS IDENTIFICATION
i) Use of Available Data: - The available data remains a sure way of establishing what happens in a
given and the time of happening.
 ii) Planning and Costing of Service: - These are very important ways of getting to know of what is
supposed to be done, when and how.
iii) Introduction of New Service: - Introduction of new services will always provoke different
reactions most of which often trigger a development move.
iv) Adaptation of Existing Provision: - Existing provisions can tell of a move to be taken for planning
purposes.

TOPIC THREE

PLANNING OF FREIGHT TRANSPORT

Freight transport is the movement of goods in bulk by air, rail, road or sea.

1. Source of Demand for Freight Transport

i) Source of raw materials or products

The origin of these goods is linked with environmental (agricultural products) or geological (ores and
fossil fuels) conditions.

Determinants of Raw Materials Movement

 Environment: - Be acquainted with the environment of the source so as to enable you decide
on mode of transport
 Cost: - The cost of transport is also key in determining the type of transport to be used
 Distance: - This will help craft an appropriate lead time based on production planning
 Urgency: - The speed at which a particular good is required is a key consideration
Density:- Low density products tend to cost more on transport. These include bulky goods like
furniture that may not weight a lot but their weight to volume ratio is high
 Stowability: - How well can they fit in available transport space, i.e., cube maximization. For
example, grain occupies every available container space relative to cars
 Ease of handling: - This determines the type of loading and offloading equipment to be hired.
 Liability: - Look into whether you need cargo insurance on top of the basic legal liability of your
career.

ii) Manufacturing or production facilities

The following freight transport determinants are considered for planning on manufacturing or
production facilities;

 Mode of transport:- Different production facilities will prefer particular modes of transport
depending on their needs
 Types of goods:- We have several groups of goods for given production types and different
transport modes
  Industry: - Production or manufacturing differs with difference in industries. Freight planning
to consider this
 Security: - Freight security is key in planning g for their movement from one place to another.
 Need urgency:- The urgency of the facility’s needs should be taken into consideration

iii) Markets for products and goods

Market features that affect your freight transport planning include;

 Amount or degree of competition in your market: can you beat Acme’s price?
 Distance to market: how far your product needs to travel
 Government regulations: such as dangerous goods requirements, over-dimensional
restrictions, or weight limitations
 Traffic imbalance: can you prevent backflow or combine some supplier shipments/locations?
 Seasonality of product movement: differences in shipping costs across the four seasons
 domestic or international transportation

2. Types of Service Solution

a) Road
i) Container

Containers are usually used in cargo transportation. This is especially if you imports and exports of
goods across different countries.

Container transportation is inseparable from road transportation because it is an end transportation

mode of the process.

Advantages of road transportation for container

 Standardization: - The container is a standard transport product that can be handled anywhere in
the world (ISO standard) through specialized modes (ships, trucks, barges, and wagons), equipment,
and terminals. 
 Flexibility: - Containers can be used to carry a wide variety of goods such as commodities (coal,
wheat), manufactured goods, cars, and refrigerated (perishable) goods. 
 Costs: - Containers enable economies of scale at modes and terminals that were not possible
through standard break-bulk handling.
 Velocity: - Container shipping networks are well connected and offer a wide range of shipping
options. Containerships are also faster than regular cargo ships and offering a frequency of port calls
allowing a constant velocity.
 Warehousing: - The container is its own warehouse, protecting the cargo it contains. This implies
simpler and less expensive packaging for containerized cargoes, particularly consumption goods.
 Security and safety:- The container contents are unknown to carriers since it can only be opened at
the origin (seller/shipper), at customs, and the destination (buyer). This implies reduced spoilage
and losses (theft).
Disadvantages, compared to sea and rail transport:

 Illicit trade: - The container is an instrument used in the illicit trade of goods, drugs, and weapons,
as well as for illegal immigration (rare).
 Site constraints: - Containers are a large consumer of terminal space (mostly for storage), implying
that many intermodal terminals have been relocated to the urban periphery.
 Capital intensiveness: - Container handling infrastructures and equipment (giant cranes,
warehousing facilities, inland road, rail access) are important capital investments that require large
pools of available capital.
 Stacking: - The complexity of the arrangement of containers, both on the ground and modes
(containerships and double-stack trains), requires frequent restacking, which incurs additional
costs and time for terminal operators. The larger the load unit or the yard, the more complex its
operational management.
 Repositioning: - Because of trade imbalances, many containers are moved empty (20% of all
flows). However, either full or empty, a container takes the same amount of space.
 Theft and losses: - High-value goods and a load unit that can forcefully be opened or carried away
(on a truck) implied a level of cargo vulnerability between a terminal and the final destination.
About 1,500 containers are lost at sea each year (fall overboard), mainly because of bad weather.

ii) Curtain-sided

They are preferred due to the following advantages;

 Flexibility: - A curtain side body optimize the flexibility of this configuration because they enable
the accommodation of both larger freight that needs side access to load and unload, as well as
smaller loads added and removed through the rear door, all in a single vehicle.
 Accessibility: - In a curtain side body configuration, the driver can simply retract the side
curtains to lay hands on any freight on the truck at any time.
 Speedy loading/unloading: - Are the reality in urban areas where pickups and deliveries to small
firms must be accomplished from a curb loading zone or with the truck temporarily parked on
the street.
 All cargo types: - Curtain sided transportation is suitable for almost all types of cargo, and as
such it has become the most common type of transportation in Europe.

iii) Van
 Dry van shipping is one of the most popular and widely trusted freight transportation methods
available.
 Dry van trailers are attached to semi-trucks mainly for shipping large quantities of loads, goods,
products, or bigger items like automobiles. In fact, dry vans are actually the most popular and
common trailer you see behind a semi-truck today!
 They keep the consignment dry and thus the name.

Areas of Dry van usage

 Moving non-perishable foods and beverages, textile and clothing items, electronics, plastic, and
building products.
  Transporting cars, motorbikes, minibuses, other automobiles, and components of bigger
machines like airplanes and ships.
 Relocating household goods, furniture, electronics, and more during the moving process.
 Transporting small machinery and equipment in the construction industry to move raw
materials from the warehouse to the construction site, or vice versa.
 Moving building products and materials.

iv) Flatbed
 Flatbed shipping is transportation for cargo that may not require the enclosure of a dry van,
cannot be loaded or unloaded from a dock or does not fit within the dimensions of standard
truck trailers.
 A flatbed's design allows for cranes and forklifts to load goods from all angles.
 Flatbed is a piece of transportation equipment in the form of open trailer with sides and no
roof.
 Flatbed shipping is a mode of trucking that suggests moving freight in an open, no-roof trailer.

v) Tipper
 Tipper trucks are robust vehicles that often have multiple (driven) axles, which means that
their loading capacity is greater than that of regular boX
 They are also referred to as a dumper truck, is used for transportation materials (like sand,
rock, or waste) or for advancement.
 They are always hired

Advantages of hiring Tipper

 Flexibility:- They are of different designs and thus ease of handling various types of materials
 Cost Effectiveness:- They carry big weights of materials and that leads reduced cost
management
 Large scale materials:- It is home to a wider range of materials owing to its capacity
 Reduced cost:- Issues of storage costs zero as they come work on need basis
 No purchase cost:- The purchase cost is nil
 Repairs and maintenance:- There is none of it

vi) Tanker
 A tanker (or tank ship) is a ship designed to transport or store liquids or gases in bulk. Major
types of tank ship include the oil tanker, the chemical tanker, and gas carrier. Tankers also carry
commodities such as vegetable oils, molasses and wine.

Different type of tankers

 Oil tankers: - carry oil and its by-products. Oil tanker, however, is a generic terminology and
includes not only crude oil but also petrol, gasoline, kerosene and paraffin.
 Product tankers: - Product Tankers are used to carry refined oil (various grades) to the point
near the engrossing market. They are smaller in size as compared to the Crude oil tankers.
 Crude oil tankers: - These tankers move a large quantity of unrefined crude oil from its
elicitation point to the oil refineries, where they are refined and various grades are products are
extracted and distributed later on.
 Gas tankers: - Tankers that are specially designed to carry Gas in bulk are called Gas tankers.
They are specially designed to carry different forms of gasses.
 As per the type of cargo carried and the carriage predicament, these can be classified into five
categories as named below:
 Fully pressurized ships: - These type of Tankers are the cinch type of gas carrier
compared to all of its other varieties. Cargo herein is carried in the ambient
temperature. They have “C type” of tanks which are made in Carbon steel with an
emblematic design pressure of 18barg.

 Semi-pressurized ships: - These are very similar to fully pressurized ships in term of the
tanks construction and structure, but they are designed to carry gas at a maximum
working pressure of 5-7 bars. Often used in Mediterranean and Northern Europe

 Ethylene ships: - This variant of Gas carriers are built for unambiguous trades but also
have arrangements to carry LPG’s or Chemical Gases. Their cargo carrying capacity is
between 1000-12000 m3. They too have Type C pressure tanks. The Thermal insulation
and liquefaction are fitted on this variant of gas tankers.

 Fully refrigerated LPG ships: - These tankers carry Liquefied gases at low temperature
and atmospheric pressure. They have a very significant prismatic shaped cargo tanks
made up of 3.5% nickel steel, which allows them to carry cargo at a temperature as
lower as -48°C.

As per the cargo containment system, this type of vessel can be further classified as:—
 Independent tanks with single hull but the double bottom and hopper tanks
 Independent tanks with double hull
 Integral tanks (incorporating a double hull), and
 Semi-membrane tanks (incorporating a double hull)

 LNG ships: - The LNG Carriers are those tanker ships that are used to cargo LNG or
Liquefied Natural Gas. These types of tankers require careful and delicate handling
owing to the precariousness of the material they carry. LNG(Liquefied Natural Gas)
Carriers are specifically designed to trade a high volume of LNG. These ships have a
cargo carrying capacity between 125000 m3 to 135,000 m3.

 Moss (Spherical-Type A):- This system is named after the company which designed them, i.e.;
The Norwegian Company Moss Maritime. Most of these type of vessels have 4-5 tanks

 IHI(Prismatic-Type B):- The self-supporting prismatic type B tank is designed by Ishikawajima-

Harima Heavy Industries which are employed in only two vessels. They cater to the problem of
“sloshing “over the membrane LNG carrier tanks. Because of the several incidents in the past,
 these tanks were constructed to sustain internal accident damage due to internal equipment
releases.

 TGZ MARK III: - These are the membrane type design which is designed by Technigaz. This
consists of waffles, the primary barrier is made up of stainless steel of 12mm thickness and the
secondary membrane followed by a primary insulation which is anew with secondary insulation.
All these barriers are supported by the ship’s structure from outside.

 Chemical tanker: - Chemical tankers are those cargo tankers which transport chemicals in
various forms. Chemical tankers are specifically designed in order to maintain the consistency of
the chemicals they carry aboard them. These tanker ships are applied with coatings of certain
substances that help in the easy identification of the chemicals that need to be transported.

They include;
 Type 1:- Products which possess very serious environmental and safety hazards which
require maximum preventive measures to prevent any leakage.

 Type 2:- Chemical products with markedly severe environmental and safety hazards
which require significant preventive measures to forestall any escape of such cargo

 Type 3:- Chemicals tankers which transport products with amply severe environmental
and safety hazards which require a moderate degree of containment in a damaged
condition 

 Slurry tankers: - Slurry refers to all those materials that do not disperse or dissolve in water –
otherwise regarded as waste materials. The slurry is used as a fertiliser and the slurry tankers
help to haul slurry to areas where they can be put to productive use.
These types of vessels are not ideal for shipping any other chemical products other than slurry
itself.

 Hydrogen tankers: - As the name suggests, hydrogen tankers are cargo tankers used for the
shipping and transportation of liquefied hydrogen gas. These tankers are specifically designed to
carry Liquefied hydrogen gas in bulk.

 Juice tankers: - As the name suggests, these tankers were specifically designed for the carriage
of juices. They either carry concentrated or fresh orange juice, originating from Brazil to the
other parts of the world. These tankers have refrigeration, temperature controller and
preservation plants, which helps them to keep the juice fresh at all times.

 Wine tankers: - Transporting wine has become quite simpler and feasible in contemporary times
as sleek tankers have come up which are used specifically to carry wine to their intended
 destinations. These tankers are used in carrying ready wine from the place of production to their
different destination for packaging.

vii) Bulk
 Bulk freight are commodities not packed but loaded directly into a vessel. Such goods are grains,
petroleum products, iron ore and more. These type of goods are referred to as bulk cargo. It is
also called bulk cargo.
 There are many different types of bulk cargo. That is why it is possible to distinguish
between solid bulk goods and liquid bulk goods within this category, where each package will
require a specific mode of transport, as well as a different method of handling. For this reason,
the proper handling of these types of goods requires proper machinery and instruments for their
handling, especially when dealing with potentially dangerous products (such as fuels or chemical
products, which could pollute the environment if spilt).

viii) Livestock
 Livestock transportation is the movement of livestock, by road, rail, ship, or air.
 Livestock are transported for many reasons, including slaughter, auction, breeding, livestock
shows, rodeos, fairs, and grazing.
 When the movement crosses borders into another country, it is known as live export.

Principles of Livestock Transport Planning

 Avoid injury and suffering, and to ensure the safety of the animals
 Protect the animals from inclement weather, extreme temperatures and adverse changes in
climate conditions
 Allow cleansing and disinfection
 Prevent the animals escaping or falling out and be able to withstand the stresses of movements
 Provide barriers to prevent animals falling when loading or unloading
 Ensure that air quality and quantity appropriate to the species transported can be maintained
 Provide access to the animals to allow them to be inspected and cared for
 Present a flooring surface that is anti-slip
 Present a flooring surface that minimizes the leakage of urine or faeces
 Provide a means of lighting sufficient for inspection and care of the animals during transport and
during loading / unloading

ix) Refrigerated
 Refrigerated transport is a method of transporting shipments with specially designed
temperature-controlled trucks.
 The transporting trucks has a built-in refrigeration system which cools the shipments at a
regulated temperature all through the process of shipping.
 Basically, the trucks are used for transporting perishable products such as meats, fruits,
vegetables and sausages, pharmaceutical products, etc. These kinds of trucks are insulated
 refrigerated superstructure that ensures coolness and maintain the quality of the products being
transported.

Benefits of Refrigeration Transport

 You can carry out quick and easy delivery to any nearby location.
 You can send more goods at the same time while saving money on packaging.
 You can continuously monitor your products and temperature and change anything as needed.
 You can follow all regulations, as the law may require you to use refrigerated trucks when you’re
shipping perishable goods.
 They prevent food spoilage and keep the integrity of frozen items intact.
 They have humidity control for sensitive artwork.
 They keep vaccines and other medicines stable and help put them in the hands of the people
who need them.
 They prevent cosmetics from melting and disintegrating.
 They enable tobacco products to hold their freshness and quality.

b) Rail (same as above)

i) Container
ii) Tanker
iii) Bulk

c) Air
i) Container (as above)
ii) Pallet
 This a flat wooden or metal platform on which goods are stored so that they can be lifted and
moved using a forklift truck.

Benefits of Pallets in Transport

 Transportation: - The main and most important benefit of using pallets is that they make goods
easier to transport. A pallet enables the stacking of smaller items making it easier to keep track of
the goods.
 Protection: - Pallets offer protection to goods by ensuring that they are secured in one place. This
helps to eliminate knocks and bumps of individual items during transit.
 Strength:- Pallets are much stronger than other shipping containers including cardboard boxes.
Their superior strength means that more items and heavier items can be stacked onto one single
pallet without it breaking.
 Reusable:- Pallets can be used over and over. They are often sent backwards and forwards
between a manufacturer and a buyer dozens of times before they are no longer usable.
 Weight and size:- The light structure of the pallet means that little weight is added to the products
being shipped. Pallets are light enough to be carried by one person.
 Recycling:- Pallets on any material are completely recyclable. Plastic and metal pallets can be
melted down and wooden pallets can be used in other projects, burned or shredded for compost.
 d) Water (same as above)
i) Container
ii) Tanker
iii) Bulk

Advantages of Water Transport

 Economical: - By comparison, some estimates show that ocean freight shipping costs are generally
four to six times less expensive than air. With statistics like this one, it is easy to argue that ocean
transportation is the cheapest international shipping option.
 Efficiency: - Smaller shipments can be grouped together with other cargo to fill a container, allowing
for cost-sharing of the transportation services. In fact, vessels are the ideal way to move high
volumes of cargo as they are designed to carry large amounts of goods or raw materials.
 Oversized, heavy and bulky cargo capability: - A major advantage of sea freight shipping is shipping
companies’ ability to handle oversized, heavy or bulky cargo – often referred to as break-bulk or Not
in Trailer (NIT) loads.
 Safety: - Ships are designed to carry hazardous materials and dangerous cargo safely. The industry is
well-versed in the handling of such goods and has regulations in place to ensure the safety of the
vessel, crew, cargo and environment.
 Environmental friendliness: - When compared to sea shipping, air and many other forms of
transportation have much higher carbon footprints – a definite disadvantage for the environment.
 Foreign trade contacts:- connecting the global trade markets is an essential part of ocean shipping
 Reduction in duties and VAT:- these are much less expensive as they’re calculated as a percentage
cost of the total plus the applicable export and import fees

Disadvantages of Sea Transport

 Sluggish and Time-Consuming:- Water transport is a highly inefficient kind of transport. Traveling or
transporting things takes a lengthy time. Water transport is very sluggish, making it unsuitable for
situations when speed is critical.
 Reliability: - Although air and land transit are delayed by weather conditions, they nevertheless
outperform water transport in terms of on-time arrival. The delay may have a negative impact on a
company that requires replenishing products or has a client waiting on them, resulting in lost
revenue.
 Port Accessibility: - All ships require ports and infrastructures that are appropriate for their
requirements and size; yet, in certain nations, these types of facilities do not exist, resulting in
delayed delivery.
 Journey Frequency: - This may result in delivery delays or diversions; although certain trips are
much more commercial than the others and are often made on a regular basis, others may take
much longer to complete. And boats need more preparation time than aeroplanes, vehicles, or
railroads.

3. Loading/Unloading Requirements
The following loading/unloading requirements should be considered when planning for freight transport
planning;

 Cargo type:- Special loading/unloading equipment will be used in different types of cargo
 Cargo size: - Cargo size determines the type of loading/unloading type needed.
 Available space: - Space should be adequate for materials handling.
 Labor:- Personnel are to be short for in terms of expertise and skills which are relevant
 Safety: - Safety of all the concerned parties and equipment should be planned for well.
 Time: - Time is a very vital factor when it comes to loading/unloading requirements planning.
Delays should be avoided
 Cost:- The cost of operation should be properly captured in freight planning for profitability match
 Communication: - Communication is especially important when multiple companies are involved
in a load, each bringing their own varying job processes and approaches to safety.

4. Opportunities and Threats

Opportunities Threats
 New technologies  New entrants:-
 New skills from the market  Calamities
 New products  Restrictions from other economies
 Competition  Fraud/corruption
 New markets  Policies

TOPIC FOUR
ROUTE PLANNING AND SCHEDULING – PASSENGER TRANSPORT SERVICES