Infrastructure.

 The primary function of a terminal is to handle and transship freight or passengers since
modes are physically separated.
 Modern terminal infrastructures require massive investments and are among the largest
structures ever built.
 Terminals have a nominal capacity, related to the amount of land they occupy and their
technological, labor, and managerial intensity.
 Infrastructure considerations are essential as they must accommodate current traffic and
anticipate future trends along with technological and logistical changes.
 A utilization rate of 75 to 80% of design capacity is considered to be optimal since, above this
level, congestion starts to rise, undermining the reliability of terminal operations.
 A terminal rarely has a consistent utilization, often characterized by periods of high and low
activity (daily, weekly, and monthly).

3. Passenger Terminals

With one exception, passenger terminals require relatively little specific equipment. Individual
mobility is how passengers access buses, ferries, or trains. Indeed, services such as ticketing,
shelter, food, and security are required, but the layouts and activities taking place in passenger
terminals tend to be simple.
They may appear congested and chaotic during their peak daily use. Still, the flow of people can be
managed successfully with good design of platforms and access points and with appropriate
scheduling of arrivals and departures.
The amount of time passengers spend in such terminals tends to be brief. As a result, bus terminals
and railway stations tend to be made up of simple components, from ticket offices and waiting areas,
with retailing catering to this transient mobility (fast-food restaurants, convenience stores).

5. Terminal Costs

Because they jointly perform transfer and consolidation functions, terminals are essential

economically because of the costs incurred in carrying out these activities. The traffic they handle is a
source of employment and benefits regional economic activities, notably by providing accessibility to
suppliers and customers as well as social interactions and leisure for passenger terminals, which
have a more relative value. Terminal costs represent an important component of total transport costs.
They are fixed costs incurred regardless of the length of the eventual trip and vary significantly
between modes. They can be considered as follows:

 Infrastructure costs. Include construction and maintenance costs of structures such as

piers, runways, cranes, and facilities (warehouses, offices, etc.).
 Transshipment costs. The costs of loading and unloading passengers or freight, mostly
related to labor and energy.
 Management costs. Many terminals are managed by institutions such as port or airport
authorities or private companies (e.g. terminal operators), incurring management costs. For
instance, ground and air traffic control are necessary for airport operations. Complex
terminals have extensive information systems to must be operated and maintained.

Conversely, a truck or a passenger bus can be loaded much more quickly; hence, the terminal costs
for road transport are the lowest. 
Significant steps to reduce terminal costs have been taken. These include
introducing information management systems