IMPORTANCE OF TRANSPORTATION ;

The entire economic, social and political life of a modern

country depends upon an efficient system of transport.

Definition and meaning of transportation:

1. The action of transporting someone or something or
the process of being transported.
2. is the movement of humans, animals and goods from
one location to another.
3. The process of moving an item from point A to point B.
4. Safe, efficient, reliable, and sustainable movement of
persons and goods over time and space.
The benefits of transport can be studied under the
following categories.
A. Economic Benefits/Functions:
1. Extensive Market:
Transport helps in the assembly of raw materials and distribution
of finished goods. It makes it possible to move goods from the place of
production to the place where they are to be consumed. In the earlier
days, there were only local markets due to the absence of safe means of
transport. Now-a-days, trade is not restricted to the boundaries of a
nation, but has spread throughout the world.

Development of the efficient means of transport has knit together

all the nations of the world into the one big world market. Even the
perishable articles like fish, dairy products, meat etc. are being
transported to distant places of the world. But for good transport
facilities, such a development in trade and commerce would not have
been possible.
2. Mobility of Labor and Capital:

Transport reduces the rigors of immobility of certain factors of

production. Mobility of labour and capital increases with the
development of transport. An efficient network of transport
services encourages the movement of people from one place to
another.

Labor can migrate to the place where they can get better job
opportunities, which reduces the exploitation of workers. The
development of Australia and United States would not have
been possible without immigrations from Europe. With the
development of transport, the investment of capital is also
channelized to new lands and other places of the world.
3. Specialization and Division of Labor:
Transport helps each region and country to make optimum and
efficient use of its national resources. Each region can concentrate
on production of those goods for which its resources are best
suited. Thus, movement of goods and people from one place to
another leads to specialization and division of labor which results
in minimum wastage of resources and reduction in the cost of
production

4. Economies of Large Scale Production:

Transport has helped the development of large scale industries.
It would not have been possible for these industries to procure raw
materials, gather large number of workers and sell the finished
goods, without the efficient facilities of transport. Thus, transport
has made possible the various economies of large scale production
which tend to reduce unit cost of production and help the
economy.
5. Stability in Prices:
Transport facilities iron out wild fluctuations. Goods can be
transported to places where there is scarcity and the prices are
high from places where there is surplus and the prices are low.
Such movement of goods helps in maintaining uniform prices
throughout the country and further tends to equalise the prices
of goods throughout the world.
6. Benefits to Consumers:
Improved means of transport benefit the consumers in
many ways. The consumers can enjoy the benefit of use of
many goods, which cannot be produced at their place, by
transporting such goods from other distant places. Further,
it helps in reducing the cost of goods of consumers and
increases their purchasing power.
7. Employment Opportunities and Increase in the
National Income:
The various means of transport provide employment to
millions of people throughout the world. The economic
development of a country depends upon the improved means
of transport. Thus, transport contributes substantially to the
national income of the nations.

8. Discouragement to Monopoly:
The scope of total income is extended by the
development of the means of transport. As commodities
can be quickly transported from one place to another,
local producers cannot charge prices at their own will.
This discourages monopoly and encourages competition.
9. Development of Agriculture:
Transport has helped in the development of
agriculture also. The business of agricultural products
has grown to such a large extent only do to the efficient
means of transport. It would not have been possible to
use modern techniques of agriculture, improved
quality of seeds and fertilizers, etc., but for good
transport facilities.
10. Industrial Development:
Transport facilitates the industrial development of
a country. It helps the growth of industries by making
available various factors of production. It would not
have been possible to make such rapid industrial
development without efficient means of transport.
11. Increase in National Wealth:
Transport helps in increasing the national wealth of a country
by facilitating agriculture, industry, trade and commerce.

B. Social Benefits/Functions:

1. Discovery of New Lands:

Transport has helped the discovery of new lands and the
growth of cities and urban areas. Due to the availability of long
distance cheap transport, land has been utilised to the maximum
advantage of the people all over the world. Even the waste lands
are now being used. It also increases the value of land. We,
generally, find the value of land, situated on the road side or near
the railway station or bus stand, has increased manifold.
2. Diffusion of population:
It reduces the concentration of population in the area of
production. People can reach from distant places if there is
an adequate and efficient system of transport.

3. High Standard of Living:

Transport helps in the increase of production thereby
raising the standard of living of the people. It is possible only
through the means of transport that the ‘five M’s-men,
material, money, machinery and management’ can be
assembled at the place of production. So, industries depend
upon efficient system of transport and it creates new
industries.
4. Mutual Understanding:
It removes the problem of distance, helps the people of
different regions to come in contact with each other,
encourages exchange of ideas and culture and promotes co-
operation, understanding the cordial relations, amongst the
people of the world.
5. Ability to Face Natural Calamities:
Transport enables the society to face natural calamities
such as famine, earthquake, drought, floods, etc. In such
emergencies, commodities can quickly be transported to the
places of mishap.
6. Broadens the Outlook of the People:
Transport promotes mutual understanding. It has
broadened the outlook of the people of the world and has
knitted together all the nations of the world.
7. Destroys Ignorance:
It promotes culture, removes prejudices and destroys
ignorance! It helps in spreading knowledge and furthering
the cause of education.

C. Political Benefits/Functions:
1. National Unity, Integration and Peace:
Transport helps in maintaining internal peace and national
unity of a country. It brings about national integration. A
vast country like India cannot be held together without
efficient means of transport. Transport encourages
economic and political interdependence by promoting
specialisation and division of labour and this strengthens
the need for unity and national integration.
2. National Defense:
Transport is essential for strengthening the national defense of
a country. In the days of war, it is only through improved means
of transport that the defense personnel, material and
equipment can be moved rapidly to the border areas. Defense
of a country, therefore, necessitates the existence of improved
transport facilities.

3. Political Awakening:
Efficient means of transport help in creating political
awakening in .he people and the growth of civilization.

4. Source of Revenue:
Transport helps in increasing the national wealth and income
of a country. It is also a source of revenue to the Government.
Different modes of Transportation

Mode of transport - is a term used to distinguish between

different ways of transportation or transporting people or goods

1. Animal-powered
2. Human-powered
3. Land – Railways , Roadways
4. Water
5. Air
6. Other modes - pipelines, cable transport, and space transport.
CHARACTERISTICS OF ROAD TRANSPORT
1. Roads are used by various types of road vehicles, like
passenger cars, buses, trucks, pedal cycle and animal
drawn vehicle.
2. It requires relatively small investment for the
government.
3. It offers complete freedom to road users to transfer the
vehicle from one lane to another and from one road to
another according to need and convenience.
4. Speed and movement is directly related with the
severity of accidents.
5. Road transport is the only means of transport that offers
itself to the whole community alike.
SCOPE OF HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

1. Development  Historical background, basis for

planning and planning, master plan, engineering
locations surveys and highway alignment.
2. Highway design,  Road geometrics and their design,
Geometrics and rigid and flexible pavement, design
structure. factor and thickness design, overlay
3. Traffic design, design of drainage system.
performance and  Traffic studies analysis, need for
its control. new road links, traffic regulations
and control, intersection design
and their controls with sign, signals
and markings.
4. Materials, construction
and maintenance.
5. Economics, finance and
administration
 Road user cost and
 Highway materials and
mix design, highway
construction of different
types of pavements,
WBM pavement failure,
pavement evaluation,
maintenance of
pavements.
economic analysis of
highway projects,
pavement types and
maintenance measures,
highway finance.
SCOPE OF TRAFFIC ENGINEERING
The basic objective of traffic engineering is to achieve efficient,
free and rapid flow of traffic, with least number of traffic
accidents.
The study of traffic engineering maybe subdivided into seven
(7) major areas;

1. Traffic characteristic
Traffic characteristics are quite complex with various types of
road users on the road moving with different motives.
The human psychology is to be given particular attention.
The study of vehicular characteristics is an essential part.
2. Traffic studies and analysis
The various studies to be carried out are;
2.1 speed of traffic
2.2 volume of traffic – The number of vehicles passing a given point on a
roadway during a specified time period.
Unit is km/hr.
2.3 Density of traffic – The number of vehicles occupying a unit length of a
lane of a roadway at a given instant of time.
Unit is Vehicles/km
2.4 Capacity of traffic – Is the maximum traffic flow that can be
accommodated in a highway facility during a given time period under prevailing
roadway, traffic and control conditions.
2.5 Travel patterns
2.6 Origin and destination
2.7 Traffic flow characteristics
2.8 Parking and
2.9 accident studies
3. Planning area analysis
Traffic planning is a separate phase for major highways such as
expressways, arterial roads, and parking facilities.

4. Geometric design
All aspects such as cross section, roadway surface detail, sight
distance requirements, horizontal and vertical alignment, intersections
and parking facilities are to be suitably designed for better Traffic
performance.

5. Traffic operations, regulations and control

Traffic operations deals with regulations, control and application of
control measures.
Regulations maybe in a form of laws, or other traffic regulatory
measures such as speed limit, designation of strategic parking areas, etc.
The most common means to control and regulate traffic are
installations of various traffic control devices such as signs, signals,
islands and pavement markings.
6. Road safety aspect
-Enforcements of traffic laws.
-Traffic Safety Awareness Education through schools
and mainstream media (television, radios and social
media, etc.)
- Constant monitoring and maintenance of traffic
signages and signals.

7. Administration and management

THANK YOU!