1. Transportation (wk 3)
Meaning: transportation is the movement of people and products from one place to another. It’s one of the aids to trade.

2. Importance of transportation
It widens organization’s market by enhanced sales
It promotes international trade
Prevents wastage especially of perishable goods t through quick movement
It improves standards of living
It creates employment opportunities

3. Methods of transportation
There are four major means of transportation. They are :
Land
Air
Water
Pipeline
Land transportation: This is made up of
Road transport and Rail transport.

4. Road Transport
It involves the movement of people and goods using buses, lorries, cars etc
ADVANATAGES
Provides door to door service
It is fast over short distances
It is flexible in it’s operation
It complements other forms of transport
Suitable for speedy delivery of perishable goods

5. Rail Transport
It is the movement of goods and people through trains which use special tracks known as railways. Trains are either passengers or cargo trains
ADVANTAGES
It has capacity to convey heavy/bulky goods
It is very cheap
Accident rate is low/minimal
It operates on schedule
No problem of congestion and hold-up compared road transport

6. Disadvantages It is not flexible
Operation and maintenance cost is high
It is slow and waste time on short distance
Accidents, though rare is often fatal if they occur
B. AIR TRANSPORT
It is the movement of people and goods in airspace using jets, helicopters planes etc. There are passengers and cargo planes.

7. Advantages It is the fastest means of transportation
Most suitable for conveying fragile and expensive goods
It offers comfort and is luxurious
Operates on schedule and direct routes
DISADVANTAGES
Air freight is expensive
Operational cost is high
Operation is often affected by bad weather

8. Water transport
This is the movement of people and goods through rivers, seas and oceans. There are two main categories, namely: Inland water ways: This is within the nation on rivers, canals, creeks, by use of boats etc Sea waterways: This makes it possible for goods and people to move across countries . It is classified into

9. Ocean liners: it moves on high seas and oceans on fixed routes and schedules. It comprises of passengers and cargo liners.
Tramp liners: It carries passengers and cargos where ever it’s available on high sea/oceans. It is also known as ocean taxi
Coastal liners: They are coastal steamers that are used to move goods to main port.

10. Advantages of water transport
Most suitable for conveying bulky goods
Aids international trade
Cheapest means of transport
DISADVANTAGES
It is slow and time consuming
Stealing and pilfering is rampart
Lacks door to door services

11. Pipeline transport
It is a means by which liquid and gasses are moved from one place to another through pipelines laid underground.
ADVANTAGES
Operation is affected by weather
Cheap to maintain
There are no congestions or hold ups that cause delays
DISADVANTAGES
High cost of construction
Leakages if not detected lead to wastage and destruction of lives
Prone to illegal tapping of product

12. Factors that influence choice of transportation
Convenience/customers preference
Nature of goods being conveyed e.g. perishable, fragile, expensive etc
Distance involved
Urgency of delivery or arrival
Available means of transport
Cost of transportation
Safety

13. Some of the terms used in transportation
Freight: costs or expenses incurred in transporting cargoes e.g. by air or sea.
Charter party: it is the contract between ship-owner and a consignor (i.e. owner or representative of the goods owner) for the transportation of the goods.
Dead freight: This is the freight paid on unoccupied space in the ship.

14. Assignment
State three advantages of land transport over rail transport.