Characteristics of Modes of Transports: Road Transportation, Rail Transportation, Maritime Transport, Air Transport

Road Transportation

The road transport is made by cars and trucks. Its routes have paths that cut the countries from North to South, although it is only indicated for short distances. It also enables reasonable deadlines and transportation of various cargoes.

By investing in modes of road transport, the company gains the advantage of easy hiring and little bureaucracy in issuing documentation. In addition, it enjoys government incentives and accessibility, as they can reach more distant locations.

Rail Transportation

Rail transport types are good options when there is a need to transport cargo with large volumes, which have a fixed location. Therefore, they are widely used to transport commodities such as steel, agricultural products, iron derivatives and oil.

Among the main advantages of this model are the low cost, due to cheaper fuels, high safety in the transport of cargo and low risks of accident.

Maritime Transport

Like the railway modal, the waterway, that is, the one that carries out maritime transport, can transport large volumes over long distances. However, for everything to go well, the cargo needs to be well located and have a longer deadline for delivery.

This mode of transport has a small risk of theft, theft, damage to cargo and other types of damage, in addition to low freight costs. Another advantage is that it can be used in conjunction with the road to ensure greater accuracy in product deliveries.

Air Transport

The air method is a very popular transport mode. This is because it offers agility for companies that need to carry out long-distance deliveries, especially when there are perishable products. It is also employed for shipping high cost goods.

To be even more efficient, the airway needs to be combined with other modals, such as road, for example. After all, the cargo must be taken to the airport to then be routed to the final destination.

Type of transport Characteristics Advantages Disadvantages
Air (airplanes)
  • Urgent need
  • In case of emergency
  • No other way to reach the area
  • High value low weight freight
  • Starting up large-scale operation
  • When there are no other means
  • Quick and reliable
  • Can reach far-away areas
  • Makes it possible to come closer to the area of operations
  • High cost
  • Depending on size of plane, cargo capacity may be small
  • Subject to weather conditions
  • Requires special fuel and safe conditions to operate
Air helicopters
  • Much more versatile than planes
  • Can land in difficult areas
  • Has limited cargo space
Land (motor vehicle)
  • Use depends on the physical and safety conditions of the access routes to the delivery points
  • Within a region or country
  • Highly flexible
  • Inexpensive and readily available
  • Given its availability, cargo space increases
  • Routes might be in bad shape, impassable or simply not exist
  • May be dangerous (floods, armed conflict, bandits, etc.)
Land (rail)
  • Use depends on existence, route and conditions
  • Not used much
  • Large load capacity
  • Operating costs are generally low
  • Limited network
  • Need to use other transport to take the supplies to the warehouse or operations sites
Maritime (sea)
  • Large lower value freight, less urgent
  • More and more used during the second phase of a crisis, whenever possible
  • Used mostly for transporting supplies from abroad
  • Need access to a harbour or pier
  • Large load capacity
  • Economical
  • Slow
  • Need to use other transport to take the supplies to the warehouse or operations sites

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