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Land transport is thetransport or movement of people, animals or goods from one location to another location on land. This is in contrast with other main types of transport such asmaritime transport andaviation. The two main forms of land transport can be considered to berail transport androad transport.
Several systems of land transport have been devised, from the most basic system of humans carrying things from place to sophisticated networks of ground-based transportation using different types of vehicles and infrastructure. The three types are human-powered, animal powered and machine powered
Human-powered transport, a form ofsustainable transportation, is the transport of people and/or goods usinghuman muscle-power, in the form ofwalking,running andswimming. Moderntechnology has allowedmachines to enhance human power. Human-powered transport remains popular for reasons of cost-saving,leisure,physical exercise, andenvironmentalism; it is sometimes the only type available, especially in underdeveloped or inaccessible regions.
Although humans are able to walk without infrastructure, the transport can be enhanced through the use of roads, especially when using the human power with vehicles, such as bicycles andinline skates. Human-powered vehicles have also been developed for difficult environments, such as snow and water, bywatercraft rowing andskiing; even the air can be entered withhuman-powered aircraft.
Animal-powered transport is the use ofworking animals for the movement of people and goods. Humans may ride some of the animals directly, use them aspack animals for carrying goods, or harness them, alone or inteams, to pullsleds or wheeledvehicles.
A road is an identifiableroute, way orpath between two or moreplaces.[1] Roads are typically smoothed,paved, or otherwise prepared to allow easy travel;[2] though they need not be, and historically many roads were simply recognizable routes without any formalconstruction ormaintenance.[3] Inurban areas, roads may pass through acity orvillage and be named asstreets, serving a dual function as urban spaceeasement and route.[4]
The most common road vehicle is theautomobile; awheeled passenger vehicle that carries its ownmotor. Other users of roads includebuses,trucks,motorcycles,bicycles andpedestrians. As of 2002, there were 590 million automobiles worldwide. Road transport offers a complete freedom to road users to transfer the vehicle from one lane to the other and from one road to another according to the need and convenience. This flexibility of changes in location, direction, speed, and timings of travel is not available to other modes of transport. It is possible to provide door to door service only by road transport.
Automobiles offer high flexibility and with low capacity, but are deemed with high energy and area use, and the main source ofnoise andair pollution in cities; buses allow for more efficient travel at the cost of reduced flexibility.[5] Road transport by truck is often the initial and final stage of freight transport.
Rail transport is where atrain runs along a set of two parallel steelrails, known as a railway or railroad. The rails are anchoredperpendicular toties (or sleepers) of timber, concrete orsteel, to maintain a consistent distance apart, orgauge. The rails and perpendicular beams are placed on a foundation made of concrete or compressedearth andgravel in a bed of ballast. Alternative methods includemonorail andmaglev.
A train consists of one or more connected vehicles that run on the rails. Propulsion is commonly provided by alocomotive, that hauls a series of unpowered cars, that can carry passengers or freight. The locomotive can be powered bysteam,diesel or byelectricity supplied bytrackside systems. Alternatively, some or all the cars can be powered, known as amultiple unit. Also, a train can be powered byhorses,cables,gravity,pneumatics andgas turbines. Railed vehicles move with much less friction than rubber tires on paved roads, making trains moreenergy efficient, though not as efficient as ships.
Intercity trains are long-haul services connecting cities;[6] modernhigh-speed rail is capable of speeds up to 350 km/h (220 mph), but this requires specially built track.Regional andcommuter trains feed cities from suburbs and surrounding areas, while intra-urban transport is performed by high-capacitytramways andrapid transits, often making up the backbone of a city's public transport. Freight trains traditionally usedbox cars, requiring manual loading and unloading of thecargo. Since the 1960s, container trains have become the dominant solution for general freight, while large quantities of bulk are transported by dedicated trains.
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Pipeline transport sends goods through apipe; most commonly liquid and gases are sent, butpneumatic tubes can also send solid capsules using compressed air. For liquids/gases, any chemically stable liquid or gas can be sent through a pipeline. Short-distance systems exist forsewage,slurry, water, andbeer, while long-distance networks are used forpetroleum andnatural gas.
Cable transport is a broad mode where vehicles are pulled bycables instead of an internal power source. It is most often used on steep slopes. Typical solutions includeaerial tramways,elevators,escalator andski lifts; some of these are also categorized asconveyor transport.
Airports serve as a station forair transport activities, but most people and cargo transported by air must use ground transport to reach their final destination.Airport-based services are sometimes used to shuttle people to nearbyhotels ormotels when overnight stay is required for connectingflights.Companies providerental cars, privatebus andtaxi services whilemass transportation is usually provided by amunicipality or other source ofpublic funding. Several major airports, includingDenver International andJFK International, provide many types of ground transportation, often by working with livery companies and similarbusinesses. Smaller airports may only have a few private rental companies and a bus service. Larger airports tend to offer several different transportation options, such as light rail and/or roads that loop around an airport to provide access from multipleterminals.
As with air transport,sea transport typically requires use of ground transport at either end of travel for people or goods to reach their final destinations. Significant infrastructure is used at ports to transfer people and goods between sea and land systems.
Infrastructure is the fixed installations that allow a vehicle to operate. It consists of a way, a terminal, and facilities for parking and maintenance. For rail, pipeline, road, and cable transport, the entire way the vehicle travels must be built up.
Terminals such as stations are locations where passengers and freight can be transferred from one vehicle or mode to another. For passenger transportation, terminals integrate different modes to allow riders to interchange to take advantage of each mode's advantages. For instance,airport rail links connect airports to the city centers and suburbs. The terminals for automobiles areparking lots, while buses and coaches can operate from simple stops.[7] For freight, terminals act astransshipment points, though some cargo is transported directly from the point of production to the point of use.
Thefinancing of infrastructure can either bepublic orprivate. Transportation is often anatural monopoly and a necessity for the public; roads, and in some countries railways and airports are funded throughtaxation. New infrastructure projects can have high cost and are often financed throughdebt. Many infrastructure owners then impose usage fees, such as landing fees at airports, ortoll plazas on roads. Independent of this, authorities may imposetaxes on the purchase or use of vehicles. Because of poor forecasting and overestimation of passenger numbers by planners, there is frequently a benefit shortfall for transport infrastructure projects.[8]
A vehicle is any non-living device that is used to move people and goods. Unlike the infrastructure, the vehicle moves along with the cargo and riders. Unless being pulled by a cable or muscle-power, the vehicle must provide its own propulsion; this is most commonly done through asteam engine,combustion engine, orelectric motor, though other means of propulsion also exist. Vehicles also need a system of converting the energy into movement; this is most commonly done throughwheels,propellers andpressure.
Vehicles are most commonly staffed by adriver. However, some systems, such aspeople movers and some rapid transits, are fullyautomated. Forpassenger transport, the vehicle must have a compartment for the passengers. Simple vehicles, such as automobiles, bicycles or simple aircraft, may have one of the passengers as a driver.
Public land transport refers to the carriage of people and goods by government or commercial entities which is made available to the public at large for the purpose of facilitating the economy and society they serve. Most transport infrastructure and large transport vehicles are operated in this manner. Funds to pay for such transport may come fromtaxes, subscriptions, directuser fees, or combinations of these methods. The vast majority of public transport is land-based, with commuting and postal delivery being the primary purposes.
Commercial land transport refers to the carriage of people and goods by commercial entities made available at cost to individuals, businesses, and the government for the purpose of profiting the entities providing the travel. Most infrastructure used is publicly owned, and vehicles tend to be large and efficient to maximize capacity and profit margins. Freight shipping and long-distance travel are common uses served by commercial land transport.
Military land transport refers to the carriage of people and goods by the military or other operators for the purpose of supporting military operations, both in peacetime as well as in combat areas. Such activity may use a combination of public infrastructure as well as military-specific infrastructure and in many cases is designed to operate with little or no infrastructure when necessary. Vehicles can range from basic commercial or even private vehicles to those specifically designed for military use.
Private land transport refers to individuals and organizations transporting themselves and their own people, animals, and goods at their own discretion. Vehicles used are typically smaller, though publicly owned infrastructure is often used for travel.
Relocation of travelers and cargo are the most common uses of transport. However, other uses exist, such as the strategic and tacticalrelocation ofarmed forces duringwarfare, or the civilian mobility construction or emergency equipment.
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Passenger transport, or travel, is divided intopublic andprivate transport. Public transport is scheduled services on fixed routes, while private is vehicles that provide ad hoc services at the riders desire. The latter offers better flexibility, but has lower capacity, and a higher environmental impact. Travel may be as part of dailycommuting, forbusiness, leisure ormigration.
Short-haul transport is dominated by the automobile and mass transit. The latter consists ofbuses in rural and small cities, supplemented with commuter rail, trams and rapid transit in larger cities. Long-haul transport involves the use of the automobile, trains,coaches and aircraft, the last of which have become predominantly used for the longest, including intercontinental, travel.Intermodal passenger transport is where a journey is performed through the use of several modes of transport; since all human transport normally starts and ends with walking, all passenger transport can be considered intermodal. Public transport may also involve the intermediate change of vehicle, within or across modes, at atransport hub, such as abus orrailway station.
Taxis and buses can be found on both ends of the public transport spectrum. Buses are the cheaper mode of transport but are not necessarily flexible, and taxis are very flexible but more expensive. In the middle isdemand-responsive transport, offering flexibility whilst remaining affordable.
International travel may be restricted for some individuals due to legislation andvisa requirements.
Freight transport, or shipping, is a key in thevalue chain in manufacturing.[9] With increased specialization andglobalization, production is being located further away from consumption, rapidly increasing the demand for transport.[10] While all modes of transport are used for cargo transport, there is high differentiation between the nature of the cargo transport, in which mode is chosen.[11]Logistics refers to the entire process of transferring products from producer to consumer, including storage, transport, transshipment, warehousing, material-handling and packaging, with associated exchange of information.[12]Incoterm deals with the handling of payment and responsibility ofrisk during transport.[13]
Containerization, with the standardization ofISO containers on all vehicles and at all ports, has revolutionized international anddomestic trade, offering huge reduction intransshipment costs. Traditionally, all cargo had to be manually loaded and unloaded into the haul of any car; containerization allows for automated handling and transfer between modes, and the standardized sizes allow for gains ineconomy of scale in vehicle operation. This has been one of the key driving factors ininternational trade and globalization since the 1950s.[14]
Bulk transport is common with cargo that can be handled roughly without deterioration; typical examples areore, coal, cereals andpetroleum. Because of the uniformity of the product, mechanical handling can allow enormous quantities to be handled quickly and efficiently. The low value of the cargo combined with high volume also means thateconomies of scale become essential in transport, and whole trains are commonly used to transport bulk. Liquid products with sufficient volume may also be transported by pipeline.
Humans' first means of land transport was walking. Thedomestication of animals introduces a new way to lay the burden of transport on more powerful creatures, allowing heavier loads to be hauled, or humans to ride the animals for higher speed and duration. Inventions such as the wheel and sled helped make animal transport more efficient through the introduction of vehicles. However, water transport, including rowed and sailed vessels, was the only efficient way to transport large quantities or over large distances prior to theIndustrial Revolution.
The first forms ofroad transport werehorses,oxen or even humans carrying goods overdirt tracks that often followedgametrails. Paved roads were built by many early civilizations, includingMesopotamia and theIndus Valley civilization. ThePersian andRoman empires built stone-paved roads to allow armies to travel quickly. Deep roadbeds of crushed stone underneath ensured that the roads kept dry. The medievalCaliphate later builttar-paved roads. Until the Industrial Revolution, transport remained slow and costly, and production and consumption were located as close to each other as feasible.
TheIndustrial Revolution in the 19th century saw a number of inventions fundamentally change transport. Withtelegraphy, communication became instant and independent of transport. The invention of thesteam engine, closely followed by its application in rail transport, made land transport independent of human or animal muscles. Both speed and capacity increased rapidly, allowing specialization through manufacturing being located independent of natural resources.
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With the development of thecombustion engine and the automobile at the turn into the 20th century, road transport became more viable, allowing the introduction of mechanical private transport. The first highways were constructed during the 19th century withmacadam. Later,tarmac andconcrete became the dominant paving material.
After World War II, the automobile and airlines took higher shares of transport, reducing rail to freight and short-haul passenger.[15] In the 1950s, the introduction ofcontainerization gave massive efficiency gains in freight transport, permittingglobalization.[14] International air travel became much more accessible in the 1960s, with the commercialization of thejet engine. Along with the growth in automobiles and motorways, this introduced a decline for rail transport. After the introduction of theShinkansen in 1964, high-speed rail in Asia and Europe started taking passengers on long-haul routes from airlines.[15]
Early inU.S. history, mostaqueducts,bridges,canals,railroads,roads, andtunnels were owned byprivatejoint-stockcorporations. Most such transportation infrastructure came under government control in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, culminating in thenationalization of inter-city passenger rail service with the creation ofAmtrak. Recently, however, a movement to privatize roads and other infrastructure has gained some ground and adherents.[16]
Transport is a key necessity forspecialization—allowing production and consumption of products to occur at different locations. Transport has throughout history been a spur to expansion; better transport allows moretrade and a greater spread of people.Economic growth has always been dependent on increasing the capacity and rationality of transport.[17] But the infrastructure and operation of transport has a great impact on the land and is the largest drainer of energy, makingtransport sustainability a major issue.
Modern society dictates a physical distinction between home and work, forcing people to transport themselves to places of work or study, as well as to temporarily relocate for other daily activities. Passenger transport is also the essence oftourism, a major part ofrecreational transport. Commerce requires the transport of people to conduct business, either to allow face-to-face communication for important decisions or to move specialists from their regular place of work to sites where they are needed.
Transport planning allows for high utilization and less impact regarding new infrastructure. Using models oftransport forecasting, planners are able to predict future transport patterns. On the operative level, logistics allows owners of cargo to plan transport as part of thesupply chain. Transport as a field is studied throughtransport economics, the backbone for the creation of regulation policy by authorities.Transport engineering, a sub-discipline ofcivil engineering, must take into accounttrip generation,trip distribution,mode choice androute assignment, while the operative level is handled throughtraffic engineering.
Because of the negative impacts made, transport often becomes the subject of controversy related to choice of mode, as well as increased capacity. Automotive transport can be seen as atragedy of the commons, where the flexibility and comfort for the individual deteriorate the natural and urban environment for all.Density of development depends on mode of transport, with public transport allowing for better spatial utilization. Good land use keeps common activities close to people's homes and places higher-density development closer to transport lines and hubs, to minimize the need for transport. There areeconomies of agglomeration. Beyond transportation some land uses are more efficient when clustered. Transportation facilities consume land, and in cities, pavement (devoted to streets and parking) can easily exceed 20 percent of the total land use. An efficient transport system can reduce land waste.
Too much infrastructure and too much smoothing for maximum vehicle throughput means that in many cities there is too much traffic and many—if not all—of the negative impacts that come with it. It is only in recent years that traditional practices have started to be questioned in many places, and as a result of new types of analysis which bring in a much broader range of skills than those traditionally relied on—spanning such areas as environmental impact analysis, public health, sociologists as well as economists—the viability of the old mobility solutions is increasingly being questioned. European cities are leading this transition.
Transport is a major use ofenergy and burns most of the world'spetroleum. This creates air pollution, includingnitrous oxides andparticulates, and is a significant contributor toglobal warming through emission ofcarbon dioxide,[18] for which transport is the fastest-growing emission sector.[19] By subsector, road transport is the largest contributor to global warming.[18]Environmental regulations in developed countries have reduced individual vehicles' emissions; however, this has been offset by increases in the numbers of vehicles and in the use of each vehicle.[18] Some pathways to reduce the carbon emissions of road vehicles considerably have been studied.[20][21] Energy use and emissions vary largely between modes, causingenvironmentalists to call for a transition from road to rail and human-powered transport, as well as increasedtransport electrification andenergy efficiency.
Other environmental impacts of transport systems includetraffic congestion and automobile-orientedurban sprawl, which can consume natural habitat and agricultural lands. By reducing transportation emissions globally, it is predicted that there will be significant positive effects on Earth'sair quality,acid rain,smog and climate change.[22]
