COURSE: Transportation Systems
UNIT A: Introduction
COMPETENCY: 001.00: Assess the role and importance of
transportation systems to society.
OBJECTIVE: 001.02: Identify and define the four major
modes of transportation and their intermodal relationship.
___________________________________________________________
_____
OUTLINE RESOURCES
___________________________________________________________
_____
Purpose: In order to understand a transportation system,
the four modes and their intermodal relationship must first
be understood.
A. List and describe five types of transportation: land,
water, air, space, and intermodal.
1. Types of transportation
2. Advantages and Disadvantages of transportation
systems
a. Water transportation is less expensive than
truck or airplanes but is slow and therefore used
mostly for freight
3. Advantages and Disadvantages of each mode.
a. Land
-Some Advantages: automobiles are easy to
operate,affordable, and convenient.
-Some Disadvantages: roadways for automobiles
consume excessive amounts of land.
-conventional land vehicles consume a large
poportions of earth's fossil fuels.
-fixed route vehicles are inconvenient compared
to automobiles. Fixed route vehicles have only
one degree of freedom.
b. Water
-Some Advantages: generally does not pollute the
environment compared to other modes.
-large amounts of bulk cargo are easy to move
with large vessels.
-vessels are more safely powered with nuclear
energy compared to other modes.
-Some Disadvantages: Should a vessel lose power
or take on water, passengers are placed at risk.
-barges and tankers pose a risk for oil spills.
c. Air
-Some Advantages: aircraft generally travel
faster than land and water vehicles.
-some aircraft offer three degrees of freedom.
-Some Disadvantages: far heavier than air
vehicles, engine failure can be catastrophic.
-jet airplanes consume relatively high amounts of
fuel.
d. Space
-Some Advantages: manned vehicles allow human
travel in hostile environments.
-remote control is possible with manned and
unmanned vehicles.
-supports global communication and transportation
systems.
-allows for scientific and technical processes
that would normally be impossible on earth.
-provides three degrees of freedom.
-Some Disadvantages: launch vehicles require
large amounts of fuel to escape earth's gravity.
-weightlessness is inconvenient and uncomfortable
-for human travel, the vehicle must protect
against pressure loss, radiation, temperature
extremes, and it must include oxygen generators.
B. Define land transportation
1. Definition: Land Transportation refers to all
methods of transport where the vehicles travel upon or are
supported by the earth.
2. Three types of land transportation systems
EXAMPLES:
Pipelines - most efficient for moving fluids,
quiet, and have low theft rate
Car - most flexible
Order of most efficient (ton per mile) to leaserail, truck, bus, car, plane
Trucks consume more energy than rail, pipelines
C. Define water transportation
1. Definition: Transportation through and supported by
water.
2. List three types of water transportation vehicles
and the importance of each
a. Hovercrafts ride on a cushion on air
b. Boats float on top of water
c. Submarines travel under the water
D. Define air transportation
1. Definition: Air transportation refers to a
craft which operates in the earth's atmosphere
2. List three types of air transportation vehicles
and the importance of each
a. Vertical take-off by helicopter
b. Lighter-than-air example is a (blimp,
dirigible, or balloon)
c. Helium is used to float dirigibles
d. Dirigibles can lift heaviest loads
e. Heavier-than-air example is a (airplane,
glider, jet)
E. Define space transportation
1. Definition: Space transportation is the use
of rockets and orbiting vehicles to explore
the regions beyond the limits of the 147-155
atmosphere.
2. List two types of space transportation vehicles and the
importance of each.
Examples: Unmanned and manned
F. Intermodal
1. Definition
a. Intermodal is the use of more than one
mode of transportation
b. Requires a great deal of planning and
coordination
2. List two examples of the use of intermodal
transportation
Examples: Movement of goods such as produce (use
of
trucks, conveyors, and ships)
Movement of people in cities (mass
transportation, elevators, and escalators)
a. TOFC stands for "Truck on Flat Car"
b. COFC stands for "Container on Flat Car"