FORM THREE COMMERCE – TRANSPORT

ROAD TRANSPORT

Is the mode of land transport which uses trucks and buses.

• Head porters
  
• Lorries
  
• Wheel barrows (crabs)
  
• Buses
  
• Bicycles
  
• Motor cycles
  

 

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ADVANTAGES OF ROAD TRANSPORT                        

1. Easy to set up:
   

   Setting up a road is easier than other systems. 
   

2. Good for short journey:
   

 

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It is good for carrying over short distances in a short time.

     3. Flexible:

Road transport is flexible where switching from one route to another is concerned.

     4. Reroute business:

Selling and collection of goods along routes can be possible.

     5. Final Destination:

It is good for door to door services in other words goods are taken to their final destination.

     6. Cheap:

It is relatively cheaper than air transport

     7. Easy to arrange:

Special arrangements can be organized for particular occasions.

     8. Continuity:

Road transport is in use all the time as it does not follow time table.

     9. Speed:

It is quite fast over short journeys compared to railways.

     10. Easy to organize:

Road transport can easily be organized and used any time since it does not involve many procedures like passports, visas etc.

DISADVANTAGES OF ROAD TRANSPORT

a. Affected by weather:

It may not be in use during bad weather especially murrain routes during heavy rains.

b. Limited space:

Space is limited where carrying bulky goods is concerned.

c. Expensive:

It is expensive for long distance due to high cost of fuel.

d. Return cargo unassured:

Return cargo may not be possible because of lack of time table schedule.

e. Delays:

Traffic congestion may contribute to delays in delivery.

f. Slow:

It is slow for long distances

g. Robbery:

High way robbery is possible, especially through heavy forests.

h. Accidents:

The rate of accident is high on roads.

i.
Destruction:

Construction of roads may result to destruction of natural vegetation e.g forest.

RAILWAY TRANSPORT

This involves movement of  trains to transport goods and passengers from one place to another.

ADVANTAGES OF RAILWAY TRANSPORT

• It is suitable for carrying bulky goods like copper, coffee, cattle, charcoal and many others.
  
• Special wagon may be designed for particular commodities and passangers.
  
• The rate of accidents is low compared to roads.
  
• It can transport many people and cargo for long distances
  
• Return cargo can be arranged as trains moved on time table schedule.
  
• It cannot easily be affected by bad weather.
  
• Trains are not affected by traffic congestion
  
• It is suitable for carrying containers.
  

 

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DISADVANTAGE OF RAILWAY TRANSPORT

• Railways are not flexible like roads
  
• Trains may not pass through mountainous region
  
• Trains delay at particular station because of time table schedule.
  
• Constructing a railway is very expensive
  
• Goods normally delay at depot stations because of clearance procedures.
  
• It is a slow means over long distance.
  
• There is a possibility of damaging cargo because of increased banding.
  
• It is uneconomical for short journeys.
  

 

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WATER TRANSPORT

This is the movement of goods and cargo by using a water body, mainly rivers, lakes and oceans. There is several water vessels used. These include;

• Canoes
  
• Boats
  
• Steamers
  
• Liners
  
• Oil tankers
  
• Ferries
  
• Coaster
  
• Bulk carriers
  
• Roll-on-roll off
  

 

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ADVANTAGES OF WATER TRANSPORT

1. The way is free so the rate of accident is low
   
2. It is cheap for bulk materials and goods
   
3. Special vessels may be constructed to carry particular goods, for example those with refrigerators can carry perishable goods like fish, milk flowers, fruits and beef.
   
4. The use of automatic cranes easy to loading and unloading cargo.
   
5. Containers packaging is possible, this reduce theft, loss and damage.
   
6. There is no traffic congestion on water transport
   
7. Maintenance charges of vessels are relatively low.
   
8. It is the best for international, since it handles large cargo
   
9. Return cargo and passengers are always available.
   
10. No expenses are incurred in constructing the routes, they are provided by nature.
    

 

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DISADVANTAGES OF WATER TRANSPORT

1. The speed is low and this may not favour perishable goods
   
2. Water transport is limited to only those areas with water bodies.
   
3. Fierce storms and water distances may lead to loss of cargo and the vessel
   
4. Port or harbour congestion may lead to delays in delivery
   
5. Some water bodies tend to freeze during winter making them out of use.
   
6. Heavy loads may not go over shallow water level
   
7. Water vessels are quite expensive to construct
   
8. Goods cannot be transported to final destination.
   

 

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TYPES OF WATER VESSELS

1. Ocean liners:
   

 

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These mainly carry cargo through some also carry some passengers. There vessels follow specific routes at fixed time. The operators of ocean liners belong to shipping conferences which allocate them routes to operate on the freight rates and the time table, Liners specifically for carrying cargo is called cargo liners and those for passengers are known as passenger’s liners.

1. Tramp steamers:
   

 

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These are well known for carrying cargo and go anywhere they can get goods to carry. They do not sail on fixed routes at regular times but go anywhere they can get business, A trader with enough cargo to carry many time the whole vessels by entering in to a contract is known as a charter party

A charter party may cover a specific route (voyage charter) or certain period (time charter)

BILL OF LADING

When several businessmen use one vessel to transport their goods, each of them is issued a bill of lading.

A bill of lading serves several functions;

1. It acts as a contract of carriage between the businessmen and the shipping company.
   
2. It acknowledges receipt of goods by the shipper.
   
3. It is a document of bill which a businessman uses to claim for goods when they arrive at the destination port.
   
4. It is negotiable instrument in title to goods can be transferred by endorsing the bill of lading.
   
5. It shows all the details of goods carried
   
6. It shows the shipping charges and all conditions of carrying the goods.
   

 

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     3. Bulk carries:

These are large vessels, especially used to carry particular types of cargo e.g. timber, minerals, ores, heavy machinery and others.

    4. Oil Tankers:

These are mainly chartered or owned by the large petroleum companies to carry petroleum products.

    5. Roll-on-Roll-off:

These are large ferries used to carry vehicles. The vehicles carried are driven on the ferry and driven off when they reach final destinations.

WATER TERMINALS.

Water terminal includes ports, harbors and all accessible sea sides with adequate equipment. These are places where ships are for loading or unloading. A good terminal should have the following;

1. Space: The space should be large enough to handle a wide range of cargo and people.
   
2. Equipment: Should have adequate equipment to handle all kinds of cargo e.g. cranes, loaders and others.
   
3. Adequate warehouses: Should have enough warehouses to handle any quantity of cargo.
   
4. Communication: It should have a good communication system to enable transaction of business easy and convenient.
   
5. Security: Should have adequate security to ensure safe custody of the cargo.
   
6. Banking facilities: Should have banking facilities to enable businessmen exchange their currency and deposit their money.
   
7. Repairs: It should have skilled engineers to repair and services the vessels