Land Transport | High School Business Studies Form 2

This mode of transport involves movement of goods and people using units of carriage that move on dry land. The are various means under this mode.

A. Human Porterage

- This involves human beings carrying goods on their heads, shoulders or backs.
- Human Porterage as a means of transport is the oldest kind of transport and is still very common in our society.
- The means is suitable for transporting light luggage over short distances. It is also appropriate where other means of transport are not available or convenient.

Advantages of Human Porterage

• Could be the only means of transport available
• Compliments other means of transport
• Flexible as it has no fixed time table or routes
• May be a cheap means compared to other means of transport
• Readily available when required
• Convenient over short distances

Disadvantages of Human Porterage

• Not suitable for long distances
• They add onto congestion on roads
• Not suitable for transporting heavy and bulky goods
• It is relatively slow
• Relies on human energy which is exhaustible

- Carts are open vessels usually on two or four wheels that are pushed or pulled by either human being or animals such as oxen and donkeys.
- The carts pushed or pulled by human beings are referred to as hand carts or mikokoteni.
- The ones pulled by animals, on the other hand, are called animal driven carts. Carts are used to carry relatively large quantities compared to human porterage.
- Like human porterage, they are not suitable for long distances.
- Types of goods that are transported using this means include, agricultural produce, water and animal feeds.

A Mkokoteni (Cart)(Image by - Courtesy)

Advantages of Carts

• Compliments other means of transport
• Relatively cheap to hire
• Initial buying and maintenance cost is low
• Appropriate in remote areas where other means are not available
• Readily available for hire
• Can carry fairly heavier and bulky goods
• Convenient for transporting goods over short distances

Disadvantages of Carts

• May not be suitable for transporting heavy and bulky goods
• Cause traffic jams on roads leading to congestion and accidents
• Not suitable for transporting goods over long distances

- These are means (units of carriage) of transport that ferry goods and people on roads.
- Vehicles are the most commonly used means of transport.
- Vehicles are either passenger or goods carriers.
- Passenger carriers may be buses, matatus, taxis and private cars while goods are transported using Lorries, pick-ups, tankers and trailers.
- Vehicles are expensive to acquire and maintain.
- The convenience of vehicles may depend on the nature of the road on which they travel.
- Of special concern in road transport is the matatus.
- These are privately owned passenger vehicles which were introduced to supplement the existing mainstream transport companies that were inadequate at independence.

Advantages of Matatus

1. They supplement regular bus companies, especially in remote areas where they are the only means.
2. They fill up faster than buses hence save time
3. They are more flexible since they can change routes easily depending on demand
4. They reach out into the interior of rural areas where big buses cannot access
5. They are more flexible with the fares they charge
6. They are easier to hire as most of them are readily available
7. They are cheaper to acquire as compared to buses

A Matatu in Kenya (Image by - Courtesy)

Disadvantages of Matatus

1. Some matatus are poorly maintained to the extent of being unroadworthy
2. Most drivers are reckless as they rush to compete for customers. They pick or drop passengers anywhere
3. In some cases, touts use impolite language when dealing with passengers
4. They may cause noise pollution such as unnecessary hooting and loud music
5. They may cause congestion in towns unnecessarily because of careless driving and parking
6. Uncalled for sudden increase in fares at peak hours, during the night and on public holidays
7. Their operation is concentrated on peak hours, rarely operating at night.
8. They at times unexpectedly change their route hence causing breach of contract.

Advantages of Vehicles

1. Most readily available means of transport
2. Relatively fast compared to carts and human Porterage
3. Relatively cheaper over short distances
4. Flexible as it can offer door to door service
5. Vehicles may be available for transporting special goods
6. Roads are widely spread thereby making many areas accessible.

Disadvantages of Vehicles

1. Acquisition and maintenance costs are high
2. May not be suitable for transporting heavy and bulky goods over long distances as compared to railways
3. Traffic jams in roads may cause delays
4. Vehicle transport is prone to accidents which may lead to loss of goods and life
5. Some roads may be impassible especially during the rainy seasons.

- Trains are vessels that transport goods and people on rails hence the term railways.
- The termini of trains are the railways stations.
- Therefore; the goods to be transported by trains have to be taken to the railway station.
- Railway transport is suitable for heavy and bulky goods as well as passengers.
- There are two types of trains: cargo and passenger train.

Standard Gauge Railway (Image by - Courtesy)

Advantages of Trains

1. Relatively secure as cases of theft and accidents are rare
2. Enables a transporter to plan for the transport of his/her goods as trains follow a fixed timetable
3. Economical for transporting heavy and bulky goods over a long distance
4. Trains may have facilities for carrying special types of goods e.g. gas, petrol and vehicles
5. Where shunting facilities are available trains may deliver goods up to or from the owner’s premises

Advantages of Trains

1. Not flexible as trains follow a strict time table
2. Railway lines are expensive to construct and to maintain
3. Not all areas are served by railway lines
4. Not suitable for transporting urgently required or perishable goods as it is slow
5. Unsuitable for transporting goods over short distances
6. Trains are expensive to acquire and maintain

- This is the movement of liquids and gases from one place to another through a pipe.
- Products transported through pipes include water, gases, petrol and diesel.
- Solids that cannot be dissolved or damaged by water may also be transported through pipes as suspension.
- Examples coffee berries from machines to drying places. The pipeline is both a vessel and a way.
- Products flow by the force of gravity or pressure from an original station.
- If the original terminal is at a higher level than the receiving terminal, the force of gravity is adequate to move the product.
- But if the receiving terminal is at a higher level than the original than the originating terminal, then power is required to pump the product uphill

A Pipeline (Image by - Courtesy)

Advantages of Pipeline Transport

• It is labour saving as it requires minimal manpower
• It is environmentally friendly since it is free of noise or smoke
• It may be constructed in areas where it is difficult to construct roads or railway lines. For example, over rugged terrain
• Pipelines allow continuous flow of the goods being transported
• It ensures that road damage is reduced as the number of tankers is reduced on roads
• It helps to reduce accidents that may be caused by tankers on roads
• It reduces delays arising from congestion on roads
• Maintenance costs are reduced as it relies on gravitational force and booster stations along the way
• It may not be affected by adverse weather conditions

Disadvantages of Pipeline Transport

• A leakage not detected in good time may lead to high losses
• Initial construction cost is high
• Accidents leakages may lead to environmental pollution
• It is unidirectional that is, travels only in one direction
• It can transport only one product at a time
• It is not flexible since once a line is laid, it cannot be adjusted according to transport patterns or demands
• Generates comparatively fewer job opportunities as it is capital intensive
• It is vulnerable to sabotage by enemies.
• Once laid, it is difficult to re route or relocate.