Means of Transport

Transport or transportation is the movement of people, animals and goods from one location
to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline and space.
Transport is important because it enables trade between persons, which is essential for the
development of civilizations.
The present system can be grouped under three main category:1. Land Transport.
2. Water Transport.
3. Air Transport.
1. Land Transport:
Land Transport includes :A] RoadwaysRoads are used by various types of road vehicles, like passenger cars, buses, trucks. Road
Transport requires a relative small investment for the government.
Car: Karl Benz, inventor of the first practical, modern automobile. Karl Benz patented the
three-wheeled Motor Car in 1886. Karl Benz gets the credit for inventing the automobile
because his car was practical, used a gasoline-powered internal-combustion engine and
worked like modern cars do today.
Electric Car: Scottish inventor Robert Anderson invents the first crude electric carriage
powered by non-rechargeable primary cells between 1832 and 1839.
Advantages:
1. Door to Door Service.
2. Economical over short distances.
3. Flexibility.
4.Limited Capital Expenditure.
Disadvantages:
1. Irregular and Unreliable.
2. Unsuitable for Long Distances
3. No Uniformity in Rates.
4. Limited Speed.
5. Affected by Weather.
B] RailwaysRailways are one of the most important means of transport. Rail transport is a means
of conveyance of passengers and goods, by way of wheeled vehicles running on rails.
Steam Engine: James Watt was a great Scottish engineer of the 18th century. He did not
actually invent the steam engine. Instead he greatly improved it. A man named Thomas
Savery invented the first primitive steam engine in 1698. In 1764 Watt mended a model of a
Newcomen steam engine.
Maglevs:In 1902, the first magnetic train was invented by Alfred Zehden of Germany.
Advantages:
1. High Speed.
2. Suitable for Long Distances.
3. Bulky Goods.
4. Protection.
5. Large Carrying Capacity.

Disadvantages:
1. Huge Capital Expenditure.
2. High Overheads.
3. No Door to Door Service.
4. No Competition.
5. Inflexible Mode.
2. Water Transport: Water transport is the cheapest and the oldest mode of transport. It
operates on a natural track and hence does not require huge capital investment in the
construction and maintenance of its track.
Cruise: Albert Ballin, inventor of the pleasure cruise and ship operator for the Kaiser. He
invented the pleasure cruise in 1891.
Hovercraft: The hovercraft was invented by Christopher Cockerell in 1956. A hovercraft is
a vehicle supported on a cushion of air supplied by a powered fan mounted on the craft.
Advantages:
1. Cheapest Mode of Transport.
2. Large Carrying Capacity.
3. Safety.
4. Protection to Goods.
5. Flexibility.
Disadvantages:
1. Slow.
2. Huge Capital Expenditure.
3. High Cost of Maintenance.
4. No Door to Door Service.
5. Special Packing.
3. Air Transport:
It is also known as aviation. It is the fastest means of transport and the costliest.
Airplane: The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur , were two American brothers, inventors,
and aviation pioneers who are credited with inventing and building the world's first
successful airplane named The Flyer and making the first controlled, powered and
sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903.
Helicopter: Igor Sikorsky is considered to be the "father" of helicopters not because he
invented the first successful helicopter on September 14, 1939, the VS-300, upon which
further designs were based.
Advantages:
1. Flexible.
2. Quick service.
3. Natural Highways.
4. Protection.
5. High Speed.
Disadvantages:
1. High Cost of Construction and Maintenance.
2. Costliest.
3. Limited Carrying Capacity.
4. International Restrictions.

5. Unsuitable for Bulky Goods.

Means of Communication:
Devices used to talk or to send message from one end to other; or from one person to other
are called means of communication. Means of Communication are the necessary part of
present life. The communication is the way of expressing our thoughts. We can express our
feelings to other by speaking, writing or silent indications.
Communication is of two kinds:1. Personal Communication.
2. Mass Communication.
1. Personal Communication:It takes place between the sender and the receiver. This is mainly between family and friend.
A] Telegraph: Samuel F. B. Morse (1791-1872) contributed to the development of the
single-wire telegraph, invented Morse code (language of dots and dashes) as a means of
telegraphic communication, and was a painter, too. By this messages can be sent to any part
of the world in a few hours.
B] Telephone: In 1876, the telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell. It is most
common and fastest means of communication. Nowadays mobiles or cellular phones are
gaining advantage as telephones are static whereas mobile phones can be carried anywhere.
They help anyone to talk to others anytime and from anywhere.
2. Mass Communication:It is used to communicate large number of people at the same time.
A] Radio: In 1886, the radio was invented by Guglielmo Macroni. It is used as the source of
education , news and entertainment. Radio can be used only for broadcasting the audio
signals.
B] Television: Television was invented by John Logie Baird in 1926. Television can
broadcast both audio and video signals for communication. Due to this invention cinema has
reached our house. Environmental awareness is also achieved through some television
programs, offers education purposes through documentaries, debates, and discussion series,
provides news information. The role of television is mainly for entertainment.