A BRIEF HISTORY OF TRANSPORT

By Tim Lambert

Ancient Transportation
The first form of transport was, of course, Shanks pony (the human foot!). However people
eventually learned to use animals for transport. Donkeys and horses were probably domesticated
between 4,000 and 3,000 BC (obviously the exact date is not known). Camels were domesticated
slightly later between 3,000 and 2,000 BC.

Meanwhile about 3,500 BC the wheel was invented in what is now Iraq. At first wheels were
made of solid pieces of wood lashed together to form a circle but after 2,000 BC they were made
with spokes.

The earliest boats were dug out canoes. People lit a fire on a big log then put it out and dug out
the burned wood.

About 3,100 BC the Egyptians invented the sailing boat. They were made of bundles of papyrus
reeds tied together. They had simple square sails made of sheets of papyrus or later of linen.
However the sail could only be used when sailing in one direction. When travelling against the
wind the boat had to be rowed.

About 2,700 BC the Egyptians began using wooden ships for trade by sea. Early ships were
steered by a long oar.

Roman Transportation
The Romans are famous for the network of roads they built across the Empire. Roman
legionaries built them so the Roman army could march from one part of the empire to another
quickly. Rich people traveled by horse or on long journeys by covered wagon. Sometimes they
were carried in litters (seats between two long poles).

Transport by water was also important to the Romans. They built large merchant ships called
cortia, which could carry up to 1,000 tons of cargo.

Roman ships had a single main mast, which carried a rectangular sail, although some ships also
had small sails at the bow and stern. Roman ships did not have rudders. Instead they were steered
by oars. The Romans also built lighthouses to aid shipping.

Life in Roman Britain

Transportation in the Middle Ages
After the fall of Rome transport became more primitive. Roads in Europe returned to being
simple dirt tracks, which turned to mud in the Winter. In the Middle Ages rich people sometimes
traveled in covered wagons. They must have been very uncomfortable as they did not have
suspension and roads were bumpy and rutted. Others traveled on a box between two poles. Two
horses, one in front and one behind carried it. They were trained to walk at the same pace.

However at sea a number of useful inventions were made. The Chinese invented the compass
centuries before it was used in Europe. Nevertheless by the 12th century Europeans had learned
to use it. Also in the 12th century Europeans invented the rudder. (The Chinese independently
invented it centuries before). Rudders made ships much easier to steer. Furthermore Medieval
shipbuilding became far more advanced and by the 15th century ships were made with 3 masts.

Transportation in the 16th Century

In Tudor times transport was still slow and uncomfortable. Roads were still just dirt tracks. Men
were supposed, by law, to spend a number of days repairing the local roads but it is unlikely they
did much good! People traveled by horse. You could either ride your own or you could hire a
horse.

In Tudor times you would be lucky if you could travel 50 or 60 kilometers a day. It normally
took a week to travel from London to Plymouth. However rich people deliberately traveled
slowly. They felt it was undignified to hurry and they took their time.

Goods were sometimes transported by pack horse (horses with bags on their sides). Also carriers
with covered wagons carried goods and sometimes passengers. However when possible people
preferred to transport goods by water. All around England there was a 'coastal trade'. Goods from
one part of the country, such as coal, were taken by sea to other parts.

Transportation in the 17th Century

Transport and communications improved in the 17th century. In 1600 the royal posts were
exclusively used to carry the kings correspondence. However in 1635, to raise money, Charles I
allowed members of the public to pay his messengers to carry letters. This was the start of the
royal mail.

From the middle of the 17th century stagecoaches ran regularly between the major towns.
However they were very expensive and they must have been very uncomfortable without springs
on rough roads. There was also the danger of highwaymen.

In 1663 the first Turnpike roads opened. You had to pay to use them. Meanwhile in towns
wealthy people were carried in sedan chairs.
Transportation in the 18th Century
Transport was greatly improved during the 18th century. Groups of rich men formed turnpike
trusts. Acts of Parliament gave them the right to improve and maintain certain roads. Travelers
had to pay tolls to use them. The first turnpikes were created as early as 1663 but they became
far more common in the 18th century.

Transporting goods was also made much easier by digging canals. In the early 18th century
goods were often transported by pack horse. Moving heavy goods was very expensive. However
in 1759 the Duke of Bridgewater decided to build a canal to bring coal from his estate at Worsley
to Manchester. He employed an engineer called James Brindley. When it was completed the
Bridgewater canal halved the price of coal in Manchester. Many more canals were dug in the late
18th century and the early 19th century. They played a major role in the industrial revolution by
making it cheaper to transport goods.

Meanwhile in France the Montgolfier brothers invented the hot air balloon in 1783. The
hydrogen balloon was also invented in 1783. In 1785 two men, Jean-Pierre Blanchard and John
Jeffries flew over the English Channel in a hydrogen balloon.

The first purpose built lifeboat was built in South Shields, England in 1789.

Transportation in the 19th Century

In the mid 19th century transport was revolutionized by railways. They made travel much faster.
(They also removed the danger of highwaymen). The Stockton and Darlington railway opened in
1825. However the first major railway was from Liverpool to Manchester. It opened in 1830. In
the 1840s there was a huge boom in building railways and most towns in Britain were connected.
In the late 19th century many branch lines were built connecting many villages.

The first underground railway in Britain was built in London in 1863. The carriages were pulled
by steam trains. The first electric underground trains began running in London in 1890. The
Central Line opened in 1900. The Bakerloo Line and the Piccadilly Line both opened in 1906.
Meanwhile the Paris Metro opened in 1900.

From 1829 horse drawn omnibuses began running in London. They soon followed in other
towns. In the 1860s and 1870s horse drawn trams began running in many towns. Meanwhile the
first traffic lights were installed in London in 1868. They were worked by gas and unfortunately
they soon blew up.
Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler made the first cars in 1885 and 1886. The motorbike was
patented in 1885. Also in the 1880s the safety bicycle was invented and cycling soon became a
popular hobby.

Meanwhile at sea 19th century transportation was revolutionized by the steam ship. By 1815
steamships were crossing the English Channel. The Savannah became the first steamship to cross
the Atlantic in 1819. Furthermore it used to take several weeks to cross the Atlantic. Then in
1838 a steamship called the Sirius made the journey in 19 days. However steam did not
completely replace sail until the end of the 19th century when the steam turbine was used on
ships.

Transportation in the 20th Century

Transportation greatly improved during the 20th century. Although the first cars appeared at the
end of the 19th century after the First World War they became cheaper and more common.
However in 1940 only about one in 10 families in Britain owned a car. They increased in number
after World War II. By 1959 32% of households owned a car. Yet cars only became really
common in the 1960s. By the 1970s the majority of families owned one.

In 1903 a speed limit of 20 MPH was introduced in Britain. It was abolished in 1930. However
in 1934 a speed limit of 30 MPH in built-up areas was introduced. The first electric traffic lights
were invented in the USA in 1914. In Britain the first electric traffic lights were installed in
London in 1925. Insurance for motorists was made compulsory in 1931. The first Highway Code
was published in 1931. A driving test was introduced in 1934. Also in 1934 Percy Shaw invented
the cat's eye. Meanwhile, in Britain the AA was formed in 1905.

The parking meter was invented by an American called Carlton Magee. The first ones were
installed in the USA in 1935. The first ones in Britain were installed in 1958. Then in 1959
Swede named Nils Bohlin developed the three-point seat belt. In 1983 wearing a seat belt was
made compulsory in Britain. Wheel clamps were introduced to Britain in 1983 and speed
cameras in 1992.

Meanwhile in Britain in 1936 Belisha Beacons were introduced to make road crossing safer. The
first zebra crossing was introduced in 1949. The modern pelican crossing dates from 1969 and
lollipop men and women were first introduced in 1969.

In 1931 an American called Rolla N. Harger invented the first breathalyzer. It was first used in
Indianapolis USA in 1939. In Britain double yellow lines at the sides of the roads meaning no
parking were introduced in 1958.
Meanwhile in the late 19th century horse drawn trams ran in many towns in Britain. At the
beginning of the 20th century they were electrified. However in most towns trams were phased
out in the 1930s. They gave way to buses, either motor buses or trolley buses, which ran on
overhead wires. The trolleybuses, in turn were phased out in the 1950s. Ironically at the end of
the 20th century some cities re-introduced light railways.

In the mid-20th century there was a large network of branch railways in Britain. However in
1963 a minister called Dr. Beeching closed many of them.

The hovercraft was invented in 1955. The first hovercraft passenger service began in 1962.

Meanwhile a completely new form of transport began. In 1919 planes began carrying passengers
between London and Paris. (The first plane flight in Britain was made in 1908). The first
passenger jet service began in 1952.

However in the early 20th century flight was a luxury few people could afford. Furthermore only
a small minority could afford foreign travel. Foreign holidays only became common in the
1960s.

The Boeing 747, the first 'Jumbo jet' was introduced in 1970 and The Channel Tunnel opened in
1994.

Transportation in the 21st Century

The next step in transport will probably be commercial suborbital space flight. At the moment it
is still in the future and at first it will inevitably be very expensive but it will eventually become
cheap enough for ordinary people to afford.

Road transport

Road transport or road transportation is a type of transport by using roads. Transport on roads
can be roughly grouped into the transportation of goods and transportation of people. In many
countries licensing requirements and safety regulations ensure a separation of the two industries.
Movement along roads may be by bike or automobile, truck, or by animal such as horse or oxen.
Standard networks of roads were adopted by Romans, Persians, Aztec, and other early societies.
Cargo may be transported by trucking companies, while passengers may be transported via mass
transit. Commonly defined features of modern roads include defined lanes and signage. Within
the United States, roads between regions are connected via the Interstate Highway System.

The nature of road transportation of goods depends, apart from the degree of development of the
local infrastructure, on the distance the goods are transported by road, the weight and volume of
an individual shipment, and the type of goods transported. For short distances and light, small
shipments a van or pickup truck may be used. For large shipments even if less than a full
truckload a truck is more appropriate. (Also see Trucking and Hauling below). In some countries
cargo is transported by road in horse-drawn carriages, donkey carts or other non-motorized
mode. Delivery services are sometimes considered a separate category from cargo transport. In
many places fast food is transported on roads by various types of vehicles. For inner city delivery
of small packages and documents bike couriers are quite common.

People are transported on roads. Special modes of individual transport by road such as cycle
rickshaws may also be locally available. There are also specialist modes of road transport for
particular situations, such as ambulances.

Early roads
Road construction, depicted on Trajan's Column.
The first methods of road transport were horses, oxen or even humans carrying goods over dirt
tracks that often followed game trail. The Persians later built a network of Royal Roads across
their empire.

With the advent of the ; Roman Empire, there was a need for armies to be able to travel quickly
from one region to another, and the roads that existed were often muddy, which greatly delayed
the movement of large masses of troops. To resolve this issue, the Romans built solid and lasting
roads. The Roman roads used deep roadbeds of crushed stone as an underlying layer to ensure
that they kept dry, as the water would flow out from the crushed stone, instead of becoming mud
in clay soils. The Islamic Caliphate later built tar-paved roads in Baghdad.

Modern roads
Today, roadways are primarily asphalt or concrete. Both are based on McAdam's concept of
stone aggregate in a binder, asphalt cement or Portland cement respectively. Asphalt is known as
a flexible pavement, one which slowly will "flow" under the pounding of traffic. Concrete is a
rigid pavement, which can take heavier loads but is more expensive and requires more carefully
prepared subbase. So, generally, major roads are concrete and local roads are asphalt. Concrete
roads are often covered with a thin layer of asphalt to create a wearing surface.

Modern pavements are designed for heavier vehicle loads and faster speeds, requiring thicker
slabs and deeper subbase. Subbase is the layer or successive layers of stone, gravel and sand
supporting the pavement. It is needed to spread out the slab load bearing on the underlying soil
and to conduct away any water getting under the slabs. Water will undermine a pavement over
time, so much of pavement and pavement joint design are meant to minimize the amount of
water getting and staying under the slabs.
Shoulders are also an integral part of highway design. They are multipurpose; they can provide a
margin of side clearance, a refuge for incapacitated vehicles, an emergency lane, and parking
space. They also serve a design purpose, and that is to prevent water from percolating into the
soil near the main pavement's edge. Shoulder pavement is designed to a lower standard than the
pavement in the traveled way and won't hold up as well to traffic, so driving on the shoulder is
generally prohibited.

Pavement technology is still evolving, albeit in not easily noticed increments. For instance,
chemical additives in the pavement mix make the pavement more weather resistant, grooving
and other surface treatments improve resistance to skidding and hydroplaning, and joint seals
which were once tar are now made of low maintenance neoprene.

What is the importance of road transport?

Road transport makes it possible to move goods from one location toanother. This allows for
people in different areas of the countryor in other countries to obtain the products that are
necessary formanufacturing, nutrition, and other important aspects of life.

What are disadvantages of road transportation? What are the advantages?

Disadvantages:
Traffic accident injuries and deaths
Causing traffic
Pollution caused by vehicles
Space used for roads and cars
Cost of maintaining and repairing roads
Parking issues
Not very useful for short-distance travel
Many roads are unused which is just a waste of space

Advantages:
Makes transportation easier, cheaper, and faster in many conditions
Useful for long-distance transportation
Useful for transporting heavy things

Transportation Law

What is Transportation Law?

Transport or Transportation Law describes the body of law dealing with all forms of
transportation. These laws derive from state, federal, and even local sources, and can apply very
broadly at a transport system level or more narrowly to specific activities or things.
Common Forms of Transportation
When one thinks of transportation, their first thought may be of road vehicles like cars, trucks,
and motorcycles. But transportation law also pertains to rail, water vessels, bicycles, airplanes,
helicopters, and any other form of getting from one place to another. Similarly, the laws affecting
transportation pertain not only to these modes of transit, but also to the infrastructure that
supports them, such as roads, bridges, airports, trails, ports, etc.

Sources of Law and Regulations

The U.S. Constitution authorizes Congress to pass laws regarding interstate commerce. As a
result, travel between states is also within the bailiwick of the federal legislature. Many federal
statutes govern different forms of transportation. These laws often create administrative
agencies, or expand the authority of existing agencies, to administer these federal statutes. For
example, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) establishes overall transportation
policies for the United States. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in turn, is responsible
for administering air travel, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) provides certain
safety guidelines and investigates mass transit accidents, the Federal Railroad Administration
(FRA) administers rail travel, and so forth. These administrative agencies, in turn, pass their own
regulations that further expand upon the laws governing interstate transit. The DOT also works
with state and local authorities to help decide policies regarding highway planning, mass transit,
safety of transportation facilities, and policies regarding oil and gas pipelines.

Each state is also authorized to pass laws and create administrative agencies governing
transportation within its boundaries. As a result, each state has its own variant of a department of
motor vehicles (commonly called a DMV). Additionally, each state uses its police forces to
monitor individuals' compliance with these transportation laws, such as speed limits, safety
equipment requirements, and rules regarding registration of planes, boats, and automobiles.
Many state agencies may also be able to enact regulations regarding transportation within the
state, such as insurance requirements for automobiles.

RAIL TRANSPORTATON
Rail transport is the process of conveying or transporting people, livestock, and general goods
using a vehicle mounted onto a rail system. The most common form of rail transport is generally
known as a railroad or railway. One of the older forms of conveyance, rail transportation for
freight and people, continues to be a viable and reliable form of moving from a point of origin to
a destination in today’s world.
Historians do not always agree upon the exact origins of rail transport. Some look upon early
conveyances that involved some sort of wheeled device mounted on a system of wood rails as
the forerunner to modern rail transport. In this application, the power to move the device was
derived from either humans or animals pulling the vehicle up and down the series of tracks.
Created in the late 18th century, the steam engine was a major factor in the Industrial Revolution
of the 19th century. Over time, railway transportation became exceedingly popular for not only
the transport of livestock and various types of goods, but also for the transport of humans.
Without a doubt, rail transport played a huge role in the expansion of the United States during
the entire 19th century, especially after the completion of a major project to connect the West
Coast with the East Coast by way of rail. From 1869 on, the westward migration was fueled by
the use of railway transportation, a much more efficient method than the use of horse drawn
wagons or stagecoaches.
Rail car transport continued to evolve during the first half of the 20th century. Further
refinements allowed the steam engine to handle the transportation of more goods as well as more
people. Railways were improved with the implementation of electrical transmission to augment
the steam locomotive. Rail transport had become so popular that even the introduction of the
private motor vehicle was unable to dampen the public’s enthusiasm for traveling by rail. At the
same time, railways remained the chief means of conveying goods in many nations.

Definition of 'Rail Transport'

Rail transport is also known as train transport. It is a means of transport, on vehicles which run
on tracks (rails or railroads). It is one of the most important, commonly used and very cost
effective modes of commuting and goods carriage over long, as well as, short distances. Since
this system runs on metal (usually steel) rails and wheels, it has an inherent benefit of lesser
frictional resistance which helps attach more load in terms of wagons or carriages. This system is
known as a train. Usually, trains are powered by an engine locomotive running on electricity or
on diesel. Complex signaling systems are utilised if there are multiple route networks. Rail
transport is also one of the fastest modes of land transport.
Description: Rail transport has emerged as one of the most dependable modes of transport in
terms of safety. Trains are fast and the least affected by usual weather turbulences like rain or
fog, compared to other transport mechanisms. Rail transport is better organised than any other
medium of transport. It has fixed routes and schedules. Its services are more certain, uniform and
regular compared to other modes of transport. Rail transport originated from human hauled
contraptions in ancient Greece. Now it has evolved into a modern, complex and sophisticated
system used both in urban and cross-country (and continent) networks over long distances.
Rail transport is an enabler of economic progress, used to mobilise goods as well as people.
Adaptations include passenger railways, underground (or over ground) urban metro railways and
goods carriages. Rail transport has some constraints and limitations also. One of the biggest
constraints of rail transport is heavy cost. Trains need high capital to build and maintain and the
cost is magnified when a whole rail network is to be built. The cost of construction, maintenance
and overhead expenses are very high compared to other modes of transport. Also, rail transport
cannot provide door-to-door service as it is tied to a particular track. Intermediate loading or
unloading involves greater cost, more wear and tear and wastage of time.
What is water transportation?
As we know Water is one of the important thing that living beings in the universe needs. Once
close your eyes and think about your dependence of water in your routine life, right from
Brushing your teeth to food we eat. Water play a vital role in the Agriculture as agriculture is
nothing if there is no water…Vice Versa Living beings are nothing if there is no agriculture
which is a by product of water. Straight Away Speaking about Water Transportation:
Transportation of water from one place to another place by natural and mechanical means from
one level to another level through canals, rivers, ponds, Pipelines, aqueducts, Tunnels etc… is
called Water Transportation. And There is difference between Water Transportation and
Waterway Transportation.

Water Transportation is as briefed above and Waterway Transportation is different types of

transit that is possible on Water bodies like Sea, Ocean and rivers which can be Vessels on the
Water bodies can be an example for Waterway Transportation.

The term "water transportation" refers to the act of moving substantial volumes of water from
one location to another. There are three main categories into which most water transportation
activity can be divided: aqueducts, shipments via containers and towing across large bodies of
water. These various methods can be used to move water from a location where it is abundant to
an area where it is needed. Water transportation can be used for irrigation of otherwise arid
lands, the delivery of fresh drinking water to large municipal areas and many other purposes.

In modern engineering terms, "aqueduct" can refer to closed-pipe systems, open canals and other
similar methods that are commonly used to transport water. Aqueducts have been used for
transportation since the seventh century BCE, when they typically consisted of large, raised
constructions that were capable of diverting substantial volumes of water to population centers.
Open canals and raised aqueducts are still in use, though most municipal water transportation
systems use closed pipes. These pipes tend to create more friction than open canals, and in many
cases, pumping stations are used to keep the water moving if the downward incline of the system
is not sufficient.