transport systems

What is transportation?

The movement of people and goods from one place to another.

What are the four main types of transportation?

Road, rail, sea and air transport.

What are examples of road transport?

Buses, bicycles, motorcycles, cars and lorries.

What are modes of transportation?

Types of transport used to facilitate the movement of people and goods from one place to another.

How can transport modes be classified?

Private transport or public transport.

What is private transport?

Transport owned by individuals.

What are examples of private transport?

Cars and motorcycles.

What is public transport?

Transport provided by governments or private companies.

What are examples of public transport?

Buses, trains and taxis.

What are the three main components of a transport system?

Density of transport network, quality of transport infrastructure and variety of transport modes

What are its characteristics in cities?

It has a high density of transport networks

It has a high quality of transport infrastructure

It has a variety of transport modes

What is a transport network?

Structure of nodes linked by routes

What is a node?

A location that allows access to a transport network.

What is a route?

A path for travel between nodes

Why are nodes called strategic points? (in built up areas)

People can plan their movements around them.

What is network density?

Number of nodes and routes in an area.

How does network density in cities compare with rural areas?

Cities have higher network density.

What are the benefits of a denser transport network?

Easier travel between locations, greater independence and easier participation in activities.

What are the scales of nodes and routes?

Local

Regional

Global

What is an example of a local-scale transport node?

A bus station.

What are examples of local-scale transport routes?

Major and minor roads used by buses.

What is an example of a regional-scale transport node?

An inter-city bus interchange or railway terminal.

What are examples of regional-scale transport routes?

Roads and rail lines.

What is an example of a global-scale transport node?

An airport or seaport.

What are examples of global-scale transport routes?

Major and minor air routes and shipping lines.

How can a transport system help people?

Connects people from one place to another

Creates opportunities for social conversations and activities

Creates opportunities for economic activities and development

Example of a node? (for example for exam)

Mass Rapid Transit (SINGAPORE’S MRT)

What is transport infrastructure?

The framework and facilities that support a transport system.

What are examples of transport infrastructure?

Roads, railway tracks and bus terminals.

Who is usually responsible for developing transport infrastructure?

National and local governments.

What is a characteristic of good urban transport infrastructure?

High quality.

How can the quality of transport infrastructure be measured?

Capacity

Coverage

Frequency

Convenience

Environmental sustainability

What is an example of good-quality road infrastructure?

Well-paved and well-lit roads.

How do multiple road lanes improve transport infrastructure?

They allow more vehicles to move efficiently.

How do well-maintained roads benefit transport?

They allow vehicles to move quickly.

What is an example of poor-quality road infrastructure?

Poorly maintained roads with potholes.

How can narrow lanes affect transport infrastructure?

They reduce the quality and capacity of the road.

What is a transport policy?

An official government plan related to transport issues.

What are Intelligent Transport Systems?

Technological tools used to monitor and manage transport flow.

What are examples of Intelligent Transport Systems?

Sensors, cameras and traffic control systems.

What is Electronic Road Pricing?

A system used to manage road congestion in Singapore.

How does Electronic Road Pricing work?

Drivers pay a fee when passing an ERP gantry during operational hours.

Why are ERP rates reviewed regularly?

To reflect current traffic conditions.

What is another characteristic of transport systems in cities?

A variety of transport modes.

What are the four broad groups of transport modes shown in the notes?

Air, road, rail and maritime.

What are examples of road transport modes?

Car, taxi, van, bus, motorcycle, bicycle and walking.

What are examples of rail transport modes?

Intercity rail, high-speed rail, subway, commuter rail, LRT and monorail.

What are examples of maritime transport modes?

Ferry, roll-on/roll-off services and cruise ships.

What are examples of air transport modes?

Scheduled and charter flights.

Why does it matter to have a variety of them?

Influences how people and goods are moved

What are the four types of modes?

Motorised/non-motorised transport modes

Point-to-point transport services

Shared mobility

Example of motorised modes

Public transport → move along fixed routes and stop at specific nodes according to a time schedule

Example of non-motorised modes. Why beneficial?

Walking, cycling → environmentally friendly + health benefits

Example of shared mobility?

Bike-sharing

Car-sharing

Are all transport nodes equal in importance? Why?

No. There are major and minor transport nodes.

Examples of major nodes

Terminals and interchanges

What is a terminal?

A facility where passengers and freight either originate or terminate in the transportation process.

What is an interchange?

Important points of transfer within or between transportation networks of different modes to ensure continuity of traffic flow.

What influences the importance of a transport node?

The types and range of activities in the area.

What are transport nodes used for?

Moving passengers and transporting goods.

Where are major transport nodes usually located?

Areas with a high concentration of activities and that offer high local accessibility.

Why must transport nodes provide accessibility?

So people can easily reach destinations and activities

What activities may be concentrated around major transport nodes?

Commercial, financial, governmental and residential activities.

Why are there often more transport nodes in a CBD?

The CBD has a high concentration of activities. A high density of transport nodes there provides access to commercial services and employment opportunities available in the CBD. (e.g., Raffles Place, City Hall, Bayfront MRT)

Why are there often more transport nodes near tourist attractions?

Major transport nodes (e.g., Little India, Chinatown, and Botanic Gardens MRT stations) provide access to popular tourist destinations rich in historical and cultural heritage.

What is accessibility?

The ease of reaching destinations or activities.

What two factors determine accessibility in the notes?

Travel time and travel cost.

So what are the characteristics of a high accessibility location?

Can be reached with relative ease

Short travel time

Cheap

Why are societies increasingly dependent on transport systems?

They support many different social and economic activities.

What activities are supported by transport systems?

Commuting, social interaction, energy supply and movement of goods.

Why are transport systems located in cities?

To enhance accessibility and connectivity for people, goods and services.

To enable the movement of people and goods and services

What are the reasons for a transport system in cities?

1. Movement of people for employment purposes/social interactions/daily needs

2. Movement of goods and services for economic activities/growth/international connectivity

3. Connectivity to other cities for movement of people, goods and services

4. Inter-modal connectivity for movement of people, goods and services

How do transport systems support employment?

They allow people to commute to workplaces.

How do transport systems support social interaction?

They allow people to travel to meet others and take part in activities.

How do transport systems support economic activities?

They enable goods and services to move between locations.

What do transport systems do for transport modes and cities?

Facilitate the connection between transport modes and between cities.

What are the two different types of journeys?

Unimodal

Intermodal

What is a unimodal journey?

A journey using only one mode of transport. (Movement is limited)

What is an example of a unimodal journey?

Taking a direct bus from near home to school.

What is an intermodal journey?

A journey using two or more transport modes. (more types of movement)

What is an example of an intermodal journey?

Taking a bus followed by an MRT ride.

What do cities have for modes of transport?

Different modes of transport

Each mode has?

Its own optimal conditions for

1. Distance

2. Cost

3. Time

4. Volume of passengers and goods it can carry

(they are all diff for every mode!)

Evaluate the cost effectiveness of sea and air transport

Sea transport offers more value for money

How to businesses and individuals decide on modes of transport?

Based on the suitability

Speed of arrival vs Cost

→ Items needed urgently/perishable are sent by air, while non-urgent and non-perishable items can be sent by sea

What is intermodal connectivity?

Seamless movement of passengers or freight using two or more transport modes

Why is intermodal transport useful?

1. Links different transport modes together so people can get to more destinations

2. It combines the strengths of different transport modes.

What factors determine the optimal use of a transport mode?

Distance, cost, time and carrying capacity.

What does carrying capacity refer to in transport?

The volume of passengers and goods a mode can carry.

What characterises an efficient intermodal transport network?

1. Good intermodal connectivity

2. Passengers are not lost

3. Goods arrive safely.

What is needed for effective intermodal transport? Why?

Good planning, quality infrastructure and technological support.

To:

Track, monitor and inform users of the progress of the transportation of goods and the movement of people

What are the types of connections for cities?

Indirect

Direct

Examples?

Point-to-point

Hub-and-spoke

What is a point-to-point transport network?

A network that connects a set of locations directly without any interruption of service, that allows people to travel between locations directly

What is a hub-and-spoke transport network?

A network that connects every location through one intermediary location called a hub.

This allows people to travel between locations by making a transfer at the hub

Which transport network structure is commonly adopted for transport services?

Hub-and-spoke networks.

Evaluate the effectiveness of road transport and rail for short distance travel

Road → Versatile for short distances below 500km, but carries a smaller volume than rail per trip.

Rail is more cost-efficient for large volumes over moderate distances ranging from 500- 1,500 km.