Road transport
Also called: Roadways · Topic: World Transport and Communication · NCERT: Class 10, Ch 7 "Lifelines of National Economy"; Class 12, Ch 7 "Transport and Communication"
Meaning
Road transport means moving people and goods on roads by vehicles such as cars, buses and trucks. It is the cheapest mode for short distances and gives door-to-door service, which railways and ships cannot. Its quality depends on the roads. Metalled roads work all year, but unmetalled (kutcha) roads become unusable in the rains. NCERT gives about 15 million km of motorable roads in the world, with 33% of them in North America. North America also has the highest road density and the most vehicles. The real world total today is far higher than the NCERT figure.
Example
In India, a truck picks up vegetables from a farm in Nashik, Maharashtra, and delivers them straight to a market in Mumbai. This door-to-door service over a short distance is where road transport is the best choice.
Don't confuse with
- Rail transport: railways are better for bulky goods over long distances within a country. Roads are better for short trips and door-to-door delivery.
Related concepts
- Pack animals
- Ropeways and cableways
- Metalled and unmetalled roads
- Motorways
- Traffic congestion
- Mass rapid transit