• Transportation is all about moving goods and people from one place to another.

• It is also Safe, efficient, reliable, and sustainable movement of persons and goods over time and space.

• Transportation engineering is a branch of civil engineering that is involved in the planning, design, operation, and maintenance of safe and efficient transportation systems.

• Transportation engineering focuses on the infrastructure of transportation: all the elements which support the movement of goods and people.

• Transportation engineers design runways, build bridges, layout roads and plan docking facilities.

• They look at traffic patterns, determine when new transport facilities are needed and come up with better ways to get from point A to point B.

• Also, Application of technology and scientific principles to the planning, functional design, operation, and management of facilities for any mode of transportation in order to provide for the safe, rapid, comfortable, convenient, economical, and environmentally compatible movement of people and goods

The importance of a transportation of a country is comparable to the veins in the human body. Just a vein helps to the health ofhuman, similarly the transportation keeps the health of a nation  in good condition by keeping the people and materials moving from one place to another place.

Following are the importance of transportation.

a) They play an important role in the economic, social and commercial development of the country.

b) They help in cultural development of the country

c) They help in political development of the country.

d) It plays a vital role in development of rural areas of the country.

e) They improve the employment opportunities.

f) Improves the contact between two countries.

g) Improves the living standard of the country.

h) It helps to improve science and technology

i) It helps in industrial development throughout the country.

j)Enhances the import and export of the country.

D

• Among all types of the transportation road system is an only mode which could maximum give flexibility of service to reach from one place to the desired location.

• Various classes of vehicles such as a car, bus, truck, two- wheeler, etc. may be permitted to make use of the roads.

• Apart from the road vehicles, pedestrians also make use of the facilities of the road system. Road transport mode has the maximum flexibility for travel with reference to choose of the route, direction, time and speed of travel.

• Road transportation is the only mode that caters to the movement of passengers and goods independently right from the place of origin up to the destination of any trip along with the land. In other words, it is possible to provide a door-to-door service only by road transport.

• The other three modes of transportation i.e., railways, waterways and airways have to depend on transportation by road to initiate and finish the jourmey.

• The limitations of road transport are that the rate of petroleum energy consumed for transportation of unit weight by unit distance) is higher than for transportation by railways and waterways.

• The rate of emission of pollutants is also higher than the other modes of transport.

1. Large influential area.

2. Low capital investment required.

3. Door to door service.

4. Flexibility in service, road users have the freedom to transfer the vehicles from one lane to another or from one road to another as per requirement.

5. Economic modes of transportation and are also essential for the economic development of a country.

6. It can serve as a feeder line for other modes of transport.

7. Have a very high potential for employment & help to solve the unemployment problem.

8. Safety is high as road accident has a less disastrous effect than that of railway or airways accident.

9.  Movements railways on roads are not time-bound, as in case of airways

1. It has a poor record of safety.

2. Moreland coverage, destroy forest and agricultural land.

3. Environmental pollution.

4. It consumes large fuel.

5. lt is not very appropriate for transporting heavy cargo over long distances.

6.  It is very susceptible to weather conditions and seasonal changes or, in the case of natural calamities such as floods or heavy rains.

1. The concept of rail transportation is movement of multiple wagons or a train of wagons or passenger bogies fitted with stecl wheels unning over two parallel steel rails of the railway track.

2. The resistance to traction along the railway track for the movement of the steel wheels of the rail wagons is much lower than that along the more uneven road surface for the movement of road vehicles with rubber tires, under identical conditions of speed and atmospheric factors.

3. Therefore, the full advantage of rail transportation should be taken for the transportation of bulk goods and passengers, especially for a long distance on land routes and where the railway tracks are available.

4. Railway transportation between the railway stations could be economical and advantageous both for the passengers and also for the transportation of goods on long haul distances.

5. The railways can transport a large number of passengers or a large number of goods at a time.

6. The railways also serve as mass rapid transport for the commuters to travel from the suburban areas to the urban areas, and for travel within the urban area of large cities.

7. The branch of transportation engineering which deals with the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of the railway track, rail stations and the yards including the control system and safety devices is called Railway Engineering.

8. Different types of locomotives with steam or diesel engines or electric locomotives along the electrified railway tracks have been used all over the world to haul the trains.

1. Reliable schedules and transit times.

2. Most efficient form of land transportation.

3. Over long distance fast and cost-effective.

4. The safety record of rail is strong.

5. It helps in alleviating road congestion.

6.  It is economical, and faster, and best suited for bulky and heavy goods transportation over huge distances.

1. Rail ransportation needs a considerable investment of capital. The funds for building, Sustaining, and hanging expenses are enormous compared to other modes of Transportation.

2.  Centrally administrated: Being the public utility service, rail transportation has a monopoly, and there is centralized administration, so the authorities fail to meet the personal needs of the people as compared to roadways.

3. No rural service: It cannot be operated economically in rural areas due to substantial capital needs and traffic, which causes much inconvenienced to the people living in rural areas.

1. Transportation by water offers minimum resistance to traction and therefore necds minimum energy to haul unit load through unit distance.

2. The amount of energy required to propel a vessel on the water is much lesser than that required on land and is far lesser than that required to keep an aircraft airborne.

3. Therefore, water transportation is the most energy cfficient.

4. But water transportation is very slow, which is the greatest disadvantage of this mode. In fact, this is the slowest among the four modes.

5. The greatest user of this mode is a bulk cargo of relatively low value, mainly because of the slow speed and low transportation cost for the bulk cargo.

6. The waterway is needed to operate the ships and boats on sea routes between the harbors and ports, etc.

7. The other facilities required are to provide shelter to the ships and the crews and also facilities for loading, unloading, and storage of cargo and for carrying out routine and major maintenance of the vessels.

8. Transportation engineering which deals with the planning, design, construction and maintenance of docks and harbours is called Harbour Engineering.

9. Harbours are terminals built with components such as docks.

10. The branch of Inland water transportation is made possible along the rivers, canals, and lakes by boat and ferry service, which operate between small ports.

11. Inland waterways, being of relatively shallow depth, the freight is mostly carried on barges and are hauled by towing boats.

1. It can transport large volumes at low cost.

2. They can transport heavy loads.

3.  More eco-friendly.

4.  Reduces the distance compared to land transport.

5. For the vigorous defence of the country, the development of shipping is vital as it is known as the second line of defence.

6. Water transportation plays a critical role in foreign trade as many countries depend mainly on water transportation for foreign trading, such as India.

1. It is more dangerous than other modes of transport as there is always the danger of sinking boats or ships.

2. Failure of monsoon might result in the fall of rivers' water level, making navigating the ship or boat difficult.

3. The speed of this transportation is very slow.

1. Transportation by air is the fastest among the four modes.

2. Air transport  provides more comfortable and fast travel resulting in substantial saving in  travel time for the passengers between the airports.

3. Unlike other modes of transport, air transport allows continuous journey over the land and water, even  across inaccessible places in between two the overall operating expenses for air transportation are the highest in comparison to the other modes.

4. Another limitation is that the operation of air transport is very much long hauls Is on airport. 

5. One of the limitations is that the energy required and affected by weather conditions such as severe storms and thick fog developed to provide facilities for the aircraft for take-off , landing, out maintenance works.

6. Some of the essential components of an airports parking and carrying airport are a runway, taxiway, terminal facilities, visual aid, control, and safety system.

7. The branch of transportation engineering which deals with the planning, design construction and maintenance of the airports to cater to the needs of the aircraft that expected to make use of these airports is called Airport Engineering.

8. The airway is for shorter hauls, helicopters take-off.

9. Military aviation is also important to meet the defence needs of a country.

10. The requirements of military airports could vary depending upon several other factors are used and heliports developed for their landing and are . Thus air transportation caters for the movement of passengers and freight between the airports.

1. Among all the modes of transportation, air transportation is the fastest.

2. Air transportation offers an unbroken journey over sea and land, due to which it can take you from one distinct destination to another quickest.

3. It can operate even when every other means of transport can't work due to floods or other natural calamities.

4. Quick transit & less handling of cargo.

5. For cargo enhanced level of security.

1. It is the costliest mode of Transportation.

2. The fare of transport is very high, which is dificult to afford for the ordinary person.

3. Air transport is not very reliable and is unsure as it is controlled mainly by weather conditions.

4. Air transportation requires a specialized skill and a high degree of training for its operation.

1. Pipelines transport, ropeway, Belt conveyors, etc are also modes of transport.

2. Pipeline transport sends goes through a pipe, mostly liquid and gases are sent, but pneumatic tubes can also send solid capsules using compressed air.

3. Ropeway or cable transport is a broad mode where vehicles are instead of an internal power source. It is most commonly used pulled by cables at steep gradient e.g., Cable car, escalator, etc. some of these as conveyer transport. are also categorized.

Traffic Signs and Road Signs are used on the roadside or mounted overhead displaying information on various road conditions and precautions to be taken while traversing through the road.

Traffic signs are control device used in guiding, controlling and regulating the traffic. The traffic Signs gives messages and warnings to the road users in the form of symbols.

Most urban roads and State highways have signs in the state language and English. National highways have signs in the state language, Hindi and English.

1. To ensure the safety of road users by warning them against any possible danger on the route.

2. To notify the road users of the regulations to be followed, violation of which may result in a legal offence.

3. To improvise road efficiency by ensuring the orderly movement of traffic. To notify the road users of unsafe road conditions, like loose gravel, series of bends, To let the vehicle drivers, know where to park and where parking is not allowed.

4. To guide the road users to the location of particular facilities.

As per IRC:67-1977 code of practice, traffic signs are classified into the following three

categories: -

1. Warning signs or danger signs or cautionary signs.

2. Regulatory signs -

3. Information signs -

Warning signs are used to warn road users of hazardous conditions This on or adjacent to the road. is also used to indicate the approach to a place where caution is required. The use of warning signs should be kept to a minimum, because unnecessary use of signs tends to breed disrespect for all signs

The warning sign are in the shape of equilateral triangle with its apex pointing upward. They have red border, black symbol with white back ground.

Regulatory signs are used to inform road users of certain laws and regulations to provide safe and smooth movement of traffic.

These signs are also called mandatory signs because it is mandatory that the drivers must obey these signs. If the driver fails to obey them, the control agency has the right to take legal action against the driver. These signs are primarily meant for the salety of other road users. These signs have generally black legend on a white background. They are circular in shape with red borders.

Information signs are intended to guide the road user and to give information of intersecting routes, cities, towns and other important destinations.

Information signs also called guide signs, are provided to assist the drivers to reach their desired destinations. The are predominantly meant for the drivers who are unfamiliar to the place.

Destination signs are used to indicate the direction to the critical destination points, and to mark important intersections. Distance in kilometres is sometimes marked to the right side of the destination. They are, in general, rectangular with the long dimension in the horizontal direction. They are colour coded as white letters with green background.

The problem of accident is a very acute in highway transportation due to complex flow pattern of vehicular traffic, presence of mixed traffic along with pedestrians. Traffic accident leads to loss of life and property. Road accidents cannot be totally prevented but by suitable trattic

engineering and management the accident rate can be reduced to a certain extent.

Road accident is most unwanted thing to happen to a road user, though they happen quite often The most unfortunate thing is that we don't learn from our mistakes on road. Most of the road users are quite well aware of the general rules and safety measures while using roads but it is only the laxity on part of road users, which cause accidents and crashes. Main cause ofaccidents and crashes are due to human errors.

Some of the common behaviour of humans which results in accident are as follows: -

i. Over Speeding

ii. Drunken Driving

ii. Distractions to Driver

iv. Red Light Jumping

v. Avoiding Safety Gears like Seat belts and Helmets

vi. Non-adherence to lane driving and overtaking in a wrong manner

vii. Turning without giving signal

vii. Driving in an exhausted state for long hours

1. Drivers: Over-speeding, rash driving, violation of rules, failure to understand signs, fatigue, alcohol.

2. Pedestrian: Carelessness, illiteracy, crossing at wrong places moving on carriageway, Jaywalkers.

3. Passengers: Projecting their body outside vehicle, by talking to drivers, alighting and boarding vehicle from wrong side travelling on footboards, catching a running bus etc.

4. Vehicles: Failure of brakes or steering, tyre burst, insufficient headlights, overloading, projecting loads.

5. Road Conditions: Potholes, damaged road, eroded road merging of rural roads with highways, diversions, illegal speed breakers.

6. Weather conditions: Fog, snow, heavy rainfall, wind storms, hail storms.

A few important road safety tips are mentioned belowa)

Do not use your mobile phone while driving.

b) Use seatbelts even while sitting at the back seat of the vehicle.

c) Do not drink and drive.

d) Always adhere to the speed limit.

e) Take special care with regard to children, senior citizens and Do not drive pedestrians. if tired.

g) Pedestrians should walk cautiously and make use of zebra crossing.

h) Stay alert and observant while driving.

i) Keep distance from other vehicles while driving.

) Always wear helmets and seatbelts.