Disadvantages Of Road Transport

Road transport is one of the most known types of transport either transporting goods or people. Today the road freight of goods is well known with many trucks on our roads, in our streets everywhere doing deliveries. The road freight deliveries is also the one getting the most trouble by consumers complaining about road congestion, roads getting damaged by excessive truck use etc. The passenger transport is either people commuting by car or mass transport using busses either public transport or private busses

There are numerous advantages of road transport in comparison to other modes of transport, but road transport has some serious limitations as well.

The advantages of road transport are:

1. Capital Outlay - Road transport require much

Door to Door Service - The outstanding advantage of road transport is that it provides door to door or warehouse to warehouse service. This reduces cartage, loading and unloading expenses making it much more efficient.

3. Service Areas - Road transport is most suited for carrying goods and people to and from rural areas which are not served by rail, water or air transport. Exchange of goods, between large towns and small villages is made possible only through road transport using big trucks or small vans depending on the need.

4. Flexible Service - Road transport has a great advantage over other modes of transport for its flexible service, its routes and timings can be adjusted and changed to individual requirements without much inconvenience.

5. Short Distance - It is more economic and quicker for carrying goods and people over short distances. Delays in transit of goods due to intermediate re-loading and handling are avoided. Goods can be loaded direct into a truck or delivery van and transported straight to their place of destination.

6. Damage in Transit - As the intermediate loading and handling is avoided, there is less risk of damage, breakage etc. of the goods in transit. Therefor road transport is most suited for transporting delicate goods like chinaware and glassware, which are likely to be damaged in the process of loading and

Packing Cost -Compared to other modes of transport, the process of packing in motor transport is less complicated. Goods transported by motor transport require less packing or no packing in most cases.

8. Rapid Speed - If the goods are to be sent immediately or quickly, motor transport is more suited than the railways or water transport. Water transport is very slow. Also much time is wasted in booking the goods and taking delivery of the goods in case of air, railway and water transport.

9. Less Cost - Road transport not only requires less initial capital investment, the cost of operation and maintenance is also comparatively lower. Even if the rate charged by motor transport is a little higher than that by the railways, the actual effective cost of transporting goods by road transport is less. The actual cost is less because the road transport saves in packing costs and the expenses of intermediate loading, unloading and handling charges.

10. Feeder - The movement of goods begins and ultimately ends by making use of roads. Road transport act as a feeder to the other modes of transport such as rail, water (sea and river) and air transport.

The disadvantages of road transport are:

1. Seasonal Nature – Road transport is not as reliable as rail transport. During rain, snow or flood seasons, roads become unfit and unsafe for