advantages and disadvantages of road transport

ROAD TRANSPORT

Advantages:

• Flexibility: Goods can be delivered right up to the customer’s doorstep. Even remote areas can be reached by road. In road transport, the direction can be changed very easily.
• Timetables: There is no specific timetable for a road journey. The transport can be arranged at any time and is even available at short notice.
• Economy: There is heavy competition in road transport resulting in efficiency and lower charges for customers. Employers have to meet the expenses for return journeys. So drivers can take loads on return journeys at lower rates.
• Motorways: The motorway system has developed and has linked industrial centers with consumers. Goods can now be delivered very fast.
• Vehicles: Vehicles have increased in size and efficiency. This allows more freight to be transported at one time.
• Suitability: Road transport is suitable for carrying small quantities of goods over short distances.
• Containerization: Goods are now packed in containers, sealed and then transported. Damages caused by rainwater and sunlight can be avoided. Theft of goods can also be avoided. The containers are loaded and unloaded with the help of cranes. So breakages can be minimized. Perishable goods can be transported in freezed containers.

Disadvantages:

• Bulk: It is not suitable to carry bulk goods by road as it incurs a great cost. Moreover the vehicles are small when compared with the quantity that the railways can carry.
• Congestion and delays: The heavy road congestion has become a problem resulting in delays in transporting goods to industrial centers. This problem does not arise in railways.
• Social costs: Private concerns are only worried about expenses such as driver’s wages, fuel, tax, etc. They do not take into account the expenses on pollution, maintaining the road system, signaling system, accidents, etc. These costs are met by the society and are called social costs. These costs are very high.
• Slow traveling time: A road journey will take more time especially for long distances when compared with railways. Road journeys could also be slowed down because of traffic jams.