Esighodhini Bus Stop. Image credit zimbabwefocus.com

Esighodhini Bus Stop. Image credit zimbabwefocus.com

ZIMSEC O Level Geography Notes: Transport: Transport: Introduction

  • -refers to the means by which goods and people are moved from one point to another on the earth’s surface.
    Transport is an outcome of supply (production) and demand (consumption).
  • Goods or raw materials may be produced in one area while consumers or manufacturers may be found in another area.
  • Transport therefore acts as a link between the two.
  • For example Cotton has to be transported from farms to the weaving industries.
  • The cloth then has to be transported to clothing industries where they are turned into clothes.
  • The clothes then have to be transported back to the customers.
  • Also the spatial distribution of services such as homes and workplaces creates the need for transport.
  • For example people have to be ferried to and from work back to their homes on a daily basis i.e. commuters.
  • People also move to a from places of social and cultural activities.
  • Transport is necessitated by distance.
  • Wherever there is distance between two places, there will be need for transport.

Factors affecting transport choice.

  • The choice of transport that will be used between two points depends on the following:
  • The type of goods to be transported e.g. liquids can be carried by pipeline or tankers
  • The quantity of goods to be transported e.g. bulky or heavy goods can be shipped or transported by rail while light goods can be flown in.
  • Quality for example perishables need to be transported quickly to the market before they go bad.
  • The number of people to transport.
  • Human preference
  • The cost of the type of transport
  • Accessibility of the source and destination.
  • Availability of roads, navigable river or railway lines to use.
  • The affluence of the people involved.

To access more topics go to the Geography Notes page.