Intermodal Transportation
Intermodal transport is the usage of two or more methods of transportation to ferry passengers, freight, services, and information from the origin to the destination. It incorporates all shipment movement via several modes using a single freight bill (DeWitt & Clinger, 2000). One needs to consider the nature of what is being transported, its urgency, demand, and supply, before choosing whether or to use intermodal transportation. Some of the attributes that could vary transportation in intermodal supply are distance, cost, speed, accessibility, and comfort (Rodrigue, Slack, & Comtois, 2016).
The distance that passengers and goods have to travel influences the use of intermodal transportation. The further the destination is from the origin, the more likely it is that intermodal will be most suitable. For instance, if freight or passengers were traveling internationally, across oceans, they would use several inter-connected transport means.
Speed is vital in intermodal transportation. Information or goods that are urgently needed, like perishables, require the use of quick means of transport like air and road or fast trains to reach the recipient on time.. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
When using intermodal transportation, passengers want to be comfortable when in motion. Therefore, the methods they choose have to ensure their comfort throughout the journey, especially if it is a long distance.
When moving freight, it is essential to consider the cost of transportation in choosing which modes to integrate, as this influences the price of the goods. For example, it is cheaper to continuously move similar quantities of products via intermodal than using one mode.
The accessibility of the origin or destination may necessitate the use of several means of transport. For instance, the source may only be accessed by road while the destination by air, hence intermodal transportation is used.
References
DeWitt, W., & Clinger, J. (2000). Intermodal freight transportation. Transportation in the New Millennium.
Rodrigue, J., Slack, B., & Comtois, C. (2016). Transportation modes, modal competition, and modal shift. The Geography of Transport Systems. Retrieved on March 12, 2020, from https://transportgeography.org/?page_id=1731.