MODES OF

TRANSPORTATION
  Understanding the role of
Transportation in Logistics
 Identifying different modes of
Transportation in Logistics
 Identifying the application areas of
each of these Modes

OBJECTIVES  Appreciating the advantages &

disadvantages of different modes of
Transportation
 Identifying the challenges in
Transportation

2
  The word TRANSPORT got derived from the
Latin word TRANS(across) and PORTARE (to
carry)
 Transportation is physical movement of goods &
people from source location(s) to destination
location(s).
 It is one of the critical elements of the supply
TRANSPORTATIO chain logistics along with inventory and
warehousing.
N IN LOGISTICS  Transportation contributes significantly to the
overall cost of Logistics & in turn to the Supply
Chain.
 It is a major economic activity which provides
direct and indirect employment to millions of
people

3
 Transportation accounts for approx 6.4% of
India’s GDP in 2021

More than 50% of freight and 90% of passenger

TRANSPORTATIO traffic are handled by road. 

N IN LOGISTICS Transportation enables deeper penetration into

remote markets and door to door coverage

Can influence product prices significantly

leading to competitive advantage

4
Modes of transportation

 Transportation offers a lot of flexibility in terms of mode of operation and

scale depending on the requirement. Key modes of Transportation include:
 Land – Road and Rail
 Air
 Water
 Pipeline (specific commodities only)
 Ropeways (not used as often)
 Multi-modal
Share of Different Modes of
Transportation
Road Transportation in India
ROAD TRANSPORTATION

The Government of India has

Road is the most popular
mode of transport in India
and in many parts of the
world.
established the National
highways authority of India
(NHAI) for developing,
maintaining and managing
national highways.

Advantages of this mode

Road offers the unique include:
advantage of door to door • flexibility,
delivery which enhances • quick turnaround,
customer satisfaction, a • door-to-door service,
deliverable in Logistics. • reach to remote places
DESIGNATED NATIONAL EXPRESSWAYS IN
INDIA
Designation Expressway Length (km)
NE 1 Ahmedabad–Vadodara Expressway 93

NE 2 Eastern Peripheral Expressway (KGP) 135

NE 3 Delhi–Meerut Expressway 96

NE 4 Vadodara–Mumbai section of Delhi–Mumbai Expressway 380

NE 5 Delhi–Nakodar–Gurdaspur section of Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway 398

NE 5A Nakodar–Amritsar section of Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway 99

NE 6 Lucknow–Kanpur Expressway 62
NE 7 Bangalore–Chennai Expressway 258
Total 1,533
ROAD TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES

 Roads are the dominant mode of transportation in India today.

 They carry almost 90 % of the country’s passenger traffic and 50 % of its
freight.
 The density of India’s highway network -- at 0.66 km of highway per square
kilometre of land – is similar to that of the United States (0.65) and much
greater than those of China (0.16) or Brazil (0.20).
 The most commonly used vehicle for road transportation is the Truck
TRUCK LOAD ( TL)

 Industry segments in trucking have evolved into certain standards based on load. These
are:
 Truckload (TL),
 Less than Truckload (LTL), and
 Specialty carriers.
 The industry is very fragmented
 TL carriers transport trailer-load shipments bound for a single destination, and routes tend
to be irregular with few terminals (used mainly for maintenance).
 There are several sub-categories including dry-van, flatbed, temperature-controlled,
tanker, regional and expedited.
 Operations vary depending on length of haul, which falls into three service categories:
long-haul (more than 1,500 km), medium-haul (1000-1,500 km) and short-haul (less than
1000 km).
LONG HAUL TRUCKS – SPECIALITY
CARRIERS
MULTI AXLE TRUCKS – HEAVY
ENGINEERING LOADS
SEMI TRAILER & TRUCKS
TRUCK TYPES: LONG HAUL – MULTI AXEL
 Applications: : Parcel & Logistics, Auto carriers
 Power: : 160hp @ 2400 rpm . Torque: : 550 Nm @ 1500 - 1700 rpm
 Clutch: : 15" facing dia clutch with superior lining material & booster
 Tyre:  10.00 x 20 - 16 PR Nylon ply - radial ply optional
 Max speed: 79 Kmph. Gradeability: 18.54%
 GVW: 25000 kgs . Wheelbase: 6200 mm
 Loading span: 32 ft
CONSTRUCTION & MINING CARRIERS

 Applications: Irrigation, construction and quarry.

 Power: 180 hp @ 2400 rpm . Torque: 660 nm @ 1400 - 1800 rpm
 Clutch: Axial type 381 mm dia with organic lining and actuated by clutch
booster
 Transmission: 6 speed 6S850 GB - First Gear Ratio (FGR) - 8.51:1
 Suspension: Semi Elliptical multileaf. Tyre: 10.00 x 20 - 16 PR nylon ply.
 Max speed: 77 kmph. Gradeability: 36%. GVW: 16200 kgs
 Wheelbase: 3607 mm. Body Capacity: 8.5 cum box, 10.5 cum box, 8.5 cum
scow
DISTRIBUTION TRUCKS

 Applications:  Intra-city distribution, Parcel / logistics, Fruits and vegetables

 Engine: H-series, 4-cylinder engine with Common Rail injection system.
 Power: 130 HP @ 2500 RPM. Torque: 450 Nm @1500 RPM
 Transmission: 6-speed overdrive gear box, FGR- 6.93:1, Automated Manual
Transmission(AMT)
 Cabin: Air-conditioned Day cabin with hydraulic tilt mechanism
 Tyre: 8.25X16-14 PR. Max speed: 99 kmph. Gradeability: 27%. GVW: 9600kgs
 Wheelbase: 3440 | 3940 | 4540. Loading span: 14 | 17 | 20
ADVANTAGES OF ROAD
TRANSPORTATION
 Delivers door to door service to customers which no other mode of transport can offer.
 Road Transportation is Cost effective
 On per unit basis, the cost of making a road is 1/6 th of laying a railway line.
 Capital investment in case of railways is much less than railways designed to carry
equivalent quantum of traffic.
 Offers quick turnaround times & shorter delivery cycles leading to customer satisfaction
 Ideal for short distances & for transporting perishables (eg fruit and vegetables)
 Less skilled personnel can deliver logistical solutions. Ideal for developing & under
developed countries.
 Only option for sending by courier packages to remote customers
 Road transport provides employment to many people and also encourages the Automotive
industry to prosper
DISADVANTAGES OF ROAD
TRANSPORTATION
 Dependency on polluting & expensive fuel ( Diesel). This is particularly true
for countries like India where petroleum products are imported and the local
distribution costs are based on global oil economy. Especially for a country
like India where, the Diesel prices are subsidized by the government to keep
the commodity prices down, the effect is multifold:
 The country has to bear the financial burden of importing crude at high prices and
providing diesel at controlled prices.
 The impact of global oil pricing on the local fuel pricing is very high leading to
fluctuations in transportation costs
 In the event of any shortage of fuel, the cascading effect of distribution problems
can spiral inflation & price rise leading to socio economic issies
DISADVANTAGES OF ROAD
TRANSPORTATION
 The cost of auto components and accessories, such as tyres and batteries, has
a direct bearing on the transportation costs.
 Conditions on Indian road are very bad and hazardous. They tend to reduce
speed of vehicles, which leads to wastage of natural transport capacity.
 Road Transport subject to traffic delays & vehicle breakdown scenarios &
Goods susceptible to damage through careless driving
 Some of these disadvantages may be overcome through better infrastructure
and electric vehicles
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

 Trucks contribute to air, noise, and water pollution similarly to automobiles.

 Trucks may emit lower air pollution emissions than cars per equivalent vehicle mass,
although the absolute level per vehicle distance traveled is higher, and diesel particulate
matter is especially problematic for health.
 With respect to noise pollution, trucks emit considerably higher sound levels at all speeds
compared to typical car; this contrast is particularly strong with heavy-duty trucks.
 Continuous sounds are those from tires rolling on the roadway, and the constant hum of
their diesel engines at highway speeds.
 Less frequent noises, but perhaps more noticeable, are things like the repeated sharp-
pitched whistle of a turbocharger on acceleration, or the abrupt blare of an exhaust brake
retarder when traversing a downgrade.
 There has been noise regulation put in place to help control where and when the use of
engine braking retarders are allowed.
RAIL TRANSPORTATION

 Rail transport is an energy-efficient and capital-intensive means of mechanised land

transport and is a critical component of logistics.
 Due to the various benefits, rail transport is a major form of public transport in many
countries.
 In Asia, for example, millions use trains as regular transport in India, China, South
Korea and Japan.
 Indian Railways carries 14 million passengers a day, making it one of the busiest
railway networks in the world.
 Rail transport is also widespread in European countries. By comparison, intercity rail
transport in the United States is relatively scarce, although a number of major U.S.
cities have heavily-used, local rail-based passenger transport systems.
 The Railway network is capable of transporting large quantities of freight over long
distances very economically.
RAIL TRANSPORTATION

 Rail is the main mode of transportation for supply of essential commodities,

which are transported across the length and breadth of the country.
 Rail offers lower cost and is less polluting than road transportation
 Indian railways operates across 63,320 km with goods carrying capacity of
10.6 million tonnes
 Railways have an inherent energy efficiency compared to road transport.
 Railways generally offer low cost transport, particularly for transportation of
bulky goods over long distances.
RAIL TRANSPORTATION

 India has amongst the largest railway network in the world.

 Through railways very large volumes of goods can be transported economically over
long distances to remote places in the country.
 Although high on capital investment, the railways offer relatively low variable
operating costs.
 Railways help to transport raw materials from extractive industries which are
located at considerable distances.
 Besides this railways also transport massive amount of steel, automobiles, war
equipment, across the country.
 Railways is the most preferred mode of transportation for bulk commodities like
coal, iron ore, cement, food grains, fertilizers and steel etc.
 Rail transportation is environmental friendly and has right of way.
RAIL TRANSPORTATION

 Railroads basically concentrate on the container traffic and are becoming more
responsive of the customer needs, emphasizing bulk industries and heavy
manufacturing. They have expanded their intermodal operations through alliances
and motor carrier ownership. Railroads are even concentrating on development of
special equipment. There are unit trains which are entire train carrying the same
commodity, which are bulk products such as coal or grain. Unit trains are faster, less
expensive to operate and quick as it can bypass rail yards and go direct to the
product’s destination.
  
 There are also various different types, such as articulated cars for extended Rail
chassis, double-stack railcars, have 2 levels of containers, thereby doubling the
capacity of each car. It also reduces chances of damage because of their design.
These technologies have are being applied by railroads to reduce weight, increase
carrying capacity, and facilitate interchange.
INDIAN RAILWAYS & STEEL INDUSTRY

 Steel related Traffic is ~ 25% of originating traffic of Indin Railways.

 Indian Railway & Steel Industry have Traditionally strong bond – IR carried 189
MT of Raw Material & 31MT of Iron & Steel in 2009-10.
 Pig Iron & Steel Traffic handled by IR :~ 50% of total steel produced in India.
 Major Steel Plants have made significant investments for development of
Private sidings, etc.
 Sidings are low speed, auxiliary railway tracks that are used to, mong other things,
connect core industries to the main Railway Network.
 Industrial sidings are linked to factories, mines, quarries, wharves, warehouses, some
of them are essentially links to industrial railways.
 Sidings may be used for marshalling, stabling, storing, loading and unloading vehicles
RAIL SIDINGS IN OIL & GAS, CHEMICALS
INDUSTRIES

Picture Source: commons.wikimedia.org 

RAIL SIDINGS IN FOOD INDUSTRY
RAIL SIDINGS IN COAL INDUSTRY
FREIGHT IN INDIAN RAILWAYS
ADVANTAGES OF RAIL
TRANSPORTATION
 Rail Transportation facilitates long distance transport of bulky goods which
are not easily transported through other modes.
 It helps in the industrialization process of a country by easy transportation of
coal and raw-materials at a cheaper rate.
 The massive infrastructure provides lasting employment for millions
 The carrying capacity of the railways is extremely large. Moreover, its
capacity is elastic which can easily be increased by adding more wagons.
 In India, as the Railway Network is State owned, the pricing is in tune with
the economy.
 Generally considered as the most economical mode of transport, despite high
infrastructure cost.
RAIL TRANSPORTATION - CHALLENGES

 Over saturated routes in India (over 120% capacity utilisation in some sections
of Golden quadrilateral & its diagonal).
 Last mile connectivity is dependent on Road.
 No Guaranteed transit time for freight trains
 High cost of Infrastructure. Completely State Owned and hence policies are
not commerce driven
 Slow. A freight train for a Journey of 2000 Kms at present takes 6 to 8 days
 Common track for freight and Passenger trains. Goods Trains get lower
priority while waiting for available rail routes.
 Blockades, Strikes, Civil unrest and saturated network is a constant hindrance
to the movement of freight trains
AIR TRANSPORTATION

 Air freight is suitable for products of high value or extreme perishability as it

is a premium means of transportation and justified only in emergency
situations
 While air-cargo is increasing, it is still much lower in volume when compared
to other transportation modes
 Air transport though new as compared to other modes of transportation, has
gained large popularity in transporting various commodities.
 The basic advantage of Air transport is its high speed. By air, the time
required may be just a few hours, which may be days and months by other
modes of transport.
DISADVANTAGES OF AIR
TRANSPORTATION
 Air transport is limited by ‘lift capacity’ i.e. goods upto certain load (weight)
only can be transported by aircrafts.
 Air freight variable cost is very high due to fuel, maintenance and labour
intensive nature of operations.
 The fixed cost of air transport is low as compared to rails, water and pipeline.
In fact, air transport ranks second to highway with respect to low fixed cost.
 Airways and airports are maintained by public funds and terminals are by local
communities. The fixed costs of airfreight are associated with aircraft
purchase and the requirement for specialized handling systems and cargo
containers.
 But the air freight variable cost is extremely high as a result highly volatile
operations cost.
ADVANTAGES OF AIR TRANSPORTATION

 Speed is one of the greatest advantages of Air Transportation.

 Ability to traverse contents in hours makes Air a preferred mode of
transportation for both passenger traffic & speciality cargo.
 Postal services have made best use of Air Transportation in delivering letters
& parcels across the globe in a matter of hours
 Air Transportation has greater strategic significance for:
 Military, in airlifting Soldiers, Arms and Ammunition to remote terrains in quick
time
 Relief work in the event of calamities
Air

 Air transportation has been accommodating growing quantities of high value

freight.
 Fast delivery of cargo
 The majority of airlines operating scheduled cargo services are members of
International Air Transport Association(IATA).
 Documents are used in air transportation House Air Way Bill (HAWB) for
individual shipment & Master Air Way Bill (MAWB) for consolidated cargo.
AIR INDIA CARGO

commons.wikimedia.org 
APPLICATIONS

POSTAL SERVICE

Picture Source: www.aircargonews.com

APPLICATIONS

 COURIER SERVICE

Picture Source: en.wikipedia.org 

APPLICATIONS - MILITARY

Picture Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
WATER TRANSPORTATION

 Inland water – while eco-friendly and one of the cheapest forms of transport has not been
well developed in India
 Most European countries have well connected inland waterways and use it effectively for
bulk cargo movements.
 Ocean is the preferred mode for international shipments
 Shipping fleets across the globe comprises of tankers, dry bulk carriers , container ships
and special vessels.
 Oceanic transportation includes import and export of crude and bulky commodities like
iron ore, cement, crude oil, coal, chemicals like sulphur, crude petroleum, and selected
agricultural products etc.
 The capability of water to carry large tonnage at low variable costs makes it in demand.
 When a company desire low freight rates and the speed and the time of transport are
secondary, it has the option of selecting water as a mode of transport.
WATER TRANSPORTATION

ADVANTAGES:
 Massive cargo tonnage is possible with Ships.
 Water transportation delivers the lowest cost per ton of cargo for the
distance covered.
DISADVANTAGES

 Some of the problems encountered with this mode are rough weather
characterized by storms, ice, high waves etc in–transit.
 Slow mode of transportation. A typical inter continental cargo may take
months to reach destination.
 Although rare, accidents, damage, piracy issues can become expensive.
 Prone to environmental disasters of universal magnitude while carrying
polluting cargo like oil, nuclear waste etc.
Types of Ships

 Containers ships
 Tankers (crude oil, chemicals)
 Bulk carriers
 RORO (roll on-roll off)
 Gas carriers
 Ferries
 Barges
 Tugboats
 Offshore supply vessels
PIPELINES

 Pipeline is used for the transport of crude petroleum, refined petroleum and natural gas. Pipelines are
suitable for continuous cargo movement from point to point.
 Pipelines are also used for transportation of certain types of chemicals, Pulverized dry bulk materials
such as cement and flour via hydraulic suspension system, sewage and water in cities.
 A significant fixed cost is incurred while setting up the pipeline and related infrastructures.
 Thus, given the nature of costs, pipelines are the best suited when relatively large and stable flows of
materials are required.
 E.g.: pipeline may be best suited to transport crude petroleum from the port to the refinery.
 But, to transport refined petrol to a gas station does not justify the use of a pipeline and this is better
done by a truck.
 In comparison with the other modes of transport, pipelines operate on a 24 hour basis, 7 days a week.
They stop functioning due to change in the commodity to be transported, or due to maintenance.
 Unlike other modes of transport, pipeline does not have any ‘empty containers’ or vehicles’ which are
to be returned to the origins.
PIPELINES

 Pipelines are the safest and most efficient means of transporting crude oil and
producing fields to refineries and processing plants and of distributing petroleum
products gas to the consumer.
 Pipelines between refineries and major urban centers are replacing mode of
transportation.
 Petroleum transportation is of critical importance to India as most of the major
consumption centers are land-locked.
 As on 1 April 2011, India had a cumulative crude oil, LPG and petroleum product
pipeline network of 19,342 km with a transportation capacity of 172 MMT.
 IOCL has the largest market share, having a 10,767 km pipeline network across the
country.
 BPCL (1389 km) and HPCL (2134 km) are other important players in petroleum products
pipelines segment.
PIPELINES

 GAIL is the largest player (85% share) in the LPG transportation segment with 2,000 km of
pipeline network which has a capacity to transport around 4 MMTPA of LPG, while IOCL owns
the remaining pipelines.
 Crude oil pipelines are operated by IOCL (66.6%), ONGC (15.3%) and OIL (18.1%). IOCL has the
largest market share in oil transportation as most of its refineries are located on land areas,
while BPCL and HPCL operate coastal refineries.
 Oil India Ltd. (OIL) transports all crude oil produced in North-East India to refineries via a 1,432
km pipeline. ONGC, India’s single largest crude producer, has approximately 8000 km onshore
pipeline network while its offshore pipelines include a 4500 km pipeline network.
 Currently, India has over 13,428-km long gas pipeline network, with a transmission capacity of
355 MMSCMD, in which the state-run Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) owns 9,000 km of natural
gas high pressure trunk pipeline with a capacity to carry 220 million metric standard cubic
meters per day (MMSCMD) of natural gas across the country.
 RGTIL and GSPL are the other two major companies operating trunk pipelines.
PIPELINES - ADVANTAGES

 One big advantage of pipelines is that, once they have been constructed, they
are not labour intensive for operational purposes as much as other modes of
transport.
 Their operating cost is low.
PIPELINES - DISADVANTAGES

 A high fixed cost for pipelines normally results from the right of way
construction and requirements at the control stations and pumping capacity.
 Another disadvantage of ‘pipeline is that they are not flexible. Once the route
of a pipeline is fixed, it is not changeable.
 Again pipelines are restricted with respect to the types of commodities which
can be transported through them.
 Only products in the form of gas, liquid slurry can be handled by the pipelines
  
MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION

 Multimodal or Intermodal transportation is the use of more than one mode of

transport to move a shipment to its destination.
 A variety of multimodal combinations are possible depending upon the type and
amount of goods, the time of delivery, the pricing factor, etc. the most common
combination is that of the motor carrier and railway.
 Multimodal combination of transport has also helped to increase the revenue of
each of the modes of transport.
 On land it has been found that a combination of truck and rail mode of transport
offer a better deal in terms of cost and time rather than transport by truck alone.
 In general, multimodal means of transport helps to bring together different modes
of transport to create a price and /or service offering that may not be matched by
any single mode transport.
MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION

 In Multimodal transport the carrier is liable for the entire carriage, even
though transportation is performed by several different modes of transport (by
air, rail, sea and road, for example).
 The carrier does not have to possess all the means of transport, and in
practice usually does not; the carriage is often performed by sub-carriers
(referred to in legal language as "actual carriers").
 The carrier responsible for the entire carriage is referred to as a multimodal
transport operator, or MTO.
Forms of Multimodal Transport Operations

 Land-Sea-Land
 An example of this form of the transport is as follows: An empty container is
picked up from the line’s container yard in Singapore and trucked to
shipper’s factory in Johore (Malaysia) for stuffing; thereafter the FCL is
trucked to Singapore and transported by ocean vessel to New York.
 Truck from vessel to rail-head New York Rail from New York to rail-head
ChicagoTruck from Chicago rail-head to consignee’s warehouse.
FORMS OF MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT
OPERATIONS
MULTIMODAL
FORMS OF MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT
OPERATIONS

 Road/Air/Road
 A combination of air carriage with truck transport is a frequent method of multimodal service.
 Undoubtedly, pickup and delivery services by road transport are usually incidental to air
transport.
 But apart from this, road transport is now being increasingly used for trucking air freight over
long distances, sometimes across national boundaries, to connect with the main bases of
airlines operating long haul services such as trans-Pacific, trans-Atlantic and inter-continental.
 Several airlines are building up a number of trucking hubs to act as focal points for road-based
feeder operations.
 Many airlines provide road service to cities which they either find uneconomical to service by
air, or to which they do not enjoy landing rights.
 This road transportation is often effected with their own vehicles, and to and from their own
facilities, but on occasion they do also use highway common carriers.
FORMS OF MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT
OPERATIONS

 Sea/Air/Sea
 This combines the economy of sea transport and the speed of air transport and is becoming
increasingly popular in several international trade routes like the Far East Europe route.
 The economics of this combination mode favour high value items like electronics, electrical
goods, computers and photographic equipment as well as goods with high seasonal demand such
as fashion wear and toys.
 This multimodal operation is particularly applicable where the route to be covered combines
large distances via land and water, and where transit time is important.

Rail/road/inland waterways/sea
 This combination mode is in common use when goods have to be moved by sea from one
country to another and one or more inland modes of transport such as rail, road or inland
waterways, have to be used for moving the goods from an inland centre to the seaport in the
country of origin or from the seaport to an inland centre in the country of destination.
FORMS OF MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT
OPERATIONS
 Mini-bridge
 This involves the movement of containers, under a through bill of lading issued by an ocean carrier, by a vessel from a
port in one country to a port in another country and then by rail to a second port city in the second country,
terminating at the rail carrier's terminal in the second port city.
 The mini-bridge offers the consignor a through container rate inclusive of rail freight up to the final port city in the
country of destination.
 The railways are paid a flat rate per container by the ocean carrier for the rail transit.
 This system is in operation on certain routes covering the trade between the United States and the Far East, United
States / Europe, United States / Australia, etc.
 Land bridge
 This system concerns itself with shipment of containers overland as a part of a sea-land or a sea-land-sea route. In this
case also, the railways are paid a flat rate by the ocean carrier who issues the through bill of lading.
 This system is in operation for the movement of containers on certain important international routes such as:
 Between Europe or the Middle East and the Far East via the Trans-Siberian land bridge; and
 between Europe and the Far East via the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the U.S.A., continental U.S.A. being used as a land bridge.
FORMS OF MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT
OPERATIONS
 Ro-Ro (Roll-on/Roll-off)
 This mode combines different means of transportation (sea and
road), and is used most often with new automobiles, which are
shipped by sea and them simply driven off the vessel to the
importer’s warehouse.
 Heavy and over-dimensional cargo is also suitable for Ro-Ro
transport.
 L.A.S.H. (Lighter Aboard Ship)
 LASH transport is the combination of deep sea and inland
waterway transportation.
 An example is the route from Germany to the Mississippi Ports where
the barges sail down the Rhine, Elbe or Weser in Germany, are loaded
onto LASH container vessels in Rotterdam, Hamburg or Bremen; are
then carried across the Atlantic, only to be unloaded at a Mississippi
delta port to sail upstream in the U.S.
 It must be noted that LASH vessels are expensive, and furthermore
it is necessary to check on the availability of the special handling
facilities necessary in the ports of destination.

COPYWRIGHT © METACOG SOLUTIONS PVT LTD Picture Source: http://www.unescap.org

FORMS OF MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT
OPERATIONS
 Piggyback
 This is a system of unitised multimodal land transportation, a combination of transport by road
and rail.
 It has become popular in Latin American and European countries because it combines the speed
and reliability of rail on long hauls with the door-to-door flexibility of road transport for
collection and delivery.
 It is also extremely popular in countries like India where a single mode of transport is not
practical for the entire rioute
 The goods are packed in trailers and hauled by tractors to the railway station.
 At the station, the trailers are moved onto railway flat cars and the transport tractors, which stay
behind, are then disconnected.
 At destination, tractors again haul the trailers to the warehouses of the consignee.
 The system has undergone refinements and sophistication by the introduction of the so-called
"trailer train" which uses the same trailer as a vehicle on the road and a rail vehicle on the rail.
 In other words, the trailer moves on its wheels as a truck on the road but the wheels can be
retracted by an air suspension system and connected to a rail bogie for movement by rail.
 At the end of the rail journey, the conversion back to being road vehicle is effected for delivery
of the goods to the customers.
 SEA TRAIN
 This is another innovation in the multimodal transport system involving the use of
rail and ocean transport.
 It was originally adopted in the U.S.A. It is similar to the roll-on, roll-off (Ro-Ro)
system except that in the place of the Ro-Ro vehicle a rail car is used so that
geographically separated rail systems can be connected by the use of an ocean
carrier.
 Typically these vessels are long and thin and consist of one main deck running the
length of the ship. They are quicker at loading trains than general cargo vessels
since the train’s carriages do not need to be detached from one another.
MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION
 Multimodal transportation can be used to effectively address the
shortcomings of each of the single transportation modes and deliver
efficiency in the logistics chain for both international & inland
transportation.
 This can be a solution to both first mile & last mile problems that
affect the supply chain.
 The challenge here is to design a multimodal route with appropriate
carriers by considering the customer requirements, advantages &
disadvantages of various available modes of transportation to delivery
optimal delivery efficiency.

COPYWRIGHT © METACOG SOLUTIONS PVT LTD

TRANSPORTATION MODES COMPARISON
Road Rail Water Air

Speed 2 3 4 1

Investment 1 2 3 4

Freight Cost 4 3 1 5

Reliability 2 3 4 5

Frequency 2 3 4 5

Capability 4 3 2 5
SUMMARY

 Modes of transportation include Road, Rail, Water & Pipelines

 Road is the most widely used transportation mode for inland transportation
due to its door to door reach
 Water is the preferred mode of transportation for international bulk cargo
 Rail is a very cost effective mode for transporting essential commodities and
inland bulk cargo.
 While each of these mode have advantages & disadvantages, they are highly
suited for certain type of cargo.
 Multimodal transportation can use a combination of land, water, air, and
even pipelines for improved delivery performance.