In common parlance, transport is defined as the movement of tangible goods and people from one place to another. However, there are various aspects of transportations such as time, space, cost, effort, reach, velocity etc. Since, the concept of space and place is closely connected to transportation, it becomes a subject matter of geographical analysis. The need of geographical analysis of various dimensions of transportation lead to development of transport geography. In this introduction to transport geography, we aim to impart knowledge of various aspects of transport geography to students.
What is Transport Geography?
Transport geography is a sub-discipline of geography which studies the spatial organization of transport networks which enable the movement of goods and services over space and time. It also includes various constraints linked to different attributes of transportations. It emerged to prominence during the quantitative revolution in the later half of the 20th century when the use of mathematical tools and models emerged as key methods to solve practical problems such as determination of location of least transportation cost, industrial location etc. However, the nature of transport geography is not strictly positivist. Let us discuss the nature of transport geography as following.
Nature of Transport Geography
- Multidisciplinary: Transport geography includes the subject matter of many other disciplines such as economics, geography, engineering, management etc. Hence, it is a multidisciplinary discipline.
- Spatial Science: Space is a multi-dimensional concept having infinite locations. The landscape and relief also varies from one location to another. Since, the transportation includes movement over space, transport geography is certainly a spatial science.
- Positivist Method: Transport geographers construct various transportation models after collection and analysis of data. In this sense, transport geography is a positivist science.
- Normative Models: The models and laws of transport geography are not universally applicable. They are applicable only in certain situations and under certain assumption. Therefore, it is a normative science.
Scope of Transport Geography
The scope of transport geography should be studied in the light of the attributes of transportation. Let us discuss these attributes.
- Uneven Distribution of Resources: Transport is necessitated by the uneven distribution of resources and production of goods. This unevenness leads to formation of areas of demand and areas of supply. Thus, the goods flow between areas of demand and supply.
- Distance is Relative: The space is not homogenous. Some places are difficult to traverse such as mountains and deserts while some places are easy to navigate such as plains. Hence, transportation in different landscapes takes different time, money and effort despite the distance being the same. This means different types of relief and landscape present different types of constraints and support for the transportation.
- Modes of Transportation: Various modes of transportation have specific merits and demerits. Some has the advantage of cost, some have advantage of reach while others have advantage of time. For instance, railways are cheaper for freight of goods on land but does not have door to door reach. Similarly, airplanes are costly but faster. Hence, relation between space, time, cost and reach depends on the choice of mode of transport.
- Nodes: The nodes are places of origin and destinations. These nodes include ports, cities, towns and logistics hubs. Some nodes are larger and others are smaller. There size depends on their centrality in economy. Taaffe et. al. (1963) in their model of transport development classified these nodes into central and intermediate. The central nodes are places of origin and destination while intermediate locations enable temporary stocking, refueling, changing modes, repair, permits etc.
- Physical Infrastructure: The operation of transportation networks require physical infrastructure such as roads, railways, airports, ports, bus stations, railway stations etc. This infrastructure is also termed as footprints.
- Massification and Atomization: According to Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, massification refers to transport of people and goods in large numbers. Contrarily, the atomization refers to transportation in small numbers. Both these processes oppose each other. Transporting masses is easy and cheap but limited in terms of reach and speed. Transporting individuals is costly but has greater flexibility in terms of reach and speed.
From the study of these attributes we can determine that the transport geography aims to study the relative advantage of different modes of transportation over various kinds of landscape while trying to minimize costs and maximize flexibility. It also studies the evolution of transport networks over space and time.
Conclusion
In the globalized world, the transport geography has gained significance as the borders and boundaries between nations have increasingly blurred. The mobility of goods and services through international supply chains has increased exponentially with improvement of modes of transport and communication. These supply chains use the Geographical Information system (GIS) and mapping services for management of transport networks, storage facilities and distribution chains. The companies providing home delivery of food, tourism or taxi services use Google Maps for navigating the complex road networks. Some firms provide home deliveries thorough drones. In this context, the transport geography becomes a crucial field of scholarship.
Kulwinder Singh is an alumni of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and working as Assistant Professor of Geography at Pt. C.L.S. Government College, Kurukshetra University. He is a passionate teacher and avid learner.