Mode of transport (or means of transport or transport mode or transport modality or form of transport) is a general term for the different kinds of transport facilities that are often used to transport people or cargo.
Where more than one mode of transport is used for a journey, or for transport analysis, the journey can be described as multi-modal.
Components of a mode of transport
A transport mode is a combination of the following:
- Traffic infrastructure: traffic routes, networks, nodes (stations, terminals), etc.
- Vehicles and containers: trucks, wagons, ships, aircraft and trains.
- A stationary or mobile workforce
- Propulsion system and power supply (traction)
- Operations: driving, management, traffic signals, railway switching, air traffic control, etc.
Examples of modes of transport
There are some differences in British English and US English in terms for individual modes. These are indicated by (US) or (UK) after the alternative terms- Animal-powered transport (see link for animals)
- Aviation, Air
- Aircraft, Aeroplane
- Airship and Blimp
- Autogyro
- Balloon (aircraft)
- Hang glider
- Helicopter
- Jetpack
- Microlight
- Tiltrotor
- Jump_Jet
- Human-powered transport
- Ship transport
- Rail transport, Railway (UK) Railroad (US)
- Cable car (railway)
- Funicular
- Metro, Underground Railway (UK), Rapid Transit (US)
- Tram
- Train
- Monorail
- Road transport
- Auto rickshaw (or Tuk-Tuk)
- Bus
- Coach
- Car (UK) Automobile (US)
- Motorcycle
- Truck (US), Lorry (UK), Heavy Goods Vehicle
- Trolley bus
- Ski lift
- Mechanical transit device
- Escalator
- Elevator (US), Lift (UK)
- Paternoster
- People mover, Travelator
- Other
Worldwide comparison of the most important transport modes
Worldwide, the most widely-used modes for passenger transport are the Automobile (16,000 bn passenger km), followed by Buses (7,000), Air (2,800), Railways (1,900), and Urban Rail (250) 
The most widely used modes for freight transport are Sea (40,000 bn ton km), followed by Road (7,000), Railways (6,500), Oil pipelines (2,000) and Inland Navigation (1,500)
| EU 15 | USA | Japan | World | |
| GDP (PPP) per capita (€) | 19,000 | 28,600 | 22,300 | 5,500 |
| Passenger km per capita |
||||
| Private Car | 10,100 | 22,700 | 6,200 | 2,700 |
| Bus/ Coach | 1,050 | 870 | 740 | 1,200 |
| Railway | 750 | 78 | 2,900 | 320 |
| Air (domestic except World) | 860 | 2,800 | 580 | 480 |
See also
- Dual mode transit
- Intermodal transport
- The notion of co-modality introduced by the European Commission
- Intermodal Journey Planner
- Transshipment
- Transportation hub
- Transport network
- Modal shift
- Mode choice
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Last updated on Tuesday May 27, 2008 at 09:16:15 PDT (GMT -0700)
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