Technology in transportation
ProWritHub - W2:
Technology in Transportation - the Ancient and Modern:
TRANSPORTATION - this involves the movement of goods and services from one location to the other. In the ancient times, movement of these same goods and services was by Donkeys, Carmels pulling carts and trawleys, conveying goods and humans even to distant lands. Though it took preety long days, weeks and months to accomplish this. Goods were even carried on the heads to the point of disposal. That was how difficult life and life's endeavours used to be until the noble efforts of researchers, Technologists, innovators and inventors proved otherwise
Within this period under review, sea transportation was done by paddling canoe, pulling ferry manually etc.
Gradually, transportation means we're steadily being improved upon, starting with steam engine and later various sizes of ships and capacities came to public use.
As regards land transportation, the exponential boost in this very critical sector was with the invention of Motor vehicles, both goods and passenger models.
Recall that Railway lines are constructed on land and being an integral part of land transportation went a long way to advancing the sector.
Of all these above stated means of transportation, air transport is very significant. As the fastest means of transportation, it has witnessed astronomical improvement with the production of Super Sonic Aircrafts, flight shuttles to distant lands has been made possible, sometimes with goods of bulk dimension.
So, over all, technology has greatly improved all the mentioned means of transportation - air, land and sea. This improvement has been remarkable and handy to critical service providers like Oil Conglomerates, Information Communications providers and allied services of much importance to the nation and her people
Experts have had to shuttle between one country and and the other, even regions with modern jet liners and helicopters.
Though, due to poor governance by the political leaders rail transport, despite it's importance, it was neglected. A veritable means of transportation, rail in particular is so strategic because it conveys goods in large quantity at cheap rate, yet grossly under utilized.
In my city, the major means of transportation is land which includes rail lines that are outdated and dormant. The closest airport to the city where I reside is the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State. On the other hand, sea bound vessels could only be used in the Riverine states around Abia state.
Modern transportation means has affected the environment in several ways:
Recall, in ancient times, when modern tools were not available, it would as cumbersome, disposing waste materials to dump sites. Economic activities was were sluggish and stressful.
On the negative side, vehicles, generators generated emissions that were a threat to the health of the masses as well as the environment.
In advanced countries of the world, focus has shifted to electric cars, thereby jettisoning fuel use due to it's unhealthy impact to the citizenry.
Modern transportation can be used to become environmentally friendly by deploying less harzadous means of moving people, goods and services from one destination to the other
For us in the developing countries like Nigeria, we are much more engrossed with unbriddled consumerism of foreign technology that has proven time and time again, not in our best interests, both as individuals and as a nation.
May I challenge our Engineers, Technologists, Scientists and Researchers to critically investigate very peculiar African means of transportation that is suitable to our peculiar situation, patent and mass produce it to save the environment further damage through uncontrolled pollution.