Villanueva, Jesille C.

z
COMPONENTS OF
TRANSPORTATION
SYSTEM
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Flows

 Movements of people, freight and information

over their respective networks such as routes and
infrastructure

 Flows have origins, intermediary locations and

destinations. An intermediary location is often
required to go from an origin to a destination.

 For instance, flying from one airport to another

may require a transit at hub airport.
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4 major components of flow

Geographica
Physical
l

Transactiona
Distribution
l
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Geographical

 Each flow has an origin and a destination and

consequently a degree of separation.
 Flows with high degrees of separation tend to be
more limited than flows with low degrees of
separation.
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Physical

 Each flow involves specific physical characteristics

in terms of possible load units and the conditions
in which they can be carried.
 Flows, depending on the transportation mode, can
be atomized (smallest load unit) or massified
(moving load units in batches).
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Transactional

 The realization of each flow has to be negotiated

with providers of transport services, such as
booking a slot on a containership or an air travel
seat.
 Commonly, a flow is related to a monetary
exchange between provider of transportation and
the user.
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Distribution

 Flows are organized in sequences where the more

complex are involving different modes and
terminals.
 Many transport flows are scheduled and routed to
minimize costs or maximize efficiency, often
through intermediary locations
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Example
 z Three Classifications
based on definition

Telecommunications.
Trade. Migration
The complex and
Mainly takes place to Mainly flows of people
extensive flows of
satisfy material demands taking place for a variety
information used for
ranging from raw of reasons, most of them
communication, power
materials to finished related to tourism with air
exchanges (e.g. an online
goods and all the transportation being the
order) and symbolic
intermediate goods in dominant mode
exchanges (e.g.
between. supporting such flows.
education).
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Types of Flow
Uninterrupted. Flow occurring
at long sections of road where
vehicles are not required by
any cause external to the
traffic stream is called
uninterrupted flow. See
illustration 1

Interrupted. Flow occurring at

intersections or driveway
where vehicles are required to
stop by any cause outside the
traffic stream – such as traffic
signs, traffic signal lights. See
illustration 2.
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Conclusion

 Flow is an important component of transportation system

for it deals with movement itself such as the mobility of
people (migration), mobility of freight (trade) and mobility
of information. (See illustration 5) The fundamental purpose
of flow is geographic in nature; because it facilitates
movements between different locations, for as describe
geographical means having an origin and destination.
 To fulfill a demand for mobility is the specific purpose of
transportation, since transportation can only takes place if it
moves people, freight and information around. Otherwise it
has no purpose. This is because transportation is dominantly
the outcome of a resulting demand; it takes place because
other activities are taking place.
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Summary of
Classification of flow
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References

 Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue. (n.d.). Components Of

Transportation System. Retrieved from
https://transportgeography.org/
 Sigua, Ricardo G. (2008). Fundamentals Of Traffic
Engineering: Traffic flow fundamentals. Quezon
City: The University of the Philippines Press