Unit 14 Characteristics of various modes of transport

《物流专业英语》 电子教案 Unit 14 Characteristics of various modes of transport 不同运输模式的特征

passenger traffic 客运 u freight traffic 货运 u infrastructure 基础设施 u time-sensitive traffic 里间 敏感性强的运输 u

第二部分 Section 2 本单元核心概念 Core concepts

What are the five modes of transport? 五种运输模式是什么？

Logistics Generally speaking, there are five modes of transport: road, rail, air, waterways (sea, inland river or lake) and pipelines, though other modes of transport also exist. This unit focuses on the four major modes: road, rail, air and sea.

Characteristics of various modes of transport 不同运输模式的特征

Generally speaking, there are five modes of transport: road, rail, air, waterways (sea, inland river or lake) and pipelines, though other modes of transport also exist. This unit focuses on the four major modes: road, rail, air and sea. 一般来说，有五种运输方式： 公路、铁路、航空、水路 （海运及内陆河运或湖运） 和管道，虽然也存在有其 它的运输方式。本单元重 点讨论四种主要模式：公 路、铁路、航空及海运。 Road Transport

Road The main advantage of road transport is its facility for door-to-door collection and delivery, often in the same vehicle. With few exceptions, all other modes must use road transport, at one or both ends of the trip, so that the link between a seaport, airport or railway station and the final destination is complete. Road transport also includes pedestrians. 公路运输的主要优势是它具有“门到门”取货和交货的便利，经 常是用同一辆车就行。除了为数不多的例外情况，所有的 其它运输方式都要在行程的一端或两端使用公路运输， 这 样，就可完成在海港、机场或火车站与最终目的地之间的 联接。公路运输也包括行人。

This ‘open access’ to roads has its disadvantages. The most obvious one is traffic congestion at peat times. This results in extended journey times for both passenger and freight traffic, and ultimately adds to the costs of both operators and users. 这种对公路的 “公开使用” 有其劣势。最明显的劣势是高峰时段 的交通拥堵。这导致客运及货运行程时间的延长，并且最 终增加了运营商和用户的成本。

Rail The railway system includes permanent structures such as rails, signals, safety equipment, stations and goods depot. Construction of such facilities is costly, but essential to the operation of railways. Owing to its high costs in the construction of the infrastructure, the railway transport is normally suitable for carrying bulk cargo, and better over long distances. （to be continued） 铁路运输 铁路系统包括永久性的结构，如铁轨、信号、安全设备、车站 和货站。建造此类设施是昂贵的，但是对于铁路的运营却 是必要的。由于建造基础设施的高成本，铁路运输通常适 合于运送散装货，并且以长途运输为佳。（待续）

(continued) However, there may be a great passenger flow during peak times. In this case, carrying ‘human bulk cargo’ over short distances can also be economic. Naturally, it would be highly impractical for road transport to replace railway transport, especially during peak times, because the former, by far, lacks the capacity needed. （续）然而，在高峰时段可能 会出现巨大的客流。在这 种情况下，短途运送 “人 类散装货物” 也可以是经 济的方式。 自然，要让公 路运输来取代铁路运输是 非常不切实际的，尤其是 在高峰时段，因为前者远 远缺乏所需的运能。

Air The ‘way’ for air transport is natural, and thus, costs nothing to maintain. In addition, air travel has the advantage of speed. 航空运输的“道路”是自然 的，因而也就不需要 任何费用维护。再者， 航空运输具有速度方 面的优势。

An airport occupies large areas of land needs extensive facilities for the efficient and secure handling of both passengers and freight. The airport infrastructure, like the railway system, also involves high costs for operation and maintenance. The operator charges take-off and landing fees to airlines and recovers the costs in this way. Some operators also charge airport taxes to all departing and/or arriving passengers. 机场占地面积很大，并需要庞大的设施来确保客货高效、安全 的办理。和铁路系统一样，机场的基础设施也涉及到高昂 的运营及维护费用。运营商向航空公司收取机场起降费， 并以此方式来回收成本。一些运营商也向所有离港和/或进 港的旅客收取机场费。

For long-distance journeys, air transport has a clear advantage for ‘time-sensitive’ traffic. 对于长途航程来说，空运对 “时间性较强的”运输来讲有着明显 的优势。

Sea As with rail and air transport, large sums of money have to be spent on maintenance and control of traffic through the seaway. These costs have to be added to the operator’s own high costs. Cargo liners and super tankers are hugely expensive, and sea travel for these ships is slow. 海运 和铁路及航空运输一样，海上航 道的交通维护及控制也需要 花费巨额资金，这些成本都 要加在运营商自身的高昂成 本里。货轮和超级油轮都是 巨额昂贵，且这些轮船的海 上航程是缓慢的。

Despite the high costs, ships have large capacity and are good for heavy and bulk cargoes. Sea transport outdoes other forms of transport in terms of safety and cost-efficiency. Smaller nonurgent goods can be put into containers for shipping in bulk. 虽然其成本高昂，但轮船容量大，且适用于重型货物及散装货 的运输。就安全性和成本效率性而言，海运优于其它运输 形式，一些数量较少的非紧急货物也可以装入集装箱内以 散装货托运。

Intermodal and combined transport operations 跨式及联运实务

“Intermodal” transport is the transport of unit loads in such a way that they can be transferred between two or more modes with the minimum of rehandling. For example, a standard shipping freight container can be transferred with one lift from a road vehicle to a rail wagon. In this category we must also include the intermodal transfer of liquids such as petroleum from a pipeline to a road or rail vehicle. “跨式”运输是指单位装载量在运输时，可以在两个或两个以上 的运输模式之间转移，使搬运最小化。譬如，一只标准的 海运集装箱可以用公路车辆的一程转移到铁路车箱里。在 这个类别里，我们也必须包括液体的跨式转移，比如石油 从管道转移到公路或铁路车辆上。

“Combined transport” involves the carriage of freight by two or more successive modes where the vehicle, or part of it, is transferred along with the freight on to another vehicle for part of the journey. For example, a tractor unit and trailer, containing cargo, can be transported on a rail wagon, or a road vehicle can be carried across the Channel on a ro/ro vessel. “联运”涉及到由两个或两个以上的连续运输方式所进 行的货物运载，在这种方式下，车辆或车辆的一部 分，连同货物一道在一段行程中被转移到另一个车 辆上。比如，一节装有货物的拖拉机单元和拖车可 以运输到一节火车车厢上，或者一个公路车辆可以 由滚装船运送而跨越海峡。 注释：滚装船的英文名字叫“roll on/roll off ship”简称“ro/ro”，是指可以通过 踏板，使车辆或者轮式设备等自行驶上/驶下的船舶。

1. Answer the following questions in English:

1. Generally speaking, what are the common modes of transport? Generally speaking, there are five modes of transport: road, rail, air, waterways (sea, inland river or lake) and pipelines, though other modes of transport also exist.

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of road transport? The main advantage of road transport is its facility for door-to-door collection and delivery, often in the same vehicle. The most obvious disadvantage is traffic congestion at peat times.

3. What are the problems caused by ‘open access’ to roads? This ‘open access’ to roads has its disadvantages. The most obvious one is traffic congestion at peat times. This results in extended journey times for both passenger and freight traffic, and ultimately adds to the costs of both operators and users.

4. What are the permanent structures that a railway system may include? The railway system includes permanent structures such as rails, signals, safety equipment, stations and goods depot and so on.

5. Why is it impractical for road transport to replace rail transport? It would be highly impractical for road transport to replace railway transport, especially during peak times, because the former, by far, lacks the capacity needed.

6. Can you explain in English what ‘time-sensitive’ traffic is? “Time-sensitive” traffic means that cargo carriage must reach the destination before a predetermined or agreed deadline. Time sensitive traffic is normally for delivery of urgent goods and, and often, though not always, by air.

7. What kinds of freight are suitable for sea transport? Sea transport is good for heavy and bulk cargoes.

2. Put the following words or phrases into Chinese:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. operators and users inland water passenger traffic freight traffic extended journey times at peat times traffic congestion ‘open access’ to roads at one or both ends of the trip door-to-door collection and delivery 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 运营商和用户 内陆水域 客运 货运 延长的行车时间 在高峰期 交通堵塞 对公路的 “开放式使 用” 9. 在行程的一端或两端 10. 门到门的取货和送货

3. Put the following words or phrases into English:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 永久性结构 货物库房 基础设施 客流 在高峰期 前者和后者 缺乏所需的运能 具有速度方面的优势 高效和平稳的办理… 收回成本 离港旅客 进港旅客 时间性强的交通 机场税 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. permanent structure goods depot infrastructure passenger flow at peak hours the former and the latter to lack the capacity needed to have the advantage of speed efficient and secure handling of to recover the cost departing passengers arriving passengers time-sensitive traffic airport tax

4. Subject for self-study: Packaging labels

The End