TRANSPORTATION

Transport or transportation is the movement of humans, animals and goods from one location

to another. Modes of transport include air, land (rail and road), water, cable, pipeline and

space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles and operations.

Transportation is the movement of goods and persons from place to place and the various

means by which such movement is accomplished. The growth of the ability—and the need—

to transport large quantities of goods or numbers of people over long distances at high speeds

in comfort and safety has been an index of civilization and in particular of technological

progress.

Transportation is treated in a number of articles. For the major types of propulsion used in

modern forms of transportation, see energy conversion. For forms of transportation for

military applications, see military technology. For the engineering infrastructure on which

transportation systems depend, see roads and highways; bridge; canals and inland

waterways; harbours and sea works; lighthouse; tunnels and underground excavations. For

the place of transportation in law, see air law; carriage of goods; maritime law.

East Indiaman, large sailing vessel of the type built from the 16th to the 19th century for the

trade between Europe and southern Asia. The first were Portuguese and Dutch; English

Indiamen appeared late in the 16th century and eventually came to dominate the trade. The

ships varied in size from about 400 to 1,500 tons and more; often they were larger than

contemporary men-of-war. They were three-masted and invariably well armed for protection

against piracy.
 1. DESCRIBE HISTORY OF TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IN ETHIOPIA?

History of transportation in Ethiopia in Brief Historic chronicles of the 17th and 18th

centuries show that there were a number of small roads trails and foot paths, in addition to the

traditional shoulder porter age, animals like mules, donkeys and horses and camels were used

as a means of transportation in Ethiopia.

ROAD

The history of the Ethiopian road network goes back to the very beginning of the Ethiopian

state. This origin can be related to the reign of Emperor Tewodros (1855-68), who succeeded

in fragmenting the traditionally feudal system and in centralizing political power. Although

the establishment of a professional and disciplined state army is seen today as Tewodros main

achievement, he was also the pioneer of road construction in Ethiopia. Associated with his

intention to expand the (northern highland) empire, he recognized the strategic and political

importance of roads. Consequently, a relatively small-scale road network was constructed

and enabled the Emperor to rapidly move his troops to the centres of rebellion in the

conquered areas .

Early in the twentieth century, the first modern roads were constructed between Addis Ababa

and Addis Alam, and between Harar and Dire Dawa.

This was done with the assistance of Italian and French engineers respectively. Other roads

followed in the next few years.

Road-building was an especially significant development in the Ethiopian context, for it

marked an important step towards economic and political unity, as well as the breaking down

of parochial ways of thinking.

likens the Addis Ababa-Addis Alma road to those of the ferenge, or Europeans. The British

Ethiopicist Armsbruster, however, roundly declared: “The fact is the Abyssinians object to

the construction of roads.”

In support of this statement he explains that Menilek had sent an engineer to Semien to

improve the track, but that the local ruler, Dejazmach Gessesse, had “put so many obstacles

in his way that he had to return without affecting anything.” The Dejazmach, we are told, had

the full support of the local population, who declared, “If this road is improved, it will be all

the easier for the Moslems and heathen to come up and attack us.”

In the late 19th century, the city of Addis Ababa, founded in 1887 replaced the northern

highland as the geographical centre of political power. Clam uses a centre-periphery concept

and points to the importance of overcoming physical distance for communication within the

empire. He explains that the peripheral position of regions and communities, their political

and economic incorporation.

However, Tewodros’ successors also paid great attention to road construction, especially

Menilek II (1889-1913) and his province governors. During the reign of Haile Selassie

(1930-36), the capital-cantered (Addis Ababa), road network was intensified and

modernized.
 BRIDGE

The first of these innovations was the erection of a bridge over the Awash River, in 1886, by

Menilek’s Swiss engineer, Alfred Ilg.

This, however, was not the first such edifice built in nineteenth century Ethiopia. A couple of

years earlier, in 1884, King TaklaHaymanot of Gojam had erected a bridge over the

TamchiRiver, a tributary of the Blue Nile. It was constructed under the direction of an Italian,

Count Salimbeni, and was a miracle of improvisation. Salimbeni recalls that the workers did

not take readily to the discipline of manual work. However, the King, anxious to forward the

project, himself lent a hand. By carrying stones he succeeded in breaking down the general

reluctance to engage in manual work.

The supply problem was also difficult. Limestone had to be carried a distance of three days’

journey. Trowels were made out of the engineers’ frying pans, hammers out of local ploughs,

and rope out of twisted cow gut, while bamboos were set in straw-strengthened mud to serve

as scaffolding.

Notwithstanding the success of the Tamchi Bridge there is said to have been much discussion

before Menilek’s Awash Bridge was subsequently decided upon.

According to Ilg, who may however exaggerated the extent of the opposition in order to

enhance his own role in the proceedings, Menilek was at first skeptical when the Swiss

engineer proposed the erection of a bridge without poles.

Ilg therefore constructed a toy model to demonstrate his idea, but the King hit it with his fist,

whereupon it fell to pieces. A second model shared the same fate, but a third, which was

stronger than its predecessors, withstood the royal fist, whereupon orders were given for

construction to begin.

Ilg describes the building operations in a humorous, though revealing, letter which is

reminiscent of Salimbeni efforts at improvisation of a few years earlier. “Shoa,” he writes,

shoulders. For the bridgeheads I had to square up the stones on the spot. I even had to burn

coal in order to forge the nails, rivets, screws and bolts required. Add to this a tropical sun

with all its dangers, heavy rains with resultant dysentery, intermittent fever, and cyclones

which almost pulled out my beard and carried the tent in all directions. At night the hyenas

almost stole our leather pillows from under our heads, jackals and other rabble plundered the

kitchen and obliged me to obtain respect with strychnine.”

Ilg’s wooden bridge was soon afterwards destroyed in local fighting, but was at once replaced

by a second. When this wore out two French engineers, Stevenin and Trouillet, erected a steel

footbridge.

The construction work once again was by no means easy. The girders, Trouillet observed,

were brought up from Djibouti with “great difficulty,” and to make matters worse, the King

had used for other purposes the cement sent from Europe with the result that the engineers

had to make their own lime from stone brought from Minjar province, a distance of three

days’ journey away.

The construction of the Awash Bridge was followed, in the next few decades, by numerous

other bridges in other parts of the country.

Early in the twentieth century the old bridge over the Blue Nile was repaired. Menilek’s

chronicler, GabraSellassie, comments, doubtless also with some exaggeration, that hitherto

no one had dared to cross the river during the ruins, but that henceforth everyone walked

across in safety, and blessed those who had built the bridge. They supposedly declared: “May

the Lord Give long life to Menilek and Taitu! May power remain with their descendants!

May their Kingdom flourish eternally like the plants at the edge of the water?”
A similar sentiment, it is interesting to note, was recalled to the present writer half a century

or so later by DagnewKendi, a student from Begemder. He reported that he once saw an old

woman crossing the seventeenth century bridge of Fasiladas over the AngarebRiver near

Gondar. As she crossed, the water suddenly rose, whereupon she cried out, “King Fasil is

dead, gone forever, never to come back and see Gondar. But what he has done for us remains

a symbol of the dedication and love he had for Gondar. If it had not been for him I would

have joined my ancestors. God bless his soul! ”

She, for one, seems to have appreciated that innovation!

Ethiopia’s early bridges were considered almost sacrosanct. Because of the difficulty, and

expense, of construction and maintenance, the rule was established for most bridges that they

should be used only during the rains, when it was not possible to ford the river. At all other

times the bridges were barricaded and, closed to the public.

RAILWAY

The Ethiopian railway was built by the French to facilitate the transport of merchandise

which previously had to be carried on the backs of animals. Taking into account the natural

topography of this country and the lack of proper roads it was extremely difficult to transport

goods from central Ethiopia to the ports of the Red Sea, and merchants spent months

travelling from Addis Ababa to Massawa, Zeila or Berbera, which put a crimp on the export

of goods from Ethiopia. Not only did the Ethiopian railway contribute to bring the country

out of its centuries-old isolation from the rest of the world but it also played an important role

in changing the social relations between the Ethiopian nations. Even though the railway line

had limited transport possibilities because of the gauge (950 mm) and enormous differences

in level, it became the most important thoroughfare of Ethiopia for many decades.
Menilek’s reign also witnessed the advent of the railway, the bicycle, the steam roller and the

motor car. A concession for the construction of a railway from the Ethiopian capital to the

French Somali port of Djibouti was granted by Menilek to Ilg as early as March 1894.

The technical, financial and political difficulties involved were, however, so great that the

line, which was constructed largely with French capital and skill, did not reach Dire Dawa

until the end of 1902, and Aqaqi, 23 kilometres from Addis Ababa, until 1915.

The first train services from the coast to the capital were inaugurated only in 1917.

AIRPORTS

Distance, terrain, and an underdeveloped road system made air transport an important part of

Ethiopia's transportation network. Ethiopian Airlines (EAL), a government-owned

corporation that began operations in l946, provided domestic and international air service.

The airline served some forty-five cities and towns in Ethiopia and operated international

flights that, in early 1991, included service to twenty-one cities in eighteen African countries;

to western European destinations such as London, Paris, Frankfurt, Rome, and Athens; and to

India and China. Many international and several regional airlines also provided regular

service between Ethiopia and other countries.

International airports were located at Addis Ababa, Asmera, and Dire Dawa. Addis Ababa's

Bole International Airport served more than l95000 passengers in EFY l986/87, while the

Asmera and Dire Dawa airports handled l08000 and 8l000 passengers, respectively, during

the same period. Bole International Airport and the airport at Asmera were capable of

handling larger aircraft, such as the Boeing 747.

profitable African airlines. EAL also had provided training and maintenance services to more

than a dozen other African and Middle Eastern airlines. In late 1986, EAL assembled the first

agro-aircraft to support the nation's agricultural development and the agro-aviational needs of

other African countries. New facilities included an expanded catering network, a gas

production plant, and base maintenance shops for ground equipment. EAL also had an

ongoing program to automate airline activities such as maintenance and engineering, ticket

accounting, and crew and corporate data management

Although it refrained from interfering in EAL operations, the government opposed the

airline's plans to expand into areas such as hotel construction and management, tourism, and

catering, which the government reserved for state corporations, which operated at a loss. In

June 1989, EAL announced plans to spend US$l.2 billion on new aircraft; in early 1991, EAL

received Western credits to acquire five new Boeing 757s and to refinance two Boeing 767s.

There were an estimated 84 airports in 2005, only 14 of which had paved runways as of 2005.

The Addis Ababa Airport handles international jet transportation. Before the Ethiopian civil

war, the national carrier, Ethiopian Airlines, flew to numerous African, Asian, and European

cities, and had sole rights on domestic air traffic. In 2003, about 1.147 million passengers

were carried on domestic and international flights.

Cities are locations having a high level of accumulation and concentration of economic

activities. They are complex spatial structures supported by infrastructures, including

transport systems .The larger a city the greater its complexity and the potential for

disruptions, particularly when this complexity is not effectively managed. Urban productivity

is highly dependent on the efficiency of its transport system to move labor, consumers, and

freight between multiple origins and destinations. Additionally, transport terminals such as

ports, airports, and railways are located within urban areas, help anchor a city within a

regional and global mobility system. Still, they are also contributing to a specific array of

challenges. Some challenges are ancient, like congestion (which plagued cities such as

Rome), while others are new like urban freight distribution or environmental impacts.

Traffic congestion and parking difficulties

Congestion is one of the most prevalent transport challenges in large urban agglomerations.

Although congestion can occur in all cities, it is particularly prevalent above a threshold of

about 1 million inhabitants. Congestion is particularly linked with motorization and the

diffusion of the automobile, which has increased the demand for transport infrastructures.

However, the supply of infrastructures has often not been able to keep up with mobility

growth. Since vehicles spend the majority of the time parked, motorization has expanded

the demand for parking space, which has created footprint problems, particularly in central

areas where the footprint of parked vehicles is significant. By the 21st century, drivers are

three times more likely to be affected by congestion than in the latter part of the 20th century.
Longer commuting

On par with congestion, people are spending an increasing amount of time commuting

between their residence and workplace. An important factor behind this trend is related to

residential affordability as housing located further away from central areas (where most of

the employment remains) is more affordable. Therefore, commuters are exchanging

commuting time for housing affordability. However, long commuting is linked with several

social problems, such as isolation (less time spent with family or friends), as well as poorer

health (obesity). Time spent during commuting is at the expense of other economic and social

activities. However, information technologies have allowed commuters to perform a variety

of tasks while travelling.

Public transport inadequacy

Many public transit systems, or parts of them, are either over or underused since the demand

for public transit is subject to periods of peaks and troughs. During peak hours, crowdedness

creates discomfort for users as the system copes with a temporary surge in demand. This

creates the challenge of the provision of an adequate level of transit infrastructures and

service levels. Planning for peak capacity leaves the system highly under-used during off-

peak hours, while planning for an average capacity will lead to congestion during peak hours.

Difficulties for non-motorized transport

These difficulties are either the outcome of intense traffic, where the mobility of pedestrians,

bicycles, and other non-motorized vehicles is impaired, but also because of a blatant lack of

consideration for pedestrians and bicycles in the physical design of infrastructures and

facilities. On the opposite side, the setting of bicycle paths takes capacity away from

roadways as well as parking space. A negative outcome would be to allocate more space for
non-motorized transport than the actual mobility demand, which would exacerbate

congestion.

Loss of public space

Most roads are publicly owned and free of access. Increased traffic has adverse impacts on

public activities, which once crowded the streets such as markets, agoras, parades and

processions, games, and community interactions. These have gradually disappeared to be

replaced by automobiles. In many cases, these activities have shifted to shopping malls, while

in other cases, they have been abandoned altogether. Traffic flows influence the life and

interactions of residents and their usage of street space. More traffic impedes social

interactions and street activities. People tend to walk and cycle less when traffic is high.

High infrastructure maintenance costs

Cities facing the aging of their transport infrastructure have to assume growing maintenance

costs as well as pressures to upgrade to more modern infrastructure. In addition to the

involved costs, maintenance and repair activities create circulation disruptions. Delayed

maintenance is rather common since it conveys the benefit of keeping current costs low, but

at the expense of higher future costs and, on some occasions, the risk of infrastructure failure.

The more extensive the road and highway network, the higher the maintenance cost and its

financial burden. The same applies to public transit infrastructure that requires a system-wide

maintenance strategy.

Environmental impacts and energy consumption

Pollution, including noise generated by circulation, has become an impediment to the quality

of life and even the health of urban populations. Further, energy consumption by urban
transportation has dramatically increased, and so the dependency on petroleum. These

considerations are increasingly linked with peak mobility expectations where high energy

prices incite a shift towards more efficient and sustainable forms of urban transportation,

namely public transit. There are pressures to “decarbonizes” urban transport systems,

particularly with the diffusion of alternative energy sources such as electric vehicles.

Accidents and safety

The growth in the intensity of circulation in urban areas is linked with a growing number of,

accidents and fatalities, especially in developing economies. Accidents account for a

significant share of recurring delays from congestion. As traffic increases, people feel less

safe to use the streets. The diffusion of information technologies leads to paradoxical

outcomes. While users have access to reliable location and navigation information, portable

devices create distractions linked with a rise of accidents for drivers and pedestrians alike.

Land footprint

The footprint of transportation is significant, particularly for the automobile. Between 30 and

60% of a metropolitan area may be devoted to transportation, an outcome of the over-reliance

on infrastructures supporting road transportation. Yet, this footprint also underlines the

strategic importance of transportation in the economic and social welfare of cities as mobility

is a sign of efficiency and prosperity.

Freight distribution

Globalization and the materialization of the economy have resulted in growing quantities of

freight moving within cities. As freight traffic commonly shares infrastructures supporting

the circulation of passengers, the mobility of freight in urban areas has become increasingly
controversial. The growth of e-commerce and home deliveries has created additional

pressures in the urban mobility of freight. City logistics strategies can be established to

mitigate the variety of challenges faced by urban freight distribution. Many dimensions to the

urban transport challenge are linked with the dominance of the automobile.

Automobile Dependency

Automobile use is related to a variety of advantages, such as on-demand mobility, comfort,

status, speed, and convenience. These advantages jointly illustrate why automobile ownership

continues to grow worldwide, especially in urban areas and developing economies. When

given a choice and the opportunity, most individuals will prefer using an automobile. Several

factors influence the growth of the total vehicle fleet, such as sustained economic growth

(increase in income and quality of life), complex individual urban movement patterns (many

households have more than one automobile), more leisure time, and suburbanization (areas

where mobility options are limited). Therefore, rising automobile mobility can be perceived

as a positive consequence of economic development. The automotive sector, particularly car

manufacturing, is a factor of economic growth and job creation, with several economies

actively promoting it.

3. WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS OF TRANSPORTATION SECTOR IN ETHIOPIANS

ECONOMY?

The transport sector has been playing a crucial role in reducing transaction cost for

transporting goods and commodities in different parts of the nations. As part of the service

sector, it contributes its own share to the GDP. And there are several stakeholders who are

directly or indirectly engaged in the sector to play positive roles for the sector's development.

The sector plays a great role in stimulating economic growth but there are numerous

shortcomings which hamper the sector not to unleash its full potential. Among these, the
importation of technically inefficient old cars which served for more than 20 years. These

cars do not only affect the traffic system but also pollute the environment through the release

of emission gas to the environment. In connection to this, the high fuel consumption character

of the vehicles increases the nation's oil importing bills.

Sound transportation investments lower the costs of moving people and goods. This

increases economic productivity, which roughly can be measured as the output of goods and

services per dollar of private and public investment. And improved productivity leads to a

higher standard of living.

The research investigations revealed that the key determinants that significantly affected

the economic growth of Ethiopia, as per their order of significance, include physical capital,

exogenous factors (foreign aid, external debt and foreign direct investment), demographics,

trade, human capital, fiscal policy.

The air transport industry, including airlines and its supply chain, are estimated to support US

$1.54 billion of GDP in Ethiopia. Spending by foreign tourists supports a further US $2.61

billion of the country's GDP, totalling to US $4.15 billion.

ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT IN THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR.

It is estimated that more than half of Ethiopia's produce is transported by pack animals,

reflecting the inadequacy of the country's road network and the rugged terrain. About 75% of

Ethiopian farms are more than a one-day walk to the nearest road. Transport in Ethiopia is

overseen by the Ministry of Transport and Communications. Over the last years, the

Ethiopian federal authorities have significantly increased funding for rail and road

construction to build an infrastructure that allows better economic development.

RAILWAYS

Ethiopia is building a standard gauge railway network, the National Railway Network of

Ethiopia, planned to consist of up to 5,000 km of railways in a number of years. The railway

network serves a strategic goal to allow Ethiopia Railways Current railways in Ethiopia:

Addis Ababa–Djibouti Awash–Hara Gebeya–Mek'ele sustainable and stable economic

development. The railway network's primary purpose is then both to connect landlocked

Ethiopia to the world market by ensuring a seamless access to one or several sea ports for

trade and for transporting most imports and exports.

The rail transport of goods appears favourable – if compared to road transport – in terms of

volume, costs, safety and speed of transportation for both imports and exports. The primary

port for Ethiopia is the Port of Djibouti in Djibouti. More than 95% of Ethiopia's trade passes

through Djibouti. The port of Djibouti is served by one international railway, the electrified

standard gauge 756 km long Addis Ababa – Djibouti Railway (of which 656 km run in

Ethiopia). This railway has officially been opened in October 2016. It allows passenger

transport and a travel time from Addis Ababa to Djibouti City in less than twelve hours with

a designated speed of 120 km/hour. Another railway is the Awash – Hara Gebeya Railway.
This second railway links Addis Ababa and the Addis Ababa – Djibouti Railway with the

north of Ethiopia. It allows both freight and passenger transport. A train ride from Addis

Ababa to the twin cities of Kombolcha and Dessie is possible in around six hours with a

designated speed of 120 km/hour.

LIGHT RAIL TRANSPORT IN ADDIS ABABA

The Ethiopian Railways Corporation began construction of the double track electrified light

rail transit project in December 2011 after securing funds from the Export-Import Bank of

China. Trial operations were begun on 1 February 2015, with several months of testing

following that. It is operated by the Shenzhen Metro Group. Overview Light Rail Traffic

Circle (Mexico Square) Urael Station Of the two line rail lines, the east-west line extends

17.4 kilometres (10.8 mi), stretching from Ayat Village to Torhailoch, and passing through

Megenagna, Meskel Square, Legehar and Mexico Square.

The north-south line, which is 16.9 kilometres (10.5 mi) in length, passes through Menilek II

Square, Merkato, Lideta, Legehar, Meskel Square, Gotera and Kaliti. However, two lines

have a common track of about 2.7 km.

ROADS

Road projects now represent covers around a quarter of the annual infrastructure budget of

the Ethiopian federal government. Additionally, through the Road Sector Development

Program (RSDP), the government has earmarked $4 billion to construct, repair and upgrade

roads over the next decade. An auto transporter passes along a highway in the Lake Beseka

region of central Ethiopia As the first part of a 10-year Road Sector Development Program,

between 1997 and 2002 the Ethiopian government began a sustained effort to improve its

infrastructure of roads. As a result, as of 2002 Ethiopia has a total (federal and regional)
33,297 km of roads, both paved and gravel. The share of federally managed roads in good

quality improved from 14% in 1995 to 31% in 2002 as a result of this program, and to 89% in

2009 [6] the road density increased from 21 km per 1000 km2 (in 1995) to 889 km; per 1000

km2 (in 2009) however, this is much greater than the average of 50 km per 1000 km2 for

Africa. The Ethiopian government had begun the second part of the Road Sector

Development Program, which was completed in 2007. These had involved the upgrading or

construction of over 7,500 km of roads, with the goal of improving the average road density

for Ethiopia to 35 km per 1000 km2, and reduce the proportion of the country area that is

more than 5 km from an all-weather road from 75% to 70%.

According to the Government of Ethiopia, it has spent over 600 billion birr (US$50 billion,

€30 billion) on infrastructure since 1990.total (regional and federal): 144,391 km (2009)

asphalt: 120,381 km (2009) (89% of the roads in Ethiopia is asphalt) gravel: 11,023 km

(2009) (11% of the roads in Ethiopia is gravel) maintained by Regional government: 86,580

km (2009) Major roads include:

 North east from Addis Ababa 853 km via Adama and Awash to Bure on Eritrean

border

 North from Addis Ababa 1071 km via Dessie, Mek'ele and Adigrat to Axum

 North West from Addis Ababa across the Blue Nile at Dejen and again at Bahir Dar

east around Lake Tana 737 km to Gondar. Designated part of the Cairo-Cape Town

Trans-African Highway 4 (TAH 4)

 West from Addis Ababa 445 km via Nekemte to Gimbi

 West from Addis Ababa 510 km via Jimma to Metu

 South west from Jimma 216 km to MizanTeferi

between Mojo and Shashamane is designated part of the Cairo-Cape Town Trans-

African Highway 4 (TAH 4).

 South from Shashamane 214 km via Awasa to Hagere Mariam. Designated part of the

Cairo-Cape Town Trans-African Highway 4 (TAH 4).

 South from Adama 77 km to Asella

 East from Awash 572 km via Harar and Jijiga to Degehabur

EXPRESSWAYS

Addis Ababa–Adama Expressway at Adama The Addis Ababa–Adama Expressway was

completed in 2014 as the first expressway in Ethiopia. In December 2015, construction began

on a second expressway between Awasa and Mojo, where it will connect to the existing

expressway. In addition, the Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) has undertaken a three-year

project to upgrade over 370 km of roads in the country. Contracts have been signed with the

Ethiopian Defence Construction, China Railway Engineering, Eney Construction, China

Wuyi, Yotek Construction and FAL General Contractor.

PORTS AND HARBORS

Ethiopia is landlocked and was by agreement with Eritrea using the ports of Asseb and

Massawa until 1997; since the Eritrean-Ethiopian War, Ethiopia has used the port of Djibouti

for nearly all of its imports. Ethiopia increasingly relies on inland dry ports for distributing

cargo, after cargo arrived from Djibouti. The main Ethiopian dry port is Mojo dry port.
 AIRPORT

There were an estimated 84 airports in 2005, only 14 of which had paved runways as of 2005.

The Addis Ababa Airport handles international jet transportation. It is the main hub of

Ethiopian Airlines, the national airline that serves destinations in Ethiopia and throughout the

African continent, as well as nonstop service to Asia, Europe, North America and South

America. The airport is also the base of the Ethiopian Aviation Academy. As of June 2018,

nearly 450 flights per day were departing from and arriving at the airport. Ethiopian Airlines

Boeing 757-23N at Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa (2008) in 2018, about 12 million

passengers were carried on domestic and international flights.

Future plan of Ethiopian government in transportation sector

.According to the Ministry, the ten year documented plan has six main objectives

 Provision of all integrated equitable and accessible transport infrastructure,

 Ensuring safe transportation services,

 Integrated fair and accessible transport,

 Efficient and reliable logistics services,

 Establishing transport services resilience of environment and

 Increasing the sector’s implementation capacity.

OVERLAPPING FACTORS, DISCUSS THOSE FREQUENTLY OVERLAPPING

FACTORS?

Transportation develops because of several and frequently overlapping factors. From the

many, the following are important:

 Economic Factors

Almost all transport development is economic in origin. The chief preoccupation of the first

human was the procurement of food, shelter and sometimes clothing. As they become more

highly developed their needs increased, often beyond what their local economy could supply.

Means of transporting goods from distant places had to be devised, adding to the costs of the

goods thereby secured. The need for transporting individuals over wider areas also arose.

Increasing transportation productivity and lower unit costs have occurred over the years as

the system of transportation becomes more highly developed and complex.

 Geographical Factor

Geography is closely related to economics. The geographical location of natural resources

determines the transport routes that gives access to those resources and create economic

utility, that is, time and place utility, by taking them from a location where they have little

values to processing and consuming areas where their values is vastly increased.

 Political Polices

Political polices frequently play a deciding role in transport development. Basically is in a

way to form integrated political system and control.

The military might of a nation is primarily intended to support its political polices and to

provide for national defence. Consequently, often it has direct influence on transport

development.

 Technological Factor

Progress in direct and supporting technologies has played an obvious role in transportation,

for instance introduction of new economical transportation mode to the exist system calls for

the development of transportation

 Competition

The competitive urges have given a powerful impetus to transport development. Railroads

compete with railroad also with trucks, barges, pipelines and airlines. Airlines have counted

heavily on speed but have also been forced to greater safety and dependability to meet ground

transport competition. No less real is the competition between products and industries

tributary to transport. Bituminous material competes with concrete as the road surface. Diesel

won steam but may face competition with electricity.

 Urbanization

The rapid growth of urban areas by an even more rapidly expanding population is a

phenomenon that cannot be overlooked among transport development factors. Accessibility

to land and the intensity of land use are closely related to transport availability.
 6, THE SOCIAL LIFE AND SOCIAL PATTERN OF A COMMUNITY IS SEVERELY
AFFECTED AFTER THE INTRODUCTION SOME TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES,
DESCRIBE DIFFERENT MODE OF TRANSPORTATION IN ETHIOPIA AND
DISCUSS ITS PROS AND CONS.

Transport modes are the means by which people and freight achieve mobility. They fall into

one of three basic types, depending on over what surface they travel land (road, rail and

pipelines), water (shipping), and air. Each mode is characterized by a set of technical,

operational and commercial characteristics.

 Road transportation

Road infrastructures are large consumers of space with the lowest level of physical

constraints among transportation modes. However, physiographical constraints are significant

in road construction with substantial additional costs to overcome features such as rivers or

rugged terrain. Road transportation has an average operational flexibility as vehicles can

serve several purposes but are rarely able to move outside roads. Road transport systems have

high maintenance costs, both for the vehicles and infrastructures. They are mainly linked to

light industries where rapid movements of freight in small batches are the norm. Yet, with

containerization, road transportation has become a crucial link in freight distribution.

Advantages

 Less Capital Outlay

 Door to Door Service

 Service in Rural Areas

 Flexible Service

 Suitable for Short Distance

 Lesser Risk of Damage in Transit

 Saving in Packing Cost

 Rapid Speed
  Less Cost

 Private Owned Vehicles

 Feeder to other Modes of Transport

Disadvantages:

 Seasonal Nature

 Accidents and Breakdowns

 Unsuitable for Long Distance and Bulky Traffic

 Slow Speed

  Lack of Organization

 The road transport is comparatively less organized. More often, it is irregular and

undependable. The rates charged for transportation are also unstable and unequal.

 Rail transportation

Railways are composed of traced paths on which are bound vehicles. They have an average

level of physical constrains linked to the types of locomotives and a low gradient is required,

particularly for freight. Heavy industries are traditionally linked with rail transport systems,

although containerization has improved the flexibility of rail transportation by linking it with

road and maritime modes. Rail is by far the land transportation mode offering the highest

capacity with a 23,000 tons fully loaded coal unit train being the heaviest load ever carried.

 Maritime transportation

Because of the physical properties of water conferring buoyancy and limited friction,

maritime transportation is the most effective mode to move large quantities of cargo over

long distances. Main maritime routes are composed of oceans, coasts, seas, lakes, rivers and

channels. However, due to the location of economic activities maritime circulation takes

place on specific parts of the maritime space, particularly over the North Atlantic and the

North Pacific. The construction of channels, locks and dredging are attempts to facilitate
maritime circulation by reducing discontinuity. Comprehensive inland waterway systems

include Western Europe, the Volga / Don System, St. Lawrence / Great Lakes system, the

Mississippi and its tributaries, the Amazon, the Panama / Paraguay and the interior of China.

Maritime transportation has high terminal costs, since port infrastructures are among the most

expensive to build, maintain and improve. High inventory costs also characterize maritime

transportation. More than any other mode, maritime transportation is linked to heavy

industries, such as steel and petrochemical facilities adjacent to port sites.

Advantages:

 Low Cost

 Larger Capacity

 Flexible Service

 Safety

Disadvantages:

 Slow

 Limited Area of Operation

 Seasonal Character

 Unreliable

 Unsuitable for Small Business

 Air transportation

Air routes are practically unlimited, but they are denser over the North Atlantic, inside North

America and Europe and over the North Pacific. Air transport constraints are

multidimensional and include the site (a commercial plane needs about 3,300 meters of

runway for landing and takeoff), the climate, fog and aerial currents. Air activities are linked
to the tertiary and quaternary sectors, notably finance and tourism, which lean on the long

distance mobility of people. More recently, air transportation has been accommodating

growing quantities of high value freight and is playing a growing role in global logistics.

Advantages:

 High Speed

 Comfortable and Quick Services

 No Investment in Construction of Track

 No Physical Barriers

 Easy Access

 Emergency Services

 Quick Clearance

 Most Suitable for Carrying Light Goods of High Value

 National Defense

 Space Exploration

Disadvantages:

 Very Costly

 Small Carrying Capacity

 Uncertain and Unreliable

 Breakdowns and Accidents

 Large Investment

 Specialized Skill

 Unsuitable for Cheap and Bulky Goods

 Legal Restrictions
Reference
www.transportgeography.org

www.Wikipedia.org

www.allafrica.com

www.linchpinseo.com

www.linkethiopia.org

Ministry of transportation

Ethiopian road authority