We use various products in our daily life. But do we know where are they produced? Many of them are produced at different places far away from our locality. So how do we get them at our place? These are carried on from all those places through rail, road or air and are made available to us at our locality. You must have seen trucks, tempo, bullock carts etc., which carry products or even raw materials from one place to another. Similarly, you also must have seen people traveling from one place to another by buses, trains, cars, scooters, rickshaws, cycles, etc.
This movement of goods and individuals is very important in business. Because of this, raw materials reach the place of manufacture, finished products reach the place of sale or consumption, individuals move around to manage the business, etc. In this lesson, let us learn how goods and passengers move from one place to another.
Meaning of Transport
Transport refers to the activity that facilitates physical movement of goods as well as individuals from one place to another. In business, it is considered as an auxiliary to trade, that means, it supports trade and industry in carrying raw materials to the place of production and distributing finished products for consumption. Individuals or business firms that engage. Business Studies themselves in such activities are called transporters. Generally, transporters carry raw material, finished products, passangers, etc. from one place to another. So it removes the distance barrier. Now-a-days goods produced at one place are readily available at distant places. People move freely throughout the world because of transport. It is associated with every step of our life. Without transport, we, as well as business units cannot move a singe step. Let us discuss its importance.
Followings are the points of importance of transport.
- Makes available raw materials to manufacturers or producers: Transport makesit possible to carry raw materials from places where they are available, to places where they can be processed and assembled into finished goods.
- Makes available goods to customers: Transport makes possible movement ofgoods from one place to another with great ease and speed. Thus, consumers spread in different parts of the country have the benefit of consuming goods produced at distant places.
- Enhances standard of living: Easy means of transport facilitates large-scaleproduction at low costs. It gives consumers the choice to make use of different quantities of goods at different prices. So it raises the standard of living of the people.
- Helps during emergencies and natural calamities: In times of national crisis, dueto war or internal disturbance, transport helps in quick movement of troops and the supplies needed in the operation.
- Helps in creation of employment: Transport provides employment opportunity toindividuals as drivers, conductors, pilots, cabin crew, captain of the ship, etc. who are directly engaged in transport business. It also provides employment to people indirectly in the industries producing various means of transport and other transport equipments.
People can also provide repairing and maintenance services by opening service centres at convenient locations.
- Helps in labour mobility: Transport helps a lot in providing mobility to workers.You may be aware that people from our country go to foreign countries to work in different industries and factories. Foreigners also come India to work. In India, people also move from one part to another in search of work. Similarly, it is not always possible to have workers near the factory. Most industries have their own transport system to bring the workers from where they reside to the place of work.
- Helps in bringing nations together: Transport facilitates movement of people fromone country to another. It helps in exchange of cultures, views and practices between the people of different countries. This brings about greater understanding among people and awareness about different countries. Thus, it helps to promote a feeling of international brotherhood.
