The ideal (dream) transportation mode is a mode that is fast, free, unlimited capacity, instant and always available.

The general purpose of transportation is to overcome space, which is caused by human and physical constraints such as distance, time, administrative divisions (human/government: a country is divided into local, state, regional government/district/province/council) and topography. Jointly, they confer a friction to any movement, commonly known as the friction of distance. The specic purpose of transportation is to full a demand for mobility, since transportation can only exist if it moves people, freight and information around.

Good/services demand: William buys an iPod from a store, this will likely trigger the replenishment of this product, which will generate demands for activities such as manufacturing, resource extraction and, of course, transport. Direct (transport) derived demand are movements that are directly the outcome of economic activities, without (transportation) which they would not take place. For example, travelling to RMIT university, or travelling to work commonly involve regular travel between your house, and the place of work. For freight transportation, all the components of a supply chain require movements of raw materials, parts and nished products on modes such as trucks, rail, maritime or airplanes. Indirect (transport) derived demand are the movements created by the requirements of other movements. Energy such as fuel consumption is needed for transportation activities, this fuel must be supplied by an energy production system requiring movements from zones of extraction (crude oil) to reneries (processing) and storage facilities and, nally, to places of consumption (petrol station). Warehousing can be labeled as an indirect derived demand since it is a non-movement of a freight element. Warehousing exists because it is impossible (requirement) to move commodities instantly from where they are produced to where they are consumed (other movements), therefore companies require warehouses, and they will hire / use transportation modes to move commodities to these warehouses (movements). Interest in transportation created through: 1. Increased in demand for transportation and its services, especially with the emergence of e-commerce / internet shopping. 2. Lower costs of transportation means greater accessibility for consumers to utilise transportation services, and allows companies to transport goods in further distances because it is no longer expensive to do so. 3. Demands for better infrastructure in order to facilitate the increase in transportation.

Three core relationships and the impedance (another word for friction) to each relationship:

1. Location (the level of spatial accumulation of socio-economic activities jointly denes the demand and where the demand is taking place. Impedance to this is, the accessibility of these nodes where demand exists). 2. Flows (the amount of trafc over a network, and the capacity of infrastructure and linkages to support it. Flows are subject to space constraints, with distance being the most signicant impedance factor).

3. Terminals (The facilities which enable access to the network. Main impedance factor is the capacity of the terminals to support the ows)

Three basic geographic considerations about transport geography:

1. Location (Each location has its own characteristics about a potential supply and/or a demand for resources, products, services or labor. A location will determine the nature, the origin, the destination, the distance and even the possibility of a movement to be realised) 2. Complementarity (If there is a surplus or excess in transportation services in one area, then another area should have a decit or demand for transportation. The only way an equilibrium in supply and demand can exist, is through one area facing a surplus, while another location faces a decit). 3. Scale (Movements generated by complementarity are all happening at different scales). Local and small organisations would be dealing their business most likely on a regional and local scale, whilst multi-national companies like McDonalds would be dealing business on a global scale and in many countries).

Absolute vs. Relative Barriers:

An absolute barrier is a geographical feature that impedes on transportation movement between an origin and a location. If such a barrier exists, then it is almost impossible to pass the barrier without building specic infrastructures. For example, a river means it is impossible for a truck to pass through, therefore a bridge (infrastructure) needs to be built, so the truck can pass through. Land is an absolute barrier for ships because ships cannot go on land. Relative barrier is a geographical feature that doesn't stop movement like absolute barriers, but still creates a friction of movement (slows down movement). This friction may cause companies to decide to specically route their transportation to avoid the friction. Friction examples: road work or 5pm peak trafc on a main road. For maritime, friction could be caused by ice or congested waterways/channels.

Three factors important in shaping the spatial structure (or location):

1. Costs. The spatial distribution of activities is related to factors of distance, namely its friction. Locational decisions are taken in an attempt to minimise costs, often related to transportation. 2. Accessibility. All locations have a level of accessibility, but some are more accessible than others. Thus, because of transportation, some locations are perceived as more valuable than others. 3. Agglomeration. There is a tendency for activities to agglomerate to take advantage of the value of specic locations. The more valuable a location, the more likely agglomeration will take place. The organisation of activities is essentially hierarchical, resulting from the relationships between agglomeration and accessibility at the local, regional and global levels.

Specialisation (absolute advantage). Linked geographical entities are able to specialise in the production of commodities for which they have an advantage, and trading for what they do not produce. As a result, efcient transportation systems are generally linked with higher levels of regional specialisation.

Geographical Segregation. Five locations are linked by a transportation network; one hub and four feeders. Without trade (left part), each location has the same importance. With trade (right part), a process of geographical segregation becomes possible. The hub location may see the convergence of movements and thus increase its importance, while the feeder locations may experience a decline. The reinforcement of one location will be at the expense of other locations, but the benets of this is through economies of scale, which eventually reduces overall average costs. This model is similar to the hub-and-spoke model in airlines.