ETS Chapter 1 & 2 Flashcards
What is the main service provided by the transport industry?
The transport industry provides a service to transport buyers by moving goods and passengers.
Example: A logistics company transports packages from one city to another.
Why does the transport industry have a different cost structure than other industries?
The transport industry has high fixed costs and large overcapacity, leading to fluctuating demand.
Example: Airlines have to maintain aircraft even if flights are not fully booked.
What is the role of information technology in transport systems?
It helps control goods, vehicles, and carriers by using vertical and horizontal information systems.
Example: A GPS tracking system helps monitor trucks in real-time.
What are some restrictions that impact transport systems?
Laws (permits, weight limits), environmental restrictions (emission limits), and company strategies (focusing only on package transport).
Example: A company may only transport refrigerated goods due to its business model.
How do goods differ from services?
Goods are material and can be stored, while services are non-material and consumed at the time of production.
Example: A car is a good, but a taxi ride is a service.
What is a node in a transport network?
A geographic point where goods are loaded, unloaded, sorted, or stored.
Example: A shipping port where containers are transferred between ships and trucks.
What are the three types of nodes in a transport system?
Source (starting point of goods flow), Sink (destination), and Transshipment node (transfer point).
Example: A warehouse acting as a transshipment node between trucks and trains.
What is a link in a transport network?
A connection between nodes representing the movement of goods. Example: A highway connecting two cities for truck transport.
What is the difference between a physical and an abstract network?
Physical networks show actual transport paths, while abstract networks represent demand between suppliers and customers. Example: A shipping lane is a physical network, while a supply chain model is an abstract network.
What is cycle-time in transport?
The total time taken for an assignment, including link time and node time.
Example: A truck takes 6 hours to deliver goods and spends 2 hours unloading, making a total cycle-time of 8 hours.
What is the transshipment function of a node?
It allows goods to be transferred between different transport modes, bridging gaps in frequency, capacity, and cycle-time.
Example: A train station where cargo is transferred from rail to truck for last-mile delivery.
