Introduction
Transport is an integral component of human lives due to its contributions to the movement of individuals. Furthermore, the different forms of transportation, including roadways, railway, water, air, and pipeline transport, enable the accessibility of various places. The principal advantage of transportation is that it ensures accessibility for individuals, freight services, and businesses. Individuals can reach schools, jobs, or markets, whereas businesses can meet with other businesses, suppliers, or potential markets (Brumbaugh et al., 2018). Additionally, transport and other infrastructures in this industry have numerous benefits to a country’s economy and enhance individuals’ and communities’ quality of life. This paper will look at how all forms of transportation positively impact job creation, build communities, and improve the gross domestic growth and the economic level of countries.
Contributions to Job Growth
The transport industry has a significant influence on creating employment opportunities for citizens of a nation. First, people are often employed as drivers, pilots, or captains to transport, including cars, airplanes, ships, or trains. A considerable amount of specialized training is required before one gets licensed to run these transportation machines (Brumbaugh et al., 2018). Individuals are employed as full-time or part-time drivers to these means of transport and thereby acquire wages to meet their daily needs. Moreover, other people are employed as support staff in the transport industry. They include conductors or hostesses who aid in the transit of people using the different forms of transportation (Bastiaanssen, Johnson & Lucas, 2020). People get an income-generating activity in the transport sector. It also provides an avenue for keeping individuals occupied, reducing the dependence on others for their day-to-day needs.
Second, individuals get job opportunities in development plans to increase the coverage system of transport lines. It is estimated that 14 million civilian jobs in the United States are related to the transport sector (Brumbaugh et al., 2018). With an increased emphasis on constructing highways to open up metropolitan areas in the US, many individuals get employment opportunities in the construction industry. This is one of the areas which requires little academic background to function effectively. People tend to acquire the pre-requisite skills and knowledge in the job environment through apprenticeship systems. Individuals from minority groups, including women, Latinos, and African Americans, acquire employment opportunities in these areas with increased transport infrastructure projects (Brumbaugh et al., 2018). These changes often provide decent wages, work benefits, and raises in job ranks for the workers.
Moreover, the transport sector indirectly influences employment opportunities. It enables individuals to reach their worksites to offer services. The majority of people who do not own cars usually utilize public transport services to access their workplaces on time. Furthermore, according to Bastiaanssen et al. (2020), other people are employed to collect revenues in the transport industry. This is instrumental in the generation of taxes necessary for governments in low and middle-income countries to create additional jobs for their citizens. Finally, individuals get employment opportunities in offering maintenance services to the means of transport. Mechanics, gas stations, and car wash services are some of the subsidiary employment opportunities that thrive concerning developments in the transport industry. Therefore, the transport division is a valuable tool for ensuring the accessibility to employment for citizens.
Contributions to the GDP and Economic Growth
Transportation services have numerous impacts on the economy of the country. Transport contributes to the GDP through the demands that accrue transportation services, including fuel and motor vehicles. In 2016, transport services contributed 5.6 percent of the US GDP from value-added services (Brumbaugh et al., 2018). The expenditure on the transport industry contributes to the economic growth of the nation. These expenditures include the cost of fuel, spare parts, lubricants, and motor vehicles. The purchase of these products increases the economic returns from the transport system.
Additionally, millions of jobs are created through spending on transportation programs, which results in income generation necessary for purchasing goods by individuals. People working in the construction industry earn a significant amount of money in purchasing car insurance, foodstuffs, and electronics which contribute to the economic growth of their local market (Bastiaanssen et al., 2020). This money circulates within the vicinity of the transport project.
Moreover, an influential transport industry promotes the productivity of other sectors of the economy. For instance, it offers a framework through which suppliers can relay their products to consumers and retailers. This product movement enables the final consumers to access their required goods to enhance their quality of life. An advanced rail, water, road, or air transport system enables businesspeople to acquire goods from distant places within a reasonable short time (Bastiaanssen et al., 2020). It also enables a country to import easily and export goods vital for economic gains, with reduced cost of transporting products resulting in increased economic gains from the transaction. These financial gains can be channeled to improve other sectors of the economy.
The ease of movement of goods and services is imperative for the economic growth of a place. Furthermore, a sound transport system reduces the time wastage and the cost of moving goods and people. This results in economic gains from time and cash savings due to excellent transport mechanisms. Productivity of goods and services is also enhanced with good transportation leading to improved standards of living. Perishable goods reach their destination in the required quality for optimal financial returns. Nevertheless, transportation promotes connectivity between people from different locations, which is crucial to economic development.
Additionally, non-transport industries rely on effective transport systems for their success. For example, an industry producing cooking oil may rely on railway services to convey goods to the marketplace. A shipping system may also help export products or import raw materials for the industry. It also links the industry to its suppliers and customers, promoting its growth (Brumbaugh et al., 2018). Furthermore, the industry employees depend on transportation to access the industry or return home from the industry.
The transport industry contributes to the efficiency of business functioning and economic growth. First, savings on time due to ideal freight, logistics, and transportation services increase the GDP. For instance, a 5 percent decrease in traveling time in Great Britain led to 0.2 percent improvements in the GDP (Bastiaanssen et al., 2020). Second, the transport system enhances the job catchment area for firms in a particular locality. This is through necessitating the mobility of individuals due to globalization, technological enhancements, and the promotion of women’s employment in the job market.
Furthermore, the international and domestic business environment is promoted through an appropriate transport mechanism. In the UK, there was a rise of 3 percent of the GDP secondary to improved international and domestic trading due to proper transportation of goods and services (Bastiaanssen et al., 2020). Therefore, transport is an effective model for the functioning of business ventures.
Contribution of Transport to Building Communities
Transport has a significant role in promoting the development of communities. It is an integral part of enhancing cohesion, promoting civic engagements and social equality, and upholding the cultural values of societies. First, a proper transport framework enables individuals in a community to interact effectively (Bastiaanssen et al., 2020). It ensures that people move quickly from one place to another to interact and exchange ideas with friends and family members. This is important for enhancing the cohesion and unity of various members of society. It creates unity as individuals can meet and collaboratively solve problems affecting the community.
Proper transport facilities enhance the quality of life of community members. The high-quality road network provides avenues for people to cycle or walks when conducting their duties. An effective transit system motivates families to refrain from relying on costly automobiles for transport. Other alternative means of mobility such as walking, running, or cycling enables individuals to save transport costs (Bastiaanssen et al., 2020). It is also beneficial for promoting excellent health and wellbeing due to engagement in physical activities.
Furthermore, apart from its economic implications, exercising is an effective mode of relieving stress for optimal mental health. Consequently, the decreased reliance on cars for transport frees up spaces in cities set aside for parking. These free spaces are essential areas for establishing other amenities for people to live, play or work. Other advantages of free spaces due to suitable transport environments include reduced carbon emissions promoting optimal air quality, and providing safe travel environments.
Communities acquire economic gains from proper transport systems. The goods and services produced in society get accessibility to ready markets in distant places. For instance, a well-developed air transport enables farmers from a particular community to sell their produce in other regions of the world, thereby getting financial returns useful in other projects in the society. A transport infrastructure also ensures the accessibility of goods and services in the community. This is because business people from other regions can relay their goods and services to society.
Moreover, transportation offers employment opportunities to society members, which gives an income-generating chance to individuals. Job opportunities provide individuals with a channel to keep busy and avoid indulging in unproductive and immoral activities, including crime or prostitution activities (Bastiaanssen et al., 2020). Transport also enables community members to access essential services in the society, including quick access to ambulance services and fire services during emergencies.
Conclusion
Transport is an integral component of the development of individuals, societies, and nations. It provides employment opportunities to individuals who may work as drivers, captains, or pilots. People may also get job choices as support staff in the transport sector as conductors and air hostesses. These job opportunities are significant sources of financial returns for the people employed in this area. Moreover, the transport industry gives a practical framework for business activities between people and organizations in a country. It gives an ideal platform for the exchange of goods and services between industries, suppliers, and customers. It also contributes to enhancing the GDP of nations necessary for other development agendas. Additionally, the quality of life of individuals and communities is improved through effective transport plans and employment opportunities.
References
Bastiaanssen, J., Johnson, D., & Lucas, K. (2020). Does transport help people to gain employment? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the empirical evidence. Transport Reviews, 40(5), 607-628. Web.
Brumbaugh, S., Firestine, T., Notis, K., & Randrianarivelo, S. (2018). Transportation economic trends 2018. Web.