Sometimes when designing a vehicle, controversial design elements are created that are not convenient, not practical, and look terrible aesthetically. Unfortunately, these things don't just happen to non-premium car brands. There are many luxury cars on the market that also have the most unusual and worst flaws in their design. conducted an analysis of various forums where people talk about the experience of driving their car. Based on the results of the study, we offer you the worst car design flaws faced by car owners in cars.

9) Rusting brake discs and drums

Marvelous. It's the 21st century - and the century of new innovations in the chemical industry. But, despite the progress of mankind, automakers still equip cars with brake discs and drums that have rust properties. It is noteworthy that the wheels rust even in many premium cars, for which their owners paid a lot of money.

Is it really impossible to come up with something so that the rust on the brake discs does not spoil the appearance of the car. Actually this a big problem, since rust not only spoils the appearance of the vehicle, but can also cause damage.

8) Subaru EJ Engine Head Gasket

If yours has a lot of mileage, then it may be time to change the head gasket. If on most cars, this will not be a big deal, then for owners of Subaru cars with EJ series engines (especially for those who have a 2.5 liter boxer engine), this is a huge headache and rather big expense.

The fact is, despite the fact that the manufacturer claims that it changes without removing the engine from the car, nevertheless, having looked at all the forums dedicated to this brand, we saw that usually the engine must be removed from the engine compartment to replace the head gasket.

But, after changing the head gasket, Subaru owners with EJ engines should not lose their vigilance. The fact is that the design of these motors leaves much to be desired and it is not uncommon when even a new pressure gasket breaks through and the car starts to warm up.

7) Audi GPS / Cup holder controls

The engineers and designers decided why not place the navigation control system next to the cup holder, which is located under the lid. This is a terrible decision. It seems that the designers urgently needed to place the control unit somewhere and they did not come up with anything better than to take out the ashtray and place the electronic control unit for the navigation system next to the cup holder in its place.

Interestingly, did anyone think about the safety of the electronic unit, which can be damaged due to spillage of liquid from a glass that can stand in a cup holder.

6) Placement of the steering in the Reyonnah car

Another terrible thing the automaker has done. This is located almost in a horizontal position in the Reyonnah car. Also, despite the size of the car, the steering wheel does not match the size of the interior of the car. As a result, the steering wheel almost completely covers the instrument panel.

If you get into the car, then you will have the feeling that you got into a children's electric car.

5) Stop/Start button Lincoln MKC

Notice the Lincoln MKC car button. Imagine that you want to turn on the sport mode (indicated by the Latin letter "S" in the photo) and your finger slips onto the stop-start touch button. As a result, you risk that your car will stall in motion.

This is Lincoln's worst mistake ever. As a result, the manufacturer, due to the potential danger of the location of the button, decided to move the stop-start function to another place.

4) Nissan GT-R Transmission Problems

If you have a car that is basically built for speed, then you will definitely want to test the car to its full potential. But the worst thing is that sometimes a car designed for sports use breaks down due to speed. But that's not even terrible. The worst thing is when the manufacturer refuses the owner for a breakdown that happened due to speed in a car built for speed.

Don't believe what it is, maybe. But, in the history of the automotive industry, this really happened and is still happening.

For example, car owners around the world have experienced transmission failure due to aggressive driving more than once. As a result, they were denied free warranty repair due to improper use of the machine. But fortunately, everything changed when the unfortunate owners got together and filed a class action lawsuit in the United States to. Having won in court, all car owners of Nissan GT-R cars can sleep peacefully. The court ordered the company to fix gearbox damage free of charge, despite the fact that owners use their cars for sports driving in an aggressive mode.

3) Problems with the timing belt in the V6 Alfa Romeo engine

Imagine that there are car owners with mechanical box gears that park a car at speed on a steep hill are actually living in fear that when they return, they will find that their car has rolled down the slope on its own. It is noteworthy that this is possible even if the owner of the car puts it in addition to the handbrake.

A similar problem is faced by some owners who were equipped with V6 engines that have significant design features.

Due to the imperfect synchronization system of the power unit, an idle motor can turn under load in your absence (for example, in a parking lot with a steep slope). The reason is bad drive belts. This is primarily due to poor quality, which has poor toothed belt, which can slip in the system, even when the engine is not running. As a result, the machine may roll downhill at speed from cranking the engine. Horror.

2) Porsche bearings

Porsche is a premium brand that produces high-quality and prestigious expensive cars. But as we have already said, premium brands sometimes also have design errors in their history. For example, in models 996, Cayman, 911 (from 1999-2008) and Boxster, engines were used that had one drawback - unreliable bearings in the engine, which could lead to timing desynchronization. As a result, the motor valves could collide with. As a result, the motor can completely fail.

In the 2000s, Porsche changed the bearing in the engine design to a smaller one. But, that didn't solve the problem. In 2009, Porsche stopped equipping the car with unreliable bearings as a result of modifications to the 9A1 series engines. As a result, after many years, Porsche finally solved the problem of the unreliability of these types of motors.

1) Audi TT aerodynamics

The first generations had problems with road stability while driving at speed. According to official data, five people died in the world due to loss of control of an Audi TT due to errors in the design of the body, suspension, etc.

As a result, Audi was forced to urgently fix this problem so that the model would be up to date.

Early decisions were to redesign the suspension and install a rear spoiler to direct airflow. At the most expensive trim levels established electronic system stability control, which, in principle, helped to improve the safety of the car, reducing the risk of losing traction at high speed.

There is no doubt that road transport has firmly entered the life of mankind. At the same time, the scope of its application is truly limitless. Despite the fact that the first automobile was invented over 120 years ago, today it is difficult to imagine a life or commercial activity without the use of road transport. However, the ownership and use of any type of transport implies the presence of associated costs. Therefore, it is necessary to clearly understand all the pros and cons of its ownership.

Pros and cons of owning a car

The most common type of road transport that motorists prefer to purchase is cars.

pros

• Maneuverability- the small size of the car allows you to feel comfortable in the city stream.
• Comfort- the owner himself chooses when and where to go.
• Wide scope of application- with the help of a car it is possible to transport oversized cargo;
• Speed- modern cars, even with a small engine capacity, show good dynamics when driving.

Minuses

• Cost price- if we are talking about acquiring a new car, then you need to be ready to pay a considerable amount not only for the car, but also incur certain costs for its registration and registration;
• Content- this is not so much a minus as a concomitant need. Any technique requires some care. If we talk about a passenger car, then you need to be ready to undergo periodic maintenance, spend money on refueling, and also purchase seasonal tires for wheels and other consumables;
• Environmental pollution- internal combustion engines emit carbon monoxide during operation, which adversely affects environment, and at high concentrations in the air is dangerous to humans.

Thus, we can conclude that the advantages of owning a car are much greater than the disadvantages. Buying a car is an expensive pleasure, but it is fully justified. With the help of a car, a car enthusiast opens up a lot of new opportunities for movement, but do not forget about proper care and maintenance, otherwise the car will become an exorbitant burden on the owner’s budget.

Pros and cons of owning a truck

Since the advent of the freight transportation service, the issue of transporting oversized and oversized items has gone into oblivion. Now I work with entire companies with their huge fleets, carrying out daily transportation.

pros

• Large load capacity- freight road transport, depending on the modification, is able to transport a huge amount of cargo in one trip.
• commercial activity– owners freight transport can benefit from it. For example, you can cooperate with your car on a contractual basis with a company that will provide transportation orders, or engage in individual entrepreneurship and work “for yourself”.
• Scope of application– it is possible to carry out the transportation of various types and types of cargo, regardless of the distance.

Minuses

• Price- trucks cost a lot, and you will have to pay a lot to buy your own truck.
• Service– there are no problems with finding and purchasing spare parts for trucks, but the price will force you to sort out more than one option in search of the best.
• Dimensions- the large size of the transport will force you to carefully build the route of movement, taking into account the characteristics of the terrain and the requirements of the rules traffic within the city limits.

Pros and cons of owning a bus

The bus belongs to the category of automotive equipment, the main task of which is the transportation of passengers. Unlike passenger transport, buses are not purchased for personal purposes and are almost always used in business activities.

pros

• Large capacity- modern mini buses can accommodate from 6 people, large bus liners can accommodate up to 100 people.
• Excellent maneuverability and dynamics- despite their size, the buses have good steering characteristics and speed performance.
• Convenience– well-equipped interiors of buses allow passengers to be transported over long distances without stopping for the night or rest.
• Income– if it is possible to start an individual activity in the field of transportation, then this great way make good money. Bus transportation have always been a popular way to travel not only around the city, but also between different settlements.

Minuses

• Price- the price of well-equipped buses with increased capacity is very high.
• Operating costs- the main vocation of such equipment is constant transportation. Constant movement inevitably leads to salt wear. With this in mind, you need to be prepared to bear certain costs for the maintenance of bus equipment.
• Other expenses- transportation services can be quite profitable, but we should not forget about the additional costs of permits.

Summing up, we can come to a consensus that road transport, in any of its manifestations, greatly simplifies the daily life of a person, but the price of such a blessing can reach quite significant sizes. Just buying a car is not enough, you need to be financially prepared to maintain it.

The main technical and operational features and advantages of road transport:

Maneuverability and great mobility, mobility;

Door-to-door delivery of goods or passengers without additional transshipments or transfers along the route;

Autonomy of vehicle movement;

High delivery speed;

Wide scope of application on a territorial basis, types of cargo and communication systems;

Shorter route compared to natural waterways.

Greater mobility, ease of movement and the ability to quickly respond to changes in passenger demand allow motor transport to often be out of competition in passenger transportation on local lines. The average travel distance per passenger is 9 km. Buses carry more than 60% of passengers in many cities of Russia, and in some of them even in rural areas - 100%.

Relative disadvantages of road transport:

Great cost; (tens of times higher than on rail, water and other modes of transport);

Large fuel and energy consumption, metal consumption;

Low productivity of a rolling stock unit (130-150 thousand t-km per year);

The greatest labor intensity (per one vehicle at least one driver required) (3/4 of all those working in transport are employed in motor transport)

Pollutes the environment.

Low level labor productivity due to the low average load capacity of vehicles;

Rolling stock of road transport used for the transport of goods and passengers

The rolling stock of road transport includes cars of various modifications, semi-trailers and trailers. A tractor with a trailer or semi-trailer is called a road train. Cars can be divided into trucks, passenger and special. Freight rolling stock includes universal onboard all brands and refrigerators specialized by type of cargo, tankers, vans, panel carriers, timber carriers, etc. Passenger rolling stock includes buses and cars. Separately, there are cargo-passenger vehicles, usually created on the basis of passenger cars, but intended for the transport of both passengers and small consignments of goods.

Special rolling stock includes transport vehicles adapted to perform various technical functions - truck cranes, mobile power plants and compressors, fire, sanitary, and utility vehicles. Sports cars are classified as a separate subgroup.

Topic 4.2 Maritime transport. Air Transport. Pipeline transport

Sea transport

The technical base of modern maritime transport consists of:

Marine vessels (fleet),

seaports,

shipyards,

Some elements of sea routes, other devices and equipment deployed in 5 basins.

1) The Northern Sea Basin covers the seas: White, Barents, Kara and Laptev;

2) the Baltic basin - the Baltic Sea;

3) the Black Sea-Azov basin - the Black and Azov seas, as well as access to the river. Danube;

4) The Caspian basin includes the Caspian Sea, r. Amu Darya;

5) Far East - Japanese, Okhotsk, Bering, Chukchi, East Siberian seas.

The fleet is the basis of maritime transport. In the composition of the civil navy, the main place is occupied by various merchant ships, which include all ships intended for the transport of goods and passengers, as well as for sea fishing (fishing, etc.), towing other ships, hydraulic engineering works and lifting sunken ships and property. A separate category of ships is made up of ships for the protection of fisheries, sanitary, quarantine, research, sports, etc.

According to the operational purpose, ships are distinguished:

Transport - for transportation of goods and passengers;

Service and auxiliary (tugboats, icebreakers, firemen, crew);

Technical fleet(dredging, dredgers, dredgers, cranes, etc.).

The core of the merchant marine fleet is made up of transport ships, including passenger, cargo-passenger and cargo ships.

Characteristics of sea vessels

The main quality of any sea vessel is its seaworthiness, which consists of the following characteristics: the ability to swim with a set load in any weather (buoyancy); return to its original position after the impact of an external force (stability); stay afloat in case of partial flooding of premises (unsinkability); develop the appropriate engine power speed (propulsion); maintain a given direction of movement and change it under the action of the steering wheel (handling).

The most important characteristics are the so-called measurements, describing the geometry of the ship, as well as weight and volume parameters. Important indicators ships are considered travel speed and power power plant . The weight indicators are: displacement, equal to the mass of water displaced by the ship when immersed to the current waterline; full load capacity vessel or deadweight (dwt), equal to the mass of the cargo plus the mass of fuel reserves, supply materials, water, food, etc.; net load capacity, i.e. maximum amount tons of commercial cargo that a ship can take.
As volumetric characteristics are used: cargo capacity, determined by the cubic capacity of cargo spaces, and the so-called register capacity, calculated in register tons, at the rate of 2.83 m2 of premises volume per 1 register ton. Gross and net tonnage are established for each ship. Gross tonnage includes the volume of all spaces of the ship (cargo, accommodation, amenity, sanitary, storerooms, for water ballast except for the double bottom, etc.), as well as covered and enclosed spaces for steering gears and other mechanisms. Net register tonnage is determined by the volume of actual cargo spaces or cubic capacity, which can be used for cargo. Each ship has a special tonnage certificate, which indicates its gross and net tonnage.

By tradition, all over the world, the speed of ships is calculated in knots, i.e., in nautical miles per hour (1.852 km / h), and the power of the main power plant in horsepower, although recently power is measured in kilowatts (kW).

In the sea and ocean spaces, the vessel is exposed to powerful effects of waves, wind, currents, temperatures and many other factors, therefore, a sea vessel must be especially durable and remain operational in conditions of all latitudes where it may be. The unlimited navigation of sea vessels within the world ocean and the need to move at any time of the day and in any meteorological conditions require the presence of a complex of safety and life support devices for the crew and passengers. That is why ships are expensive remedy transport. The cost-effectiveness of their operation can be achieved only with a minimum of downtime and ballast (empty) run.

The vessel is the main production unit of maritime transport, which may have a separate production plan and, within a fairly long time, independently produce and sell transport products, regardless of other elements and links of maritime transport.

Seaports are an important link in maritime transport; they largely determine the efficiency of using the fleet. There are general purpose, specialized and combined ports.

1) General purpose ports accept all ships, including passenger ships, and process all cargo, usually at common berths. As a rule, these ports have a relatively small cargo turnover.

2) Specialized ports are built for the processing of goods of a certain group or a specific name (coal, ore, timber, grain, oil cargo, cement, etc.) and, in case of large cargo flows, are equipped with powerful reloading machines. These ports have great depths of water areas, approach channels, powerful moorings (coastal and offshore), capacious warehouses and squares, a complex railway economy.

3) Combined ports have separate berths, and more often entire areas for handling special cargo and general cargo, as well as for handling passenger ships.
Shipyards are built, as a rule, near large seaports and carry out occasional, periodic and major repairs, as well as the reconstruction of ships of all or individual types. Important elements of shipyards are dry and floating docks, which largely determine the technical capabilities. factories.

The term "sea route" is usually understood as the water space of the seas and oceans, including natural straits and artificial channels. A characteristic feature of sea routes is that they do not require preliminary work on their construction and maintenance in operational condition. What has been said, however, does not apply to channels and port water areas. It is generally accepted that sea routes are horizontal. When moving, ships do not consume energy to overcome gravity. These routes are to a large extent straightforward, and their throughput in the open seas is practically unlimited, although many straits and "narrows" make it much more difficult for ships to pass.

The technology of maritime transport is specific and is regulated by many technical documents (manuals, instructions) containing the rules for the operation of ships, ports, ship repair and other enterprises, respectively, in order to ensure their normal and safe functioning. The technological process of the work of the courts determines the order:

Delivery of the ship for loading, including the operations of moving the ship to the port, maneuvering in the port waters when mooring, mooring, documentation;

Processing of the vessel during the loading process, when hatches are opened and cargo spaces are prepared for receiving cargo;

Inspection and verification of cargo from the point of view of the possibility of accepting it for transportation, as well as the actual loading using ship and port mechanical equipment, placement and securing of cargo in holds and on decks, closing hatches and processing cargo documents;

Preparing the vessel for the voyage, which consists in calculating the most advantageous course to follow, clarifying and studying the situation of the upcoming voyage, supplying the vessel with fuel, water, necessary materials, inventory, food and preparation of documents;

Departure of the vessel from the port, including such operations as preparation for unmooring the vessel, departure from the berth (often with the help of auxiliary tugs), maneuvering in the port water area, leaving the port;
- the movement of the ship along the course, during which a large number of different operations are performed to ensure normal and safe navigation.

Upon the arrival of the vessel at the port of final destination, a complex of operations related to the unloading of cargo is carried out. These operations are similar to those named for loading.

The technological process of ports operation consists of the following main elements:

Receiving cargo from the clientele for transportation, weighing the presented cargo, marking, stowage of cargo on the berth and documentation;

Preparation of the port for the reception of ships, consisting of preparation operations for berths, tugboats, mechanization equipment for production cargo work, as well as drawing up a "cargo plan";

Loading (unloading) of ships, during which the actual cargo operations are performed in accordance with the adopted operational plan, as well as paperwork;

Preparation of the port for the departure of the vessel, including the preparation of tugs and other means for the withdrawal of the vessel from the port, inspection of the vessel and registration of its departure;

Issuance of goods to recipients with registration and settlements.
When developing all technological processes and in their implementation strive for maximum parallelism of operations in order to reduce the total downtime of the vessel and achieve top performance labor.

Organization of the transportation process in maritime transport is aimed at fulfilling annual state transportation plan(disaggregated by quarters) and is determined primarily by this document.

On the basis of the annual transportation plan, which contains data on the main types of cargo, ports of departure and consignors, relevant internal documents (technical plan, ship schedule, etc.) are developed at all levels, regulating technical work ships, ports, ship repair enterprises and other divisions of maritime transport.

Transportation of goods and passengers is carried out by the sea fleet in internal and external communications.

In internal messages it serves the needs of the national economy, performing inter-district and intra-district transportation.

In external messages There are two types of transportation: a) transportation during the export and import of goods and b) transportation between foreign ports (MIP). Depending on the type of navigation, there are foreign sailing (foreign sailing) and cabotage, which in turn is divided into large cabotage, i.e. sailing between domestic ports of various basins with entry into foreign waters, and small cabotage - sailing between domestic ports within one - two basins without entering the territorial waters of other states.

The Maritime Organization has two main forms:

Linear, or regular, navigation in directions with a steady flow of goods (or passengers). Vessels are fixed on such lines for regular work for a period of at least 3 months;

Regular (trump) shipping with an unstable flow, when transportation is carried out by separate flights, depending on the presentation of goods (without fixing to the line of ships).

The movement of sea vessels is organized either according to a schedule, which is typical for liner shipping and, above all, for passenger ships, or by so-called successive voyages (without a pre-announced schedule).

technical plan is developed on the basis of adjusted monthly transportation plans in order to clarify the tasks for the arrangement of the fleet, the operation of ports and other links, based on the desire to carry out transportation with the least expenditure of labor resources, material and financial resources.

Vessel traffic schedules are developed by shipping companies and determine the work of each vessel in time and space during the planned month. On the grid of the schedule, indicating only a day or a day, divided, for example, into 3-hour periods, all ports are indicated at which the ship must enter for loading, loading, unloading, bunkering and other foreseen operations. Then, the ship's work is plotted on this grid by the appropriate lines in the form of successive operations: transitions from port to port and the time spent in each port. On the same grid, next to the planned lines, the dispatching apparatus, using radio and other types of communication, plots the lines of the actual movement of the ship on the chart.

Schedules of planned and completed work of vessels allow for operational control over the movement of each individual vessel, monitor the dynamics of the deployment of the fleet and accumulate analytical material for the subsequent improvement of the organization of transportation.

Control Maritime transport is carried out by the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, the Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport, which has the appropriate functional services and workshops that provide qualified management and performance of certain operations in the implementation of the transportation process.

Air Transport

Air transport is based on: aircraft, airports, air lines (highways), aircraft repair plants.

The aircraft fleet consists mainly of airplanes and helicopters and is the leading link in air transport.
Airplane is an apparatus heavier than air, the flight of which becomes possible due to the interaction of the thrust force of the engines and the wing lift force arising (during movement) under its influence. Each aircraft consists of a glider, traction motors, landing gear and a complex of units and instruments to ensure the functioning of all aircraft systems and their control.

Helicopter- an apparatus, the rise and flight of which is carried out with the help of a main propeller with long blades fixed on a vertical shaft. There are designs of helicopters with two main rotors rotating in opposite directions and located coaxially, or on special shafts separated from each other. On some types of machines, additional (jet) engines are installed to increase the speed of horizontal flight.

Depending on the purpose and field of application, aircraft are divided into: passenger, cargo, combined (cargo-passenger) and special applications (agricultural, sanitary, aerial photography, etc.), as well as training.
The most important technical and operational parameters aircraft are capacity(for passenger) and load capacity(for cargo), as well as the speed and range of (non-stop) flight. By speed flight distinguish between subsonic aircraft, i.e., flying at speeds less than the speed of sound (M) (usually 0.8 M) and supersonic, whose cruising speed exceeds the Mach number (M).

Depending on the range of non-stop flight(L) distinguish between long-haul aircraft: long-range (L) = 6000 km or more); medium (L = 2500 - 6000 km); near (L=1000-2500 km); aircraft of local airlines (L = up to 1000 km):

These parameters are closely related to the type and power of the power plant, as well as the maximum takeoff weight (weight) of the aircraft, which are also important characteristics of aircraft. Aircraft with a takeoff weight of more than 75 tons are classified as class I, from 30 to 75 - to II, from 10 to 30 - to III and with a mass of less than 10 tons - to class IV.

Take-off weight largely determines the type and type of ground structures civil aviation(airports, airfields).

The airport is a complex of engineering structures that ensure the departure to the lines and the reception from the lines of passengers and cargo, as well as the preparation and equipment of aircraft for the effective performance of their transport functions.

Modern airports include: an airfield, an aerodrome area and a service and technical area with an air terminal.

Aerodrome- the main and most important part of the airport. The main structure of the airfield is the runways for the takeoff and landing of aircraft. Each airport is equipped with an appropriate set of navigation and air traffic control facilities.

Numerous engineering networks and communications are operated on the territory of airports, including: water supply, heat supply, gas supply, fuel supply, compressed air supply, power supply, lighting, sewerage, communications, etc.

Aircraft landing facilities, in particular, radio beacon systems and lighting equipment, represent delicate and especially responsible equipment. For all-weather landing, equipment of the highest complexity is used, based on the wide use of modern computers, radars and various automatic weapons.

Aircraft repair plants are enterprises that provide the appropriate types of repairs to one or more types of aircraft and helicopters.

The technology of operational work in air transport ensures efficient and safe operation all technical means of civil aviation. In the general complex of numerous and diverse technological processes, especially importance has a procedure for the operational maintenance and maintenance of aircraft and airports.

The essence, procedure and terms of maintenance of aircraft are determined by special technical documents (regulations), in accordance with which a special service of the aviation technical base performs operational, periodic and preventive maintenance.
Organization transportation is determined primarily by the state order (plan) for the transportation of passengers and goods. The volumes of transportation work are established for a five-year period and a year (with a breakdown by quarters). The task for transportation is distributed by directions (lines) and main divisions, which predetermines the ranking and geography of regular air lines, as well as the placement of aircraft and helicopters along flight routes and territorial divisions and airlines. Operational work on the reception and departure of passengers, mail and cargo at airports is carried out by the transportation organization service.

The most important document organizing the interaction of all departments and services at all levels is the aircraft traffic schedule, which is developed, as a rule, twice a year for summer and winter periods for domestic and international scheduled air lines.

The schedule, which strictly fixes the departure and arrival of each aircraft for each point, becomes the basis for the development of numerous schedules for the turnover of aircraft and crew work, as well as the activities of all operational and repair enterprises (and workshops) of air transport.

Control air transport, as a sector of the national economy, is carried out by the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, the Federal Air Transport Agency, which has the relevant sectoral departments and departments as its central office.

Pipeline transport

Pipelines designed to move liquids have been known since ancient times. These were primarily water pipelines, which are currently very widespread, but are not considered transport communications. In modern transport terminology, pipeline transport is usually understood as pipelines in combination with other devices, designed primarily for pumping oil, oil products and gas.

The first oil pipeline in Russia with a pipe with a diameter of 100 mm and a length of 12 km was connected in the 70s. last century Balakhna fields with an oil refinery in the Baku region. In 1891909. one of the largest oil pipelines for its time was built for pumping kerosene from Baku to Batumi (850 km) with pipes with a diameter of 200 mm, designed by the outstanding Russian engineer V. G. Shukhov. Later, relatively small pipelines were built from new oil fields to ports and cities, among them: Grozny - Petrovsk-port (Makhachkala), Tula - Krasnodar and some others. Russia had no gas pipeline transport, except for small lines of local importance for the transmission of gas obtained by distillation of coal, wood, and oil.

Currently, oil and product pipelines are classified as main, supply and field. In the gas industry, main and local gas pipelines are distinguished.

Technical base modern pipeline transport includes:

The pipeline itself, which is a linear pipeline of welded and suitably insulated pipes with electrical protection devices. A variation of the linear part is ground and underground crossings through rivers, lakes, straits, swamps, highways, railways, etc., which, however, have a more complex structure;

Pumping and compressor stations for transporting liquid or gaseous products through a pipeline as head (initial) and intermediate stations;

Linear nodes, which are devices for connecting or disconnecting parallel or intersecting highways and overlapping individual sections of the line during repairs;

Electric supply lines, if power units (pumps, compressors) have an electric drive;

Communication lines (means) for transmission necessary information to ensure the normal functioning of the system.
The complex of technical equipment of oil pipelines includes facilities and equipment for dehydration and degassing of oil, heating of viscous grades of oil (products), special containers and much more. Accordingly, gas pipelines are built compressor units gas compression (compression), installations for drying and cleaning gas, equipment for imparting a pungent odor (odirization), distribution stations, etc.
In oil and gas transportation systems, as a rule, longitudinally welded steel pipes with a diameter of 520 to 1020 mm are used. Under normal topographic and geological conditions, pipes coated with anti-corrosion compounds are laid in a trench up to a depth of 1 m from the upper generatrix of the pipes. Work on preparing the trench and laying the pipeline into it is carried out using the kit special machines. In some cases, pipelines are laid on the surface of the earth or lifted onto overpasses, and when crossing water barriers, they are laid along the bottom of the river, lakes and sea straits (water areas).

On long pipelines, intermediate pumping and compressor stations are built every 100-150 km. Piston or centrifugal pumps with electric, diesel or gas turbine drive are used as pumping units. Gas compressors are also predominantly driven by an electric or gas turbine drive. Unit power power units usually is 4-6 thousand kW, but in some cases it reaches 10 thousand kW and more.

In the first main gas pipelines, the working pressure was mainly 12-25 atm. Subsequently, it was increased several times. Distribution stations built along the route and at the end of the gas pipeline lower the pressure of the gas supplied to them and supply it to the distribution network to consumers.

The main advantage of modern cars is that they are able to quickly and comfortably transport people and goods over long distances. At the same time, the trip requires relatively little effort (for passengers - in general, a pleasure), and is also relatively cheap (even taking into account the ever-rising fuel prices).

The main distinguishing features of modern machines are their high power, speed and ease of use. In modern cars, as a rule, a soft suspension is installed (especially for family-type cars), there is practically no noise in the cabin, there are many convenient devices, instruments and devices (air conditioning, ABS, climate and cruise control, power accessories, automatic transmission , etc.). Provided that the operating rules are observed, the machine will serve for a long time and reliably, without requiring large cash injections.

Undoubted advantage modern car is its appearance. The technologies of painting, processing, finishing and decorating the body and interior of the car have reached such a level that you can’t take your eyes off the new “four-wheeled horse”, as they say. Modern ergonomic design, carefully thought-out design, shiny and iridescent body attract the attention of even those who have never thought about their own car.

It is also important that most modern cars are economical in terms of fuel consumption. First of all, this applies to cars on which a diesel engine is installed: at present, no one is surprised by fuel consumption in the range of 3-5 liters per 100 kilometers.

Many modern cars can run on both traditional fuel (gasoline or diesel fuel) and gas. This is an undoubted advantage, since gas is a cheaper type of fuel, and its consumption is about the same. Note that for operation on liquid gas, it is necessary to install the appropriate additional equipment on the car. Some machines are equipped with such equipment already at the factory, but if it is not initially available, you can apply with a corresponding request to a service station and install it separately.

Many beginners mistakenly believe that after installing gas equipment, the car will no longer be able to run on traditional fuels. This is not so: the driver can always choose which fuel to drive on by switching the appropriate toggle switch to the desired position.
However, gas equipment can be not only an advantage, but also a disadvantage of your "iron horse". Firstly, sometimes when using such equipment, the smell of gas can be felt in the cabin; it does not pose a particular danger, but, of course, it is not pleasant either. Secondly, a gas cylinder (an analogue of a fuel tank) takes up quite a lot of space in the trunk of a car, and if you often use the car to transport large or numerous goods (this is typical, for example, for summer residents), then you will have to seriously make room.

If we talk about the shortcomings of road transport, then we should say about the negative impact of cars on the environment. Or rather, not the machines themselves, but the exhaust gases that are formed as a result of the operation of an internal combustion engine (all modern cars run on engines of this type). It is transport that is often the main reason that over large modern cities smog often hangs over. Among these cities, Tokyo, Mexico City, Moscow, New York, and others should be noted first of all. Of course, other factors also contribute to the formation of smog, in particular, the work of industrial enterprises, but the main reason is still automobile exhaust.

Another significant drawback of modern machines is the high cost of repair and maintenance. True, subject to the rules of operation, the car will serve for a long time and reliably. However, firstly, nothing is eternal, and someday something will break anyway, and secondly, the maintenance itself also costs money. For example, a can of semi-synthetic motor oil costs from $20, oil filter- from 5 dollars, brake pads - from 20 dollars, etc. If necessary consumables(and we have listed far from all) add the cost of work, then the total cost of the simplest maintenance can be $ 100 or more. And you did not repair anything, but only supported your car in working condition!

If we talk about repairs, then the prices for spare parts are quite high, and the work costs a lot of money. For example, a clutch assembly on a 1998 Ford Escort will cost from 100 to 150 US dollars (depending on quality, manufacturer, place of purchase and other factors), and the work of replacing it will cost another 80-120 dollars. (depending on service station). To remove a small dent with a scratch on the body (which is formed not even from a blow, but from a tight contact) will cost about $ 100. Just removing the cylinder head to access the "insides" of the engine and without repair will cost 60-70 dollars, etc. In general, if you decide to buy a car, be prepared to invest in it in the future.

By the way, cash "infusions" into the car are not limited only to its repair and maintenance. The car must be protected from intruders, which means it must be equipped with a burglar alarm. In addition, the car needs to be parked somewhere, therefore, you will have to buy a garage or a parking space, or rent one or the other. When buying, keep in mind that you will periodically have to constantly pay membership fees (similar to the usual utility bills), which include: protection of the cooperative territory, garbage disposal, electricity, etc. True, we note that in most cases the amount of membership fees is not burdensome for a man who could afford to buy a car.

The development of motoring gave rise to the production of a wide variety of automotive "gadgets", "devices" and "baubles", and in some way this can also be attributed to the shortcomings of a personal car. Why? Yes, because the owner of the car often buys a lot of all kinds of car accessories, without which it is quite possible to do. Why is he buying? Yes, just because they sell. This includes, in particular, window blinds, fragrances, car cosmetics, all kinds of fairings, decorative finishes (wheel caps, seat covers, window toys, etc.), spoilers, etc. According to independent experts, in the “near-automobile” industry, money is spinning a little less than directly in the automotive industry. Experienced motorists will agree: being in the car market or in a car accessories store, it is very difficult to resist the temptation and not buy your beloved four-wheeled friend some “cute little thing”, beautiful, but completely useless! Moreover, everywhere there is such rubbish - a dime a dozen, it is much more than really necessary and useful things.

One of the serious drawbacks of the modern car is that, according to statistics, it is the most dangerous mode of transport. Note that here we are talking about all types of vehicles, and not just cars.

Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation

Samara State Economic Academy

Department of Economic Social Geography

Course work

on the topic:

« Automobile transport»

Grade:__________

Completed by 1st year student

daytime education,

Faculty of Commerce and Marketing,

group KL-2,
Shin Yury Nikolaevich

Date of protection:__________

Scientific adviser:
Popov Evgeny Anatolievich

Commission members:

Samara 2002.

Review.

Plan.

1 The role of transport in the reproductive process. Features of road transport.

1.1 Transport as a special sphere of material production. The composition and structure of the Unified Transport System and the place of road transport in it.

1.2 Placement factors.

2 Territorial placement.

2.1 Geography of road transport.

2.2 Economic characteristics.

3. Modern problems.

Introduction

The topic we have chosen is considered the most relevant today, since road transport is the most massive industry, which has long occupied and firmly holds the leading position in the country's transport complex. We meet with this type of transport and have close interaction every day, respectively, we see its shortcomings, blunders, transformations, etc.

In this paper, we will try to reveal the following aspects of this topic: the place and role of transport in the reproduction process, the features of road transport. Transport, as a special sphere of material production, the composition and structure of the Unified Transport System of Russia, and the place of road transport in it. placement factors. Territorial location. Geography of road transport. Economic characteristics of motor transport in the Russian Federation and modern problems.

This study was carried out in the period from 1997-2002 and all the research methods known to us were used: economic, cartographic analysis, statistical method and factor analysis.

1. The role of transport in the reproductive process.

...In a state as vast as ours, transportation plays a very special role. The role of both economic and political and, if you like, psychological ...

transport is more than just a sector of the economy...

In Russia, with its vast territory, it is transport that unites literally all sectors of the economy into a single complex. It is transport that ensures not only the normal functioning of the state, but also its national security and integrity. Transport in Russia occupied a special place, and at the turn of the century we have the right to say with good reason about its historical role in the formation and development of the Russian State. Rarely has the sky of Russia been peaceful and prosperous: revolutions, wars, famine and devastation, during the years of restoration of the national economy. But history shows that every time the revival of our country began with the development of transport.

"...Transport should give the economy something more than just the necessary throughput and transportation capabilities..." In the system of a single national economic complex of the country, transport occupies a special place. It is one of the industries that form the infrastructure of the national economy. The ever-increasing scale of social production, the expansion of the spheres of industrial use of natural resources, the development of economic and cultural ties both within the country and with foreign countries, the requirements of the country's defense capability cannot be met without the powerful development of all modes of transport, a widely ramified network of communications, high mobility and maneuverability of all modes of transport. For Russia, I repeat once again, which occupies a huge part of the earth's land and has huge distances between the western and eastern borders, the significance of the transport system is exceptionally great.

Transport in our country contributes to the solution of such important political tasks as the elimination of the economic backwardness of the outlying regions, the opposition between town and country, the expansion of ties between the peoples of our country, the strengthening of their friendship, the exchange of achievements in all branches of the national economy and fields of culture.

Transport is of great importance for Russia's economic and cultural cooperation with other countries, strengthening and developing the economic system of management, and in solving social and economic problems. The provision of the territory with a well-developed transport system is one of the factors for attracting the population and production, serves important advantage to accommodate the productive forces and gives an integration effect. Transport also creates conditions for the formation of local and national markets.

1.1 Transport as a special sphere of material production

Transport is important component economy of the Russian Federation. The significance of transport is determined by its role in the territorial division of social labor: the specialization of districts and their integrated development are impossible without a transport system. The transport factor has an impact on the location of production. Without taking it into account, it is impossible to achieve a rational distribution of productive forces.

Transport has an impact on the concentration of production. With the concentration of production, it is important to determine the optimal size of enterprises. It depends on the level of labor costs and the cost of production. The increase in the capacity of the enterprise, as a rule, is accompanied by their decrease. When setting the boundaries of the expedient concentration of production, the total costs of production and transportation of products are determined, that is, in addition to technical, technological and financial issues, they take into account the peculiarities of the location of enterprises and transport costs included in the cost of production.

The concentration of production leads to the expansion of the area of ​​consumption of products. If the transport component, which includes the cost of delivering raw materials and fuel to areas of production and finished products to areas of consumption, increases as a result of an increase in the distance of transportation to a greater extent than costs decrease with the concentration of production, then an increase in the size of the enterprise will not be effective. For example, increasing the capacity of a peat-fired thermal power plant may not be profitable if, due to the increase in the distance of peat transportation, transportation costs exceed the savings from reducing the cost of electricity.

In the conditions of market relations, the concentration of production has risen to a qualitatively new level - complexes of industrial enterprises are being created on the same territory with common auxiliary industries, engineering structures and communications, social and domestic cultural objects- territorial production complexes (TPK).

The influence of transport on the concentration of production in agriculture is great. For the concentration of agricultural production, the integrated use of rail and road transport, which provides material and technical supply, as well as the delivery of agricultural products to railway stations, is important.

Accounting for the transport component is mandatory when determining the optimal boundaries of production specialization. As long as the savings from reducing production costs at a specialized enterprise will not exceed the additional transportation costs for the transportation of the products of this enterprise, specialization is considered effective.

Transport costs must also be taken into account when establishing the boundaries of expedient co-production. Cooperation as specialization and concentration is economically feasible if the savings from the reduction of production costs of cooperating enterprises exceed the additional costs of transport caused by an increase in the distance of transportation of the products of these enterprises

Transport also has an impact on the combination of industry - the unification of different industries in one enterprise, characterized by production and territorial unity. The transport component, determining the area of ​​distribution of products, affects the location and scale of plants. Unlike industry, the specialization of production in agriculture is not associated with the separation of industries or enterprises that produce certain products or part of them. Specialization here does not consist in singling out, but in the predominant development of industries for which there are the most favorable conditions. (The choice of industries that determine the specialization of agriculture, in addition to natural factors, is largely influenced by the location of an agricultural enterprise relative to large industrial centers), i.e., the transport component is also taken into account when calculating the economic efficiency of specialization of agricultural production.

When locating production, the need for transportation, the mass of raw materials and finished products, their transportability, availability of transport routes, their throughput, etc. are also taken into account. Depending on the influence of these components, options for locating enterprises are considered. The rationalization of transportation affects the efficiency of production, both of individual enterprises and regions, and the country as a whole.

The specificity of transport as a sphere of the economy lies in the fact that it does not produce products itself, but only participates in its creation (therefore, transport products do not accumulate, they simply do not have time to be created, even if this product is created, it is consumed at the same moment. After all The “product” of transport is transportation ... People and goods travel with a certain means of transport and the movement of the latter, its movement is the production process that it creates ...), providing raw materials, materials, equipment for production and delivering finished products to the consumer . Thus creating transport costs. Transport costs are included in the cost of production. It is also necessary to say that the accounting and minimization of transport costs (transport component) are an indispensable condition for the rational allocation of productive forces.

The influence of the transport component is due to the ratio of the mass of raw materials and fuel, on the one hand, and the mass of finished products, on the other, as well as the distance of their transportation. The ratio of these components is not the same in different industries and may change over time. Therefore, a differentiated approach is needed to take into account the impact of transport costs on the location of enterprises in various sectors of the national economy.

Enterprises of the extractive industry - mining, oil, coal - are located mainly near deposits of raw materials. Taking into account the transport component, a rational order of putting the deposits into commercial operation is determined and the optimal production sizes are established.

When placing manufacturing enterprises, it is more difficult to take into account the influence of the transport component. As a rule, three options are considered: the mass of raw materials and fuel is greater than the mass of finished products; the mass of finished products exceeds the mass of raw materials and fuel; the mass of raw materials and fuel is equal to the mass of finished products.

With the same transportability of raw materials and fuel, the choice of a raw material or fuel base as the location of the enterprise is due to the predominance of the mass of any component of production. So, for example, in the production of sugar, the consumption of raw materials exceeds the consumption of fuel by 5-6 times; in the production of cement, this ratio is even greater. Enterprises of such industries are located mainly near the raw material base. This is also true for pulp and paper, woodworking and some other industries. Enterprises for the production of aluminum, copper, nickel and other energy-intensive industries, where fuel consumption is many times higher than the consumption of raw materials, are located, as a rule, near the energy base. When the mass of finished products exceeds the mass of raw materials and fuel, it is advisable to locate enterprises (for example, for the production of sulfuric acid) in areas where products are consumed. In the conditions of transition to market relations, the role of transport increases significantly. On the one hand, the efficiency of the enterprise depends on the transport factor, which in market conditions is directly related to its performance, and on the other hand, the market itself implies the exchange of goods and services, which is impossible without transport, and, therefore, the market itself is also impossible. Therefore, transport is an essential part of the infrastructure.

The share of transport in the most important national economic indicators and in the consumption of products of other industries is comparatively large. Transport combines 6 types of transport and road facilities, has 600 thousand. business entities, workers over 2 million people. In the gross social product, transport and communications account for 3.7%. In 1995, 6.5% of the total number of people employed in the economy was employed in transport, and the share in the country's fixed production assets was 1/5. Today, it provides 20% of tax revenues to the federal budget, provides about 12% of the gross domestic product. Transport annually consumes 8-10% of electricity, 17% of fuel, 25% of rolled products, 10% of lumber produced in Russia. (See Fig. #1)

Transport is usually divided into intra-production and common use(main). Intra-production transport includes railway access roads, inter-shop and intra-shop tracks, internal automobile, overhead and cable cars, monorails, tractor and horse-drawn transport in agriculture, etc. This, as a rule, is technological transport, which ensures the movement of objects of labor within enterprises. Main public transport provides transport and economic ties between enterprises that arise in the process of expanded capitalist production. Main transport includes rail, river, sea, road, air, pipeline transport and power lines.

There are three main main directions of the Russian transport system:

• The latitudinal main Siberian direction "east-west" and vice versa, it includes railway, pipeline and water routes using the Kama and Volga rivers.
• The meridional main Central European direction "north-south" with access to Ukraine, Moldova, the Caucasus, formed mainly by railway lines.
• The meridional Volga-Caucasus main direction "north-south" along the Volga River, by rail and pipelines, connecting the Volga region and the Caucasus with the Center, the North of the European part of the country and the Urals.

The main cargo flows of the country go along these main trunk lines, and the railway, inland waterways and automotive types transport. The main air routes also basically coincide with the land ones.

In addition to the main trunk lines, there is a dense transport network of intra-district and local significance. Combining with each other, they form the Unified Transport System of Russia. As the productive forces of the country as a whole and its individual regions develop, the transport system needs to be constantly improved both in terms of rationalizing the location and raising its quality level: updating the material and technical base, improving the organizational and management system, using the latest achievements of scientific and technological progress . The development of the transport system of the Russian Federation is aimed at more densely providing the needs of the economy and the population of the country with transport services.

The main modes of transport are: railway, road, aviation, pipeline, sea and inland waterways.

In this part of the work, I will try to briefly and at the same time clearly talk about each mode of transport about their advantages, disadvantages and shortcomings.

Railway transport- the main link in the unified transport system of the Russian Federation. It is distinguished by the regularity of movement in all seasons, high speed, the ability to master mass flows of goods and passengers, and a relatively low cost of transportation. These advantages make rail transport universal for the transportation of all types of goods in inter-district and intra-district communications and passengers in suburban, local and long-distance communications. However, taking into account the large capital investments spent on the construction of railways, its use is most effective with a significant concentration of freight and passenger flows.

The predominant cargoes are coal (more than 17%), oil (12.5%), ferrous metals, timber and ores (6% each), grain cargoes, chemical and mineral fertilizers (3.5% each), cement (3%). They make up about 60% of the total shipment of goods by rail. In the transportation of goods, rail transport occupies a leading position; in 2000, about 1047 million tons were transported by this mode of transport. While pipeline - 829 million tons, automobile - 550 million tons.

To date, the length railway tracks public communication is 86 thousand km. And it takes 3rd place after Canada and the USA, it accounts for 7% of all railways in the world. However, the length of routes in Russia does not increase, but rather decreases, for example, if by 1997. the length of the roads was 87 thousand km, then by 1998. - 86 thousand km and to this day this figure has not changed.

Air Transport performs various functions in our country. However, its main task is Passenger Transportation and urgent transportation of mail and cargo.

In areas where there are no railroads, primarily in the north of Siberia and the Far East, in hard-to-reach mountainous areas, aviation often serves as the only means of transport.

The main technical and economic features of air transport include: high speed of transportation of passengers and cargo, high mobility and autonomy in flight, the ability to significantly shorten the route compared to land and water modes of transport, the organization of end-to-end non-stop communications. Air transport is constantly being technically improved. Passenger and high-speed aircraft were put into operation heavy duty with gas turbine and turbojet engines.

AT common work air transport passenger traffic is 4/5, and freight and mail 1/5. Passenger flows of air transport are formed under the influence of a number of factors, the most important of which are the following: features of local gravity areas, population in gravity areas, transport mobility of the population, the number of points covered by the air communications network, distance between points, transportation conditions (tariffs, regularity, comfort, flight frequency). But this transport has many shortcomings, one of them: a fairly strong dependence on weather conditions and high price transportation.

At the moment, aviation is in deep decline. This can be seen if you look at the statistics of accidents in air transport. I think the accident rate is an objective indicator of the state of the object in question, and in our case, aviation.

Pipeline transport- highly specialized mode of transport. By purpose, main pipelines are divided into oil pipelines, gas pipelines and product pipelines.

Pipeline transport differs from other modes of transport in a number of advantages. The cost of constructing a pipeline is almost 2 times less than the construction of a railway or a motor road of the corresponding carrying capacity, while the routes lead more than shortcut. Pipelines are reliable in operation, the process of transporting goods through them is fully automated, high sealing preserves products. This reduces product losses by 2-1.5 times compared to the railway. The operation of pipelines, unlike aviation, does not depend on weather conditions, climatic conditions. By cost, the cheapest mode of transport.

Noting the advantages of pipelines, at the same time, it is worth noting that the speed of transferring goods, depending on their viscosity and other parameters, is somewhat inferior to the speed of movement by rail and waterways. If oil or gas reserves run out, it is difficult to reorient pipelines to other cargoes.

At the moment, pipelines are widely used in the national economy of the country and the mass of products transported by them is 829 million tons, which puts this type of transport in 2nd place in the transportation of goods after rail transport.

The development of new fields, the increase in production and demand for petroleum products provided a progressive future for pipeline transport.

Sea transport - an important component of the Russian transport system. In terms of cargo turnover, it ranks 4th after rail, pipeline and road transport. The total cargo turnover is 100 billion tons. km. It plays a leading role in the transport services for the regions of the Far East and the Far North. The importance of maritime transport in Russia's foreign trade is great. It accounts for 73% of cargo shipments and more than 90% of international cargo turnover.

Let us describe the advantages of the maritime mode of transport over other modes. Firstly, transport has the largest unit carrying capacity, secondly, the unlimited capacity of sea routes, thirdly, a small amount of energy required to transport 1 ton of cargo, and fourthly, the low cost of transportation. In addition to the advantages, maritime transport also has significant disadvantages: dependence on natural conditions, the need to create a complex port economy, and limited use in direct sea communications.

After the collapse of the USSR, 8 shipping companies and 37 ports remained in Russia with a total cargo handling capacity of up to 163 million tons per year, of which 148 million tons are in the Baltic and Northern basins. The average age of Russian ships is 17 years, which is much worse than the corresponding characteristics of the world merchant fleet. There are only 4 large shipyards left in the country, 3 of which are located in St. Petersburg. Only 55% of the deadweight of the transport fleet of the Union, including 47.6% of the dry cargo fleet, became the property of Russia. Russia's needs for maritime transportation are 175 million tons per year, while country-owned the fleet is capable of transporting approximately 100 million tons per year. The remaining seaports on the territory of Russia can only handle 62% of Russian cargo, including 95% coastal and 60% export-import. For the transportation of incoming imported food and for the export of goods, Russia uses the ports of neighboring states: Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia.

In 2000, after the economic recession of recent years, for the first time the rise of the port industry was noted. Russian ports in the foreign trade subsystem increase their competitiveness with the ports of neighboring states. Our sailors with great difficulty, but still managed to keep unique system ensuring the functioning of the Northern Sea Route. Inland water transport is still key in providing resources to the northern and remote territories of Russia. But water, as well as road, rail, and air transport, lacks sources of funding. It is necessary, first of all, to preserve the established system of navigable routes with a length of over 100,000 km, on which there are over 700,000 navigable hydraulic structures. And today we must take care of the technical condition of these structures so that they are reliable in the next century.

River transport plays a significant role in intra- and inter-district transportation of the country. The advantages of river transport lie in the natural routes, the arrangement of which requires less capital expenditure than the construction of railways. The cost of transporting goods by rivers is lower than by rail, and labor productivity is 35% higher.

The main disadvantages of river transport are seasonal nature, limited use due to the configuration of the river network, low speed movement. In addition, large rivers in our country flow from north to south, and the main flows of bulk cargo have a latitudinal direction.

The further development of river transport is associated with the improvement of navigation conditions on inland waterways; improvement of port facilities; extension of navigation; increasing the capacity of waterways; expansion of mixed rail-water transport and transport, such as river-sea.

Automobile transport.

Road transport is mainly used to transport small flows of goods over short distances. This is due to the relatively high cost of this type of transport and its low carrying capacity. The advantages of road transport include high speed and the ability to deliver goods "from door to door" without additional costs for reloading. Greater mobility, the ability to quickly respond to changes in passenger traffic put motor transport "out of competition" in the organization of local passenger transportation. However, the cost of transportation by road transport is very high and, on average, exceeds similar indicators for river and rail transport. The high level of cost is determined by the small carrying capacity and, consequently, the productivity of the rolling stock and, in this regard, the significant share of wages in the total amount of operating costs. Reserves for cost reduction are mainly intensive factors - increasing the utilization ratios of vehicle mileage, carrying capacity, and commercial speed.

Rolling stock. The rolling stock of road transport is cars, semi-trailers and trailers. Cars are the main and most complex part of the rolling stock, which determines the technical level and economic and operational characteristics of all other equipment elements.

Cars in accordance with the accepted classification are divided into transport, special and sports. Transport vehicles are designed to transport goods and passengers, special vehicles are designed to perform various technical functions (cranes, mobile compressors, power plants, searchlights, workshops, firefighters), sports vehicles are mainly used to achieve speed records.

Transport vehicles, in turn, are divided into 3 main categories: passenger, which include cars and buses; cargo- for the transportation of goods of various types and tractors that do not have their own cargo capacities and designed for towing semi-trailers and trailers.

Now let's look at each category separately.

Buses. Buses are designed for mass transportation of passengers. their important operational characteristic is the capacity. According to this parameter, buses are distinguished: especially small capacity up to 10 seats (length 5 m); small capacity 10-35 seats (length 6.0-7.5 m); average capacity 35-60 seats (length 8.0-9.5 m); large capacity 60-100 seats (length 10.5-12.0 m); extra large capacity 100 seats (length 12-16.5 m); especially large capacity (articulated) over 160-190 seats (length 16.5 m and more)

By appointment, buses are divided into city, suburban, intercity, local communications, tourist, excursion and school.

City buses are intended for mass route transportation of passengers, they mostly have multi-seat wagon-type bodies, which make it possible to more rationally use the overall dimensions of the bus. With narrow streets and heavy traffic, it is advisable to use buses of small capacity, but with good maneuverability. Minibuses are used as fixed-route taxis with low passenger traffic. A feature of city buses is their ability to accelerate intensively, providing a high average speed with frequent stops. The maximum speed is limited to 70-80 km/h

Suburban buses operate on routes connecting cities with suburbs. Compared to city buses, they are designed to carry predominantly seated passengers and have a higher maximum speed. The same type of buses is used on the intracity express lines.

Intercity buses designed to carry passengers over long distances, should provide speed of movement and increased convenience for passengers. Luggage in intercity buses are placed in special boxes at the bottom of the bus or on a specially equipped section of the roof.

Local buses ply between small towns, settlements and within them mainly in rural areas on a network of roads with various types of coatings, as well as on dirt roads.

tourist buses used on tourist routes. By design, they are similar to intercity ones, but in addition they must have an equipped place for a guide.

Tour buses designed to carry passengers around cities and beyond for short distances. They have a large glass area, high comfort for passengers.

school buses used to transport schoolchildren in rural areas and sparsely populated areas. They are equipped with devices that increase traffic safety, seats of appropriate dimensions. These buses are equipped with stencils indicating their purpose.

Cars. According to their purpose, they are divided into 4 groups: personal use, official, taxi cars and rental cars.

According to the working volume of the engine cylinders, cars are divided into 5 classes: extra small (up to 1.2 liters); small (from 1.2 to 1.8 l); medium (from 1.8 to 3.5 l); large (more than 3.5 l); higher (not regulated), and by body type - for cars with closed, opening and open bodies.

Closed bodies for cars of the second and third classes are made with two rows of seats (sedan), for cars of the fourth class - with three rows, and sometimes with an internal partition (limousines). In recent years, received widespread"station wagon" type increased-capacity closed bodies, which are sometimes considered semi-trucks with the rear seat retracted.

Opening bodies (convertibles) have a removable fabric or hard top. Open bodies (phaetons) are the most common and are used mainly for off-road cars.

An integral part of road transport are - car roads. Highways - a complex of engineering structures that provides the possibility of continuous movement of vehicles at design speeds, as well as servicing drivers, passengers and rolling stock.

Motor roads are divided into public roads and departmental roads. Public roads are classified into three types: main roads, designed for movement without speed limits and intended for freight and passenger transport; highways on which traffic has speed limits; local, designed for slow, not isolated from pedestrians, the movement of cars. Roads are federal, connecting the capitals of the republics and the most important administrative and industrial centers of Russia; republican, connecting the capitals of the republics with subordinate regions and large regional cities; local; including rural and departmental ones, used primarily for transport links between individual settlements and for the economic needs of enterprises; regional, providing transport links of regional centers with the corresponding district points of the region; autonomous formations and regional significance.

Depending on the quality and technical equipment of roads, their capacity is determined. By capacity, roads are divided into five categories: