Before the production and introduction of cars into everyday use, goods and parcels were transported using trains. However, over time, there was an awareness that the railway transportation system has significant drawbacks. Hence, this thoroughly contributed to the emergence of companies such as UPS, which began to deliver goods using cars (“More than 100 years of innovation,” n.d.). Therefore, it is necessary to consider the reasons for this shift in the transportation industry.
One of the main reasons for the transition from rail to motor modes was the economic side of this activity. Thus, this transformation contributed to a significant reduction in expenses and, consequently, an increase in companies’ profits. This applies to such aspects as maintenance, insurance, and transportation. Moreover, the use of cars offers more flexibility for organizations. In other words, the goods can be delivered to any point, whether far away or close. This was facilitated by the expansion of roadways that provide access to any location. In addition, rail transportation made it impossible for companies to transport a small number of goods. In order to justify spending, organizations had to completely fill the wagons so as not to be without profit.
However, one of the main problems caused by the transition to motor modes was a sharp increase in the number of road accidents. Hence, because the transition to motor freight carriers had quite a lot of benefits for companies, more and more began to use this method. Therefore, many cars that moved from one point to another began to appear on the roads. Factors such as the growth of vehicles on the highways, lack of sleep, inattention, or lack of driver experience led to accidents occurring more often.
Reference
More than 100 years of innovation. (n.d.). UPS.