The automobile is perhaps the greatest invention of all time. It has truly revolutionized the world and how nearly every person gets around. Without the automobile, society would still rely on beasts of burden to transport our goods and horses, camels or similar animals to get from place to place. The main three benefits of the automobile have been the industrialized transportation network it enabled, the personal transportation revolution and the massive increase in speed and range for commuting and other activities.
While the workhorse of the Industrial Revolution was the railroad, in modern America, nearly all cargo is transported by truck. Trucks hauled over 11 million tons worth of cargo in 2011 (DOT 2012). This transportation network allows fresh goods to be delivered to every corner of the United States easily and safely.
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The automobile has revolutionized personal transportation. Over 250 million passenger vehicles are registered in the United States. This means that there is over one car for every eligible driver. (BTS 2013) This has changed the way that Americans live. We now have dependable transportation that can take us nearly anywhere that we want to go.
Finally, the advent of the automobile has expanded our living areas. No longer does an individual have to live within walking distance of his place of work. He can simply hop in his car in the morning and cover distances of up to 60 miles with little to no trouble. This has expanded the opportunities than an average person has for employment and enjoyment.
In conclusion, because of the speed, range, and reliability of the modern automobile, the United States has developed a modern transportation network capable of carrying massive amounts of cargo, and simultaneously multiplied the distance than an average citizen can travel with ease, creating opportunities for him or her to access an increased number of services and locations.
- Commuting in the United States. (n.d.). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 25, 2013, from www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/acs-15.pdf
- Mode. (n.d.). BTS Publications (Alphabetical List) | Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Research and Innovative Technology Administration |. Retrieved September 25, 2013, from http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/publications
- Mode. (n.d.). U.S. International Trade and Freight Transportation Trends | Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Research and Innovative Technology Administration |. Retrieved September 25, 2013, from http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/publications/us_international_trade_and_freight_transportation_trends/2003/index.html
- Tables 2-1 and 2-1M. Weight of Shipments by Transportation Mode: 2007, 2011, and 2040 – Freight Facts and Figures 2012 – FHWA Freight Management and Operations. (n.d.). FHWA Operations. Retrieved September 25, 2013, from http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/freight_analysis/nat_freight_stats/docs/12factsfigures/table2_1.htm
