Transportation Systems

Transportation Systems
Name
Institution
Abstract
Transport system refers to the logistics and equipment of transporting goods and passengers. Transportation schemes are an essential part of planning and logistics whenever automobiles are utilized to move items or people from one locality to another. They allow individuals move to the place of work and also transport goods and services on time. The transport systems cover all means of transport, from buses and cars to boats, airplanes and also space travel. Flight is a significant portion of the transport sector, and transportation is a major element of the United States economy. The sector employs millions of employees, generates income, and consumes services and materials manufactured by other economic sectors. It allows women and men to make their revenue by manufacturing automobiles, maintaining, driving, and controlling them to enable efficient and safe movement of people and goods. For every seven jobs, one in the United States is related to transportation (Small, 2006, p. 680). The firms that provide transport services face enormous risks and threats. The Uber is one of the firms providing transport services in the United States. The risks they face today and perhaps in the future are basically dissimilar from the threats of yesterday.
Keywords: transport system, passengers, goods, automobiles, planning, services, economic sector, threats, and risks
Although transportation schemes are universal to contemporary society, individuals are likely to take them for granted up until something gets wrong.

An airline is recognized to fail as monetary enterprises, public schemes encounter shortages, excessive crashes happen on roads, and spacecraft get lost sometimes. Comprehending transportation systems based on their economic and technological complexity, and their significant impacts on people is a fascinating and large field of learning. Transportation schemes have extensive and pervasive effects on the social and economic systems that they function. Though it’s common to define the utilization of transportation facilities as a derivative demand, the manner in which transport modes are offered has an enormous effect on people (Vincent, 2004, p. 597). The first effect of the adoption of new transport services or mode is mainly to reduce shipment or travel costs and times whether the service or mode is a new technological development or an existing technology. Nevertheless, this is just the first stage in the two-step dance. The second phase occurs when completely new market roles are exposed, or long-standing ones significantly expanded. As a consequence, mobility could be amplified, and trade and spatial interaction expand. Finally, prospects for social and economic integration may befall. Therefore, this paper will discuss the prevalent threats currently facing the transportation sector and how Uber Company could enhance its ability to provide its essential services when facing such hazards and threats.
Furthermore, important transport terminuses such as airports, ports, and railways are situated within urban centers, contributing to a particular array of hazards (Yong, 2013, p. 86). Some threats are ancient, such as congestion, and terrorism, whereas others are fresh like cybersecurity, accidents, and environmental. As automobiles become progressively connected, with consumers demanding extra communications structures from vehicle developers, cybersecurity will linger to present a threat. The vehicle industry is confronting this head-on. Nevertheless, there’s still a lot to be accomplished. Hackers can get unauthorized access to the automobile’s systems and interfere with efficient transport. Another threat is terrorism. Almost every week Americans face warnings concerning potential extremist targets, from apartment buildings and banks to nuclear power plants and dam. This risk of terrorism isn’t new to transport. From jet aircraft to mass rail terminals to transit buses, transport facilities and vehicles are all too conversant targets of extremist attacks in the United States and abroad. Though new attacks may occur, we can’t simply consent a repetition as inevitable.
Therefore, the attacks could be derailed, and they may as well be deterred. However, these threats pose a danger to the transportation system. Traffic congestion is a prevalent transport threat in urban zones (Newman, Kosonen, & Kenworthy, 2016, p. 441). This is particularly associated with diffusion and motorization of the automobile that has raised the need for transportation infrastructures. However, the provision of infrastructures has regularly not been in a position to match with the progress of mobility. Again, Safety and accidents is another threat to the transport sector. Expanding traffic in towns is associated with an increasing number of fatalities and accidents. Accidents do account for a substantial share of periodic delays. Thus, such threats pose a challenge in transportation system hence leading to interruptions. These interruptions affect the movement of goods and services. Uber Company provides transportation services, and therefore it faces these threats and hazards.
Uber is actually a drive referral service. Unlike cab firms, Uber drivers utilize their individual cars and wage for their expenses and gas. The firm is mainly a societal network intermediary for drivers and passengers (Alles, 2010, p. 14). Uber’s smartphone application connects drivers with riders utilizing GPS technology. The firm processes disbursements, which are done by passengers through the credit card registered in the Uber’s platform. Uber earns a portion from every fare and deposits the rest into the account of the driver. Uber drives are usually substantially cheaper compared to a standard taxi fare. Savings descent when an individual use the service through peak intervals when surge rating is in influence. At such periods, which comprise rush hour or traffic hours, one can anticipate paying considerably higher charges than usual. Uber also structures a unique assessment system.
After a ride is ended, both the passenger and driver rate each other. Riders remark on features like the punctuality of the facility and hygiene of the automobile. Drivers assess the conduct of the travelers. While this evaluation can be useful for users and drivers, the assessment isn’t devoid of its hitches. Bad general ratings, whether understandable or not, could mean a motorist gets disengaged and a customer can get banned. Uber appears like a perfect way out for “seamlessly” connecting drivers and riders (Balsas, 2015, p. 4). As a traveler, if you want a drive, you call one with just a push of a key on your phone, and a motorist is on her or his way. However, the company faces threats that may interrupt its operations. These threats may include but not limited to terrorism, cyber-attack, safety and accidents, and traffic congestion.
Uber Company service provision faces a threat of cyber-attack. This is because the company largely rely on technology to efficiently provide transport services. There are much of expert views on what the extreme cybersecurity threat now and in the future will affect technology and business (Brummer, 2014). And these are significant opinions since cybersecurity is persistently evolving. Establishments of all sizes and shapes are fighting the conflict against cyber invaders. Cyber-attacks are getting more sophisticated, which renders it difficult to mitigate and detect. As cyber-attacks advance so does the security assessment and security technology methodologies utilized to fight and detect these attacks. Uber faced a cyber-attack in 2016 where unauthorized persons accessed the system and disclosed confidential data held in the company’s database. Such acts may interrupt the operations of the company and bring services to a standstill. Again, the hackers may interfere with the system making it impossible to function normally hence affecting service provision. Therefore, Uber Company faces a threat of cybersecurity that needs to be observed keenly. Again, the rise of terrorism across the world poses a threat to the Uber business.
The platform that the company uses can be accessed online by anyone. Therefore, terrorists may take advantage of it, request for a ride with the aim of attacking or harming the drivers and other passengers who may be on board. When such incidence occurs, many customers and possibly drivers will shy away leading to disruption of services. Accidents are also a threat that Uber Company faces today. The company isn’t in control of the vehicles used and therefore, the cars may be old or driven by irresponsible drivers leading to accidents (Brahim, 2010, p. 980). The adverse environmental impact can interrupt the service delivery in the transportation sector. Still, the traffic congestion which is common in many towns may interrupt the Uber’s service delivery and hence a threat to the business.
Business continuity plan refers to how organizations may prepare for tragedies and recuperate post-disaster. It’s critical to design thoroughly so as to defend the company and the disastrous effect of the disaster. Whether it’s a flood, fire, or robbery to the data technology system, preparation is crucial in guarding the organization. If a firm doesn’t implement an operations continuity plan, it could risk dropping its clients. At nastiest, the organization could get crippled and never convalesce after the tragedy (Burtles, 2007, p. 63). The transportation application based organization, Uber, the key focus must be its cybersecurity part of the commercial continuity plan. This may include having a disaster recovery site, a redundant system or harmonic recovery. Uber should as well develop continuity of operations plan for other threats to the business such as terrorist attacks, accidents, as well as traffic congestion by putting measures like effective crash alert systems and congested highways alarms to enable the drivers to avoid them and seek alternatives (Gregory, 2007, p. 717).
The Department of Homeland security has means available to help businesses in establishing an operations continuity plan. For all catastrophes, Department of Homeland Security adopts five steps which include program management, planning, implementation, testing and exercises, and program improvement. Therefore, transportation system faces various threats and hazards that require continuity of operations plan. Uber Company is one of the private companies providing services in this sector, and therefore business continuity planning is inevitable in order to continue providing the services without interruption from these threats and hazards.
References
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