The Geography of Transport Systems

Mobility is fundamental to economic and social activities, including commuting, manufacturing, or supplying energy. Each movement has an origin, a potential set of intermediate locations, a destination, and a nature which is linked with geographical attributes. Transport systems composed of infrastructures, modes and terminals are so embedded in the socio-economic life of individuals, institutions and corporations that they are often invisible to the consumer. This is paradoxical as the perceived invisibility of transportation is derived from its efficiency. Understanding how mobility is linked with geography is main the purpose of this textbook.

The second edition of The Geography of Transport Systems maintains the overall structure of its predecessor, with chapters dealing with specific conceptual dimensions and methodologies, but the contents have been revised and updated. The second edition also offers new topics and approaches that have emerged as critical issues in contemporary transport systems, including security, energy, supply chain management and GIS-T. Relevant case studies have also been included in the second edition to underline real world issues related to transport geography.

Some key points of the second edition:

• updated and revised conceptual and methodological material to reflect the most current issues in transport geography.
• a case study for each chapter addressing a real world transportation geography issue.
• reorganization of the text to improve readability and continuity.
• updated and improved figures and maps.
• continuously updated and revised supporting web site.

Mainly aimed at an undergraduate audience, this edition of The Geography of Transport Systems provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the field with a broad overview of its concepts, methods and areas of application. It is highly illustrated and a companion web site has also been enhanced for the book. It contains PowerPoint slides, exercises, databases and GIS datasets and can be accessed at http://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans

Jean-Paul Rodrigue is an Associate Professor in the Department of  Global Studies & Geography at Hofstra University, New York.
Claude Comtois is Professor of Geography at the University of Montreal, Canada, and is affiliated with the Research Centre on Enterprise Networks, Logistics and Transportation of the same institution.
Brian Slack is Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Concordia University, Montreal, Canada.