Transportation

Word

Definition

Example

vehicle

a machine, usually with wheels and an engine, used for taking people or goods from one place to another, especially on roads

Three vehicles were involved in the accidents near my house.

to transport

take or carry people or goods from one place to another using a vehicle

Their furniture was transported to their new house in a large lorry.

transportation

a vehicle or system of vehicles, such as buses, trains, etc. for getting from one place to another

What form of transportation are you going to use to get to the airport?

a means / form of transportation

any vehicle that you can travel in or on or use to carry goods in

Bicycles are a cheap means of transportation and also keep you fit.

transport system

a facility consisting of the means and equipment necessary for the movement of passengers or goods

The transport system in my country needs a lot of improvement.

public transport

a system of vehicles such as buses and trains that operate at regular times on fixed routes, charge set fares and are used by the public

It's much cheaper to use public transport in the city than drive a car.

private transport

means of transport that are not available for use by the general public such as your own car

Most people prefer to use private transport to public transport as it makes them more independent.

traffic

the vehicles, pedestrians, ships, or planes moving along a route

There was a lot of traffic on the roads this morning.

infrastructure

the basic systems and services, such as transportation and power supplies, that a country or organization uses in order to work effectively

The earthquake caused serious damage to the area's transport infrastructure.

a journey

the act of travelling from one place to another, especially in a vehicle

The train journey took them through beautiful countryside.

road

a long, hard surface built for vehicles to travel along

Shakira waved to her mum as the bus drove off down the road.

cycle lane

part of a road marked off with painted lines, for use by cyclists

There have been far fewer cyclists killed on the roads since the government introduced cycle lanes in our towns and cities.

bus lane

part of a road marked off with painted lines, for use by buses

Car drivers are not allowed to use the bus lanes.

bypass / ring road / beltway

a road which circles a town or city and enables you to go faster from one point to another.

I usually take the ring road to visit my brother as the roads through town are always congested.

freeway / highway / expressway

a public road, often with multiple lanes, especially an important road that joins cities or towns together

The traffic in the city centre moved slowly but once Raul hit the freeway there was less traffic and he was able to drive much faster.

motorway (UK)

a road with three lanes going each way

Motorways are vitally important for the transportation of goods around the UK.

overpass

a bridge that carries one road over another road

No-one believed that the new overpass would really ease traffic congestion but it has made a noticeable difference.

junction

where two roads meet

Aksel only just missed the car that pulled out in front of him at the junction.

roundabout

a road junction at which traffic moves in one direction around a central island to reach one of the roads converging on it

The traffic flowed much better when they replaced the traffic lights with a roundabout.

traffic light

a set of automatically operated red, amber and green lights for controlling traffic at road junctions and pedestrian crossings

I have to drive through ten sets of traffic lights on the way to work and if I'm late, you can be sure they'll all stop on red.

traffic jam

a line of vehicles moving very slowly or not at all

Mayuree missed her train after getting caught in traffic on the way to the station.

heavy traffic

a lot of vehicles on the road

A sunny weekend is forecast so there will be heavy traffic on the roads as people head to the coast.

to be congested

when a road or place is so crowded with traffic or people as to hinder or prevent freedom of movement

The roads are particularly congested during the rush hour.

congestion

the state of being congested

Congestion is a serious problem in most cities across the world.

queue

a line of people or vehicles waiting for something

There were so many people heading into town for the sales that I had to queue for the car park.

roadworks

building or repair work on a road

The roadworks were causing long delays for people travelling to work.

diversion

a different route used because a road is closed

The accident closed the road and traffic had to take a two-mile diversion to get into town.

to be held up

to be stopped and delayed because of work on the road, diversions or accidents

Soo-min apologised for being late and explained that she'd been held up in traffic.

bottleneck

a place where a road becomes narrow or a place where there is often a lot of traffic, causing the traffic to slow down or stop

The roadworks were causing a serious bottleneck on the main road into town.

speed camera

camera set up by a road to photograph cars exceeding the speed limit

Most drivers slow down when they are approaching a speed camera.

road accident / car crash

a bad incident involving vehicles that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury

Two people were taken to hospital following the car crash on the freeway.

to commute

travel some distance between home and work on a regular basis

When Talin got her new job, she moved closer to the city so that she wouldn't have to commute too far each day.

to travel by

to use a particular mode of transport, e.g. bus, car, train, bike, etc, to get from one place to another

To get to work, I travel by bus

to take

to use a particular mode of public transport, e.g. bus, train, taxi, plane

She didn't want to wait for a bus in the pouring rain so took a taxi instead.

to get on

to get into a bus, train or plane

They arrived at the station just in time to get on the train before it left.

to get off

to disembark from a bus, train or plane

Shona pushed the bell as she wanted to get off the bus at the next stop.

bus route

the fixed, regular journey made by a bus

One of the reasons I moved to my new address is because it's on the main bus route into town.

bus service

a public facility whereby the general public can travel on a bus from one place to another along set routes for a fixed fee

There is a good bus service into town from where I live.

timetable / schedule

a plan of the times when particular events are to take place

Jared's interview was at 9.30 a.m. and the timetable showed that the early train would get him there in plenty of time.

rush hour

the times at the beginning and end of the working day when many people are travelling to or from work

Ogasi was so fed up with the rush hour traffic jams that he bought a bike to cycle to work.

carpool (US) / car share (UK)

an arrangement between people to make a regular journey together in a single vehicle, usually taking turns to drive

If more people organized carpools, the roads wouldn't be so congested.

park-and-ride

a system for reducing urban traffic congestion, in which drivers leave their cars in car parks on the outskirts of a town or city and travel into centre on public transport

The park-and-ride scheme was so successful that a second one was set up on the other side of the city.

the outskirts

the areas that form the outer edge of a town, city or village, that are furthest away from the centre

It's great living on the outskirts. It's easy to get into the city but we are also close to the countryside.

convenient

fitting in well with a person's needs, activities, and plans

There's a bus stop right outside my house which makes it very convenient for catching the bus to work.

independent

not influenced or controlled in any way by other people or events

I'm so much more independent now that I have a scooter to get around.

overcrowded

full with too many people for it to be comfortable or safe

The tube is so overcrowded in the rush hour that it's impossible to get a seat.

unreliable

something or someone that is not trustworthy or efficient

Our local bus service is very unreliable and is usually running late.

network

group or system of interconnected people or things

The new government made a commitment to improving the country's transport network.

the underground / the tube / the subway / the metro

an underground railway system in a city

The quickest way to get around London is on the underground.

a shuttle

a vehicle or aircraft that travels regularly between two places

Itsuki took the shuttle from his hotel out to the airport.

fuel

a substance that is used to provide heat or power, e.g. petrol, diesel, gasoline, oil, usually by being burned

Scientists are working hard to develop more environmentally friendly fuels.

emissions

an amount of something, especially a gas such as carbon dioxide, that is sent out into the air and harms the environment

Car manufacturers are under pressure to reduce exhaust emissions.

emit

to produce and discharge something, especially a gas

Vehicles emit high levels of harmful gases into the atmosphere.

exhaust fumes

harmful gases emitted from a vehicle engine

Many cities have a big problem with air pollution caused by exhaust fumes.

energy efficient

using only a small amount of fuel

I chose this make of car because it is very energy efficient.

air pollution

the presence of harmful substances in the air, often consisting of waste emissions from vehicles

Air pollution is so bad in some cities that people have to wear face-masks when they go out.

environmentally- friendly

not harmful to the environment

Electric cars are a more environmentally-friendly than those that run on petrol.

gas guzzler

informal way of calling a vehicle that uses a lot of fuel

For many people, a large car is a status symbol and they aren't concerned about the harm their gas guzzler is doing to the environment.

autonomous vehicle / driverless car / self-driving car

a car capable of driving itself through a computer system

I would be very nervous of riding in an autonomous vehicle and don't think that they are safe.

space travel

travel through outer space

They say that it won't be long before members of the public are able to enjoy space travel.

high-speed rail

a passenger train that travels at a very high speed using specialised rolling stock and a system of dedicated track

In the future, high-speed rail networks will take over from traditional railways.

to go on foot

to walk somewhere

The restaurant was only a mile from our house and we decided to go on foot so that we could all enjoy a bottle of wine and no one had to worry about driving home.

pedestrian

a person who travels on foot

Some areas of our city are for pedestrians only and vehicles aren't allowed there.

to run a car

to own and drive a car

It's not really worth running a car if you live in the city as it's easier and cheaper to get around on public transport.

toll

money that you pay to use a particular road or bridge

Some countries charge motorway tolls but most of our motorways are free to travel on.

a speeding fine

a sum of money that must be paid as punishment for driving faster than legally allowed

I was really cross with myself for getting a speeding fine but it was my own fault for driving too fast.

bumper to bumper

very close together, as cars in a traffic jam

The traffic is usually bumper to bumper when I take the kids to school.

beat the traffic

to leave early to avoid travelling when the roads are crowded

Sharon left for the airport at 7.00 a.m. in order to beat the traffic.

hit the road

set out on a journey

They hit the road early as they wanted to reach the holiday cottage by lunchtime.

hitch a lift / ride

to get a ride in someone else's vehicle

If I miss the bus, I can usually hitch a lift with a colleague who lives a few streets away from me