Cheap Transport for Students to Take to School - Purpose of Involvement in the EWB Project - Report Example

Topic: Cheap Transport For students to take to school Name: Institution: Date of Submission Tutor TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Purpose of involvement in the EWB Project 3 1.2. Motivations for studying my current course 3 1.3. Necessary factors that affect team functioning 4 2. Project: Cheap Transport For students to take to school 5 2.1. Costs of the solution and payback period 5 a. Purchasing costs 5 b. Maintenance Costs 5 Table 1. Maintenance Costs for the Project 6 c. Payback time 6 d. Government Subsidies 6 2.2. Costs versus benefit Analysis 6 Table 2. Costs and Benefits Analysis for the Project per month 7 2.3. Appropriateness of the solution to people in Codo area 7 2.4. Reliability of the Transport Solution 7 3. Conclusion 7 4. References 8 1. Purpose of involvement in the EWB Project The main interest in participation in EWB project is to present my idea for solving issues experienced in everyday situation and propose for its implementation to real life situations. I also need to create awareness regarding the effectiveness of my idea in solving problems being experienced in everyday lives of people. The main motivation for participation in this project is that I will be able to get views from others regarding the potential of my project and proceed to implement it in solving problems experienced by people in various areas. I will also know the limitations of my project from the views of people and make the necessary amendments and ensure that the overall goal of the project is achieved. The project is also useful in accomplishing my academic goals because it involves a design for means of transport where moving machines such as vehicles are involved. It will be useful in providing me with a better understanding of how I can apply my mechanical Engineering background to solve problems experienced by common people in the world. Academically, I shall have applied my mechanical engineering knowledge to solve problems experienced by people in the world and get recognition and motivation in my profession. 1.2. Motivations for studying my current course My course at the University is Mechanical Engineering. There are a number of motivating factors that have inspired me to undertake my current course at the University. Firstly, I usually have interest in using machines such as vehicles and their operation. I would like to gain more knowledge regarding their operation and maintenance. I am also interested in creation of beautiful living environment and making life comfortable. Thus, I chose mechanical engineering because I believed there are many areas of mechanical engineering where applications are of significance to solving life problems. In addition, I am motivated in studying the course because it is a course that can lead to attainment of honor and respect in employment situations as well as a base for obtaining skills that could assist me creates a job where I can earn income to sustain my livelihood. Despite the benefits I expect from studying the course, I am anticipating a number of difficulties in studying the course. For instance, I am not so much financially able and I will have to look for books that will be useful in getting the right knowledge regarding mechanical engineering. This is because; the school of engineering at my University does not have all the facilities that assist in achieving the learning needs for mechanical engineering. Furthermore, I will have to neglect my ideas and projects and concentrate on learning academics and it will be difficult to engage in projects 1.3. Necessary factors that affect team functioning In order to achieve the objectives of this design, there are a number of factors affecting team functioning that this project will consider. Firstly, it will ensures all participants’ ideas are considered in coming up with the design of the project. In addition, all members of the group will be required to participate in various ways in coming up with the final design for the project. Decisions during the project will be based on agreements among members and decision of majority will be adhered to. Thus each strategy will be required to be approved by each participant in the project. The outcomes of the strategies will be based on decisions taken by the group involved in the project. Thus, members will be liable for any anomaly or perfect outcome of the project. This will enable determination of areas where errors had been made during decision process and corrective measures taken. 2. Project: Cheap Transport For students to take to school This project involves designing a cheap form of transport that will enable children travel to and from school at a reduced cost. The main proposal is a four-seater motorbike. This is an improvement that will be made on current motorbikes that usually carry a maximum number of two passengers to assist in carrying more passengers at a time. This will ensure children are able to share costs of travelling to and from school as well as saving time and energy of operators of these motorbikes. In addition, waiting time for motorbikes will be reduced since it will ensure mores students are carried to school at a time. 2.1. Costs of the solution and payback period This is a situation where specially designed motorbikes will be sold to operators in remote areas to assist in carrying students to and from schools. The following is the cost analysis of the project. a. Purchasing costs The purchasing cost of a typical motorbike is usually $1200 but when the seat is improvised, the total cost of purchase can be $ 1500. Thus motorbike operators will have to pay additional $ 300 in order to get the improved motorbikes. b. Maintenance Costs The motorbikes will have to be maintained by their operators and the costs will involve ensuring proper cleaning and operation of its parts. It will also involve ensuring the improved seat is also not destroyed. In addition, there will be the need to fuel the motorbike when there is shortage of fuel The table below gives a summary of maintenance costs that will be expected per month. Maintenance practice Maintenance Costs ($) Fueling 40 Cleaning 30 Maintaining the seat 30 TOTAL 100 Table 1. Maintenance Costs for the Project c. Payback time This is the time that the total revenues from operations of motorbikes will be equal to purchasing price of the motorbike. This will be calculated as follows. It is estimated that the total revenue from the operations of the motorbike will be $ 50 per month. Thus in order to determine the payback period for the motor bike will be ($1200/50). This implies that the number of months taken to payback the original investment will be 24 months. Therefore, it will take two years to get back the original investment in the motorbike. d. Government Subsidies In order to enable operators of motorbikes obtain the motorbikes without the need to pay part of initial purchasing price, a copy of this proposal will be sent to the Ministry of Transport to incur part of the initial costs of purchasing the motorbikes. For instance, this project intends to propose that the government incur 20% of the purchase price. Thus buyers will only need to pay $ 1200. This is the same price as the typical motorbike and most buyers will not be affected in obtaining the motorbikes. 2.2. Costs versus benefit Analysis There are a number of costs and benefits that will result from this project. The table below shows the costs and benefits that will result from the project. Costs Value ($) Benefits Value($) Maintenance 30 Improvement of capacity 200 Fuel 40 Cleaning 30 Total 100 200 Table 2. Costs and Benefits Analysis for the Project per month 2.3. Appropriateness of the solution to people in Codo area This project will be useful for the people of Codo areas since there are a number of benefits that residents and children will be able to derive from it. For instance, children will be able to go to school at reduced costs of transport while they will be able to reach school in time. In addition, people operating motorbikes will be able to carry more passengers at a time and less effort will be used in transport process. There will be additional savings in fuel costs for the operators and they will be able to assist more students without having to make many trips to and from school. 2.4. Reliability of the Transport Solution Mechanically, the improved motorbikes will assist users of the technology reduce fuel costs because less number of trips will be made. This will be contributed by carrying four students at a time instead of carrying one student at a time. Mechanically, there will be few chances of accidents that can result into breakage of parts. This is because few trips will be made at a time thus resulting into fewer chances of occurrence of accidents. 3. Conclusion Generally, the use of a four seater motorbike will result into considerable advancement of transport for motorbike users. It will be mostly beneficial to motorbike operators in remote areas such as Codo in the case study. It is a technology that will be very useful in solving transport problems for students travelling long distances to and from school. It will also be useful in solving other transport problems for people who need to transport their property from one place to another. 4. References Chowdhury, M., & Sadek, A. W. 2003. Intelligent transportation systems: planning, design, deployment, and operations. Boston, MA, Artech House. Conference On Performance Measures To Improve Transportation Systems And Agency Operations. 2001. Performance measures to improve transportation systems and agency operations: report of a conference, Irvine, California, October 29-November 1, 2000. Washington, D.C., National Academy Press. Jakubiak, S. C., Mudge, R. R., & Hurd, R. 1990. Using market research to improve management of transportation systems. Washington, D.C., Transportation Research Board, National Research Board. National Conference On Performance Measures, & Turnbull, K. F. 2005. Performance measures to improve transportation systems: summary of the second national conference. Washington, D.C., Transportation Research Board. Read More