Final answer:
Prior to Ford's Model T, personal transportation primarily consisted of horse-drawn vehicles such as omnibuses and horse cars for city travel, whereas the wealthy could afford early automobiles.
Step-by-step explanation:
Before the inception of Henry Ford's Model T, personal transportation was vastly different. The primary modes of transport were the omnibus and the horse car, both being horse-drawn vehicles. The omnibus was a large carriage that was commonly used for transport within the city while the horse car, placed on iron or steel tracks, offered a slightly smoother ride but struggled with larger crowds and sanitation issues due to horse manure. For those with more wealth, early automobiles served as novelties and luxury items prior to the 1920s. It wasn't until Henry Ford introduced his Model T, a vehicle that was mass-produced and affordable for the average American, that personal transportation began to transform significantly, giving rise to suburb expansion and new industries around automobile sales and services. Other transportation options, like living in proximity to one's workplace or relying on rail for intercity travel, were customary due to the limitations of distance that could be practically traveled.