Final answer:
Trucks are the second largest surface transportation mode because they offer flexible delivery options to various locations, making them vital for logistics and supply chains. The Grand Canal remains significant due to its efficiency and lower environmental impact compared to road travel. Therefore correct option is B. Trucks
Step-by-step explanation:
The second largest surface transportation mode because of their ability to deliver to more locations is trucks (B). Trucking allows for a flexible transportation solution that can deliver goods directly to multiple locations, which is vital for manufacturing and commerce.
Trucks are essential in modern logistics, offering the ability to navigate through diverse routes and reach areas that other modes of transportation, such as railroads or pipelines, cannot.
This adaptability makes trucks a cornerstone of supply chains, helping to transport finished goods over congested street networks and resolving issues that stem from denser or less accessible areas, where other transportation means may struggle or be non-economical.
Furthermore, the Grand Canal continues to be an important transportation route due to its capability to move a significant volume of freight effectively and at a lower environmental impact than road transport.
Historically, vital transformations in transportation like the steamship and railroad lines stimulated the transportation revolution, paving the way for economic progress by interlinking different regions. This network made it feasible to transfer goods efficiently between agricultural and manufacturing hubs, enhancing the market revolution.
Today, good transportation systems are still crucial to move raw materials and goods, underpinning both national expansion and global trade operations.
Therefore correct option is B. Trucks