Cars, Trains, Planes, and More – Transportation Vehicles in the U.S.
Embark on a captivating journey into the vibrant world of transportation vehicles in the United States. From sleek and efficient cars to powerful locomotives, magnificent airplanes, and an array of fascinating modes of transportation in between, our resource covers it all. Discover the advancements in automotive technology, delve into the rich history of iconic trains.
Read more
Free Auto Insurance Comparison
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Daniel Walker
Licensed Insurance Agent
Dan Walker graduated with a BS in Administrative Management in 2005 and has been working in his family’s insurance agency, FCI Agency, for 15 years (BBB A+). He is licensed as an agent to write property and casualty insurance, including home, life, auto, umbrella, and dwelling fire insurance. He’s also been featured on sites like Reviews.com and Safeco. He reviews content, ensuring tha...
Licensed Insurance Agent
UPDATED: Oct 3, 2024
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single insurance company.
Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different insurance companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by insurance experts.
UPDATED: Oct 3, 2024
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single insurance company.
Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different insurance companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
Welcome to our comprehensive guide on Cars, Trains, Planes, and More – Transportation Vehicles in the U.S.
Explore the fascinating world of transportation as we delve into the diverse array of vehicles that keep America moving.
From cars that revolutionize personal mobility to trains that connect cities and planes that take us to new heights, we cover it all. Dive into captivating topics such as the latest automotive innovations, the history and evolution of train travel, the marvels of aviation, and other intriguing modes of transportation.
To ensure your journeys are protected, enter your zip code below and compare rates from the best insurance providers. Safeguard your vehicle with the right coverage and embark on your next adventure with peace of mind.
Animal Travel
Although it is a common misconception that horses arrived in the United States via European exploration, horses had been present, in a variety of species, for millennia previous to Europeans arriving in the Americas. Up until the invention of the railroad, horses were the primary mode of land transportation in the United States.
They are still used frequently by police, as transportation in rural areas, and for sporting. Other animals have been used for transportation, such as oxen to pull carts and dogs to pull sleds, but horses were a primary mode of transportation for many Americans for centuries.
Resources:
- Animal Welfare Institute: Wild horses as native as North American wildlife
- Animal Smart: All about horses
- Equine Heritage Institute: Shaping civilizations: the role of the horse in human societies
Compare The Best Insurance Quotes In The Country
Compare quotes from the top insurance companies and save!
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Bicycles
Bicycles have been immensely popular almost since their creation. Certainly, by the late 1870s bicycles were popular in America, although these bicycles were not to their modern stage yet. Many bicycles had vastly different wheel sizes and shapes than we would recognize today, but they were an important way for people to independently travel longer distances. This independence would reshape American life, especially for children and young people.
Resources:
- Smithsonian Museum of American History: The development of the bicycle
- Library of Congress: Bicycles in America
Cars and Trucks
Automobiles have played a major role in US history, and are a huge part of the culture. Cars have been around for over a century now, and their importance as both transportation and as a hobby is only continuing to grow. Cars allowed young people to date without the interference of parents and to have independence from the family. This independence led to the rise of suburbs as people were able to live further from work. In addition, trucks dramatically changed the landscape of American farming.
Cars were not first invented by Henry Ford, with his mass-produced and affordable Model T, but they were first popularized by this new mass production system. When cars became affordable for a large segment of Americans, roadways as well as travel, dating, and living situations changed irrevocably.
Resources:
- American-Historama: Henry Ford and the Model T
- Colorado State University: The history of the automobile
- National Institute of Food and Agriculture: Historical timeline: Farm machinery and technology
Compare The Best Insurance Quotes In The Country
Compare quotes from the top insurance companies and save!
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Air
Air travel made international travel a reality for millions. It made travel faster, more affordable, and safer than ever before. Air travel had been a dream of humans from time immemorial, but in the 1780s, the first air balloon was successfully flown, and in 1903, the Wright Brothers made their first famous flight. Flying has become the most popular way to travel for many, and certainly has overtaken travel by boat for intercontinental travel for most.
For example, in 2015, over 890 million people flew on flights in the United States. This huge amount of air travel continues to increase, both on international and domestic flights. The massive migration of people, even temporarily, has made travel for both work and fun easier and more manageable for many Americans and their families.
Resources:
- NASA: History of flight
- Wright-Brothers.org: A history of the airplane
- The Museum of Flight: Education
- Bureau of Transportation Statistics: 2015 US based airline traffic data
Rail
Rail travel, in short, revolutionized American life and made the country look like it does today. Railroads made travel to all areas of America possible, even remote areas, particularly in the West, which was sparsely populated in many areas and often only populated by groups of Native Americans rather than colonists. Railroad travel also gave us time zones. In order to keep railroad schedules on time, standardized national time zones had to be enforced.
Although the history of the railroad stretches back to the early eighteenth century, trains became popular and prevalent in the United States in the early nineteenth century and quickly spread across the country. Train travel is still a crucial part of transit in America.
Resources:
- The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History: American Indians and the transcontinental railroad
- NPR: How trains “railroaded” the American economy
- National Geographic: 1883: North American time zones created
Water
Water travel, despite the replacement of ocean liners with airplanes, is still immensely popular in the United States. Water travel was revolutionized with the invention of the steam paddleboat, although paddleboats had been around for centuries, the steam boat of Robert Fulton in 1807 changed the way goods and people were moved on waterways. People could move goods faster, could travel further, and could be less dependent on currents and tides, as well as explore new areas.
Resources:
- Teach US History: Historical background on traveling in the early 19th century
- Sandy Historical Society: A brief history of the paddleboat
Compare The Best Insurance Quotes In The Country
Compare quotes from the top insurance companies and save!
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Public Transportation
Public transportation in the United States has a long and interesting history. It allowed cities to spread out. People could live further from the city center due to public transportation, and it allowed for more people to work and live in or near cities without clogging roadways or owning any kind of transportation. The arrival of steam ferries in the 1820s changed travel on water, and buses (pulled by horses) became immensely popular in cities during the mid-nineteenth century. Cable cars, buses, elevated railways, and subways followed, forever changing how people navigated cities.
Resources:
- Portland State University and Museum of the City: The history of urban public transportation in the United States
- Nashville MTA: History of transit in Nashville
- American Public Transportation Association: Resource library
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of insurance coverage do I need for my car in the U.S.?
In the U.S., drivers are required to have liability insurance to cover the costs of injuries or damages they may cause to others in an accident. However, you may also want to consider optional coverage such as collision insurance to cover damage to your own vehicle, comprehensive insurance to cover non-collision damage (such as theft or weather-related damage), and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to protect you in case you are hit by someone with inadequate insurance.
Do I need insurance for my motorcycle?
Yes, motorcycle insurance is mandatory in most states in the U.S. Liability insurance is typically required to cover injuries or damages you may cause to others while riding your motorcycle. Optional coverage such as collision, comprehensive, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is also available. What type of insurance do I need for my recreational vehicle (RV)?
What type of insurance do I need for my recreational vehicle (RV)?
The type of insurance coverage you need for your RV will depend on how you use it. If you use your RV as your primary residence, you may need a specialized policy that includes liability coverage, personal property coverage, and additional living expenses coverage. If you only use your RV occasionally for vacations or weekend trips, you may be able to add it to your existing auto insurance policy or purchase a separate RV insurance policy that includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage.
Do I need insurance for my boat?
Yes, most states require boat owners to have liability insurance to cover injuries or damages they may cause to others while boating. Optional coverage such as collision, comprehensive, and uninsured/underinsured boater coverage is also available.
What type of insurance do I need for my airplane?
If you own an airplane, you will need aircraft insurance to cover liability and physical damage to the aircraft. The type of coverage you need will depend on how you use the aircraft, its value, and other factors. It is recommended that you work with an insurance agent who specializes in aviation insurance to determine the coverage that is right for you.
What type of insurance coverage do I need for my train?
If you own a train or operate a train as part of a business, you will need liability insurance to cover injuries or damages you may cause to others while operating the train. The type of coverage you need will depend on the size and scope of your operation, and it is recommended that you work with an insurance agent who specializes in railroad insurance to determine the coverage that is right for you.
Compare The Best Insurance Quotes In The Country
Compare quotes from the top insurance companies and save!
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Daniel Walker
Licensed Insurance Agent
Dan Walker graduated with a BS in Administrative Management in 2005 and has been working in his family’s insurance agency, FCI Agency, for 15 years (BBB A+). He is licensed as an agent to write property and casualty insurance, including home, life, auto, umbrella, and dwelling fire insurance. He’s also been featured on sites like Reviews.com and Safeco. He reviews content, ensuring tha...
Licensed Insurance Agent
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by insurance experts.