It is not a bad way to transport bitumen.  The flashpoint of solid bitumen is safer than the flashpoint for the thinner used for liquid transport. Bricks of bitumen are safe to carry and if the transport should crash and spill,  there is no danger of a flash fire.  Pick up the bricks and carry on.  Yet this technology is not accepted because .. why?? Because it's too new. Not proven. Not trusted.  Is Canada the forerunner in natural resource technology transfer?  Not really.  Our absolute stone age mentality is the real problem.