Jeepney

By: Troy Peden
Posted on: Philippines, Transportation

Jeepneys are a unique Philippine invention built from ingenuity and scrap metal. The Americans left the islands following WWII, they left behind military hardware including a large inventory of jeeps. The local population customized the jeeps, extending the bed to accommodate passengers, covering the bed to keep the customers dry during typhoon season, and adding some color and flare that are typical of the Philippine culture. Today's jeepneys are a hybrid: part Latin American bus, part practical transportation. Jeepney owners compete for the flashiest vehicle, ornamenting their jeepney with multiple stainless steel hood ornaments, fluorescent detailing, and art work that may include: women, Catholic Saints, and pop culture (Michael Jordan being a popular jeepney logo.) Jeepney owners have recently incorporated concert capable sound systems and light shows that make their cabs look more like cockpits.

Practical Information:

The jeepney is a very efficient mode of transportation. Each jeepney has a designated route which it circles continuously throughout the day. The route is designated either in a sign board in the front window or in a marquee in the front of the jeepney. Standing along the road and hailing a jeepney with a raised hand is enough to stop the vehicle and catch a ride. Usually a cobrador collects your fee of 2 pesos outside Manila and 3-5 pesos in Manila for local routes. Longer routes are more expensive. Clinking a coin on the jeepney is a signal for the jeepney driver to stop ever so briefly so that you can jump out. When the two outside seating benches have filled in a jeepney, makeshift stools will accommodate passengers in the aisle, when the aisle is full passengers will sit with the driver in the cab, when these seating resources are exhausted, passengers take to the top of the jeepney (though illegal)and hang from the tail bumper. The jeepney ride is a positively Philippine experience!

photo by: big-pao