Where are the Jeepneys? (Part I)
by: Fiel Limjap | September 6, 2012 One of the major shocks to the system for us when we first got here was the huge difference in the public transportation system (the others being lunch and dinner without rice and ulam, and the rampant interest in one's current condition – “How are you?”, “How's it going?”*). Below are just some of the more noticeable aspects of public transportation that needed some getting used to for us. Boarding Back in the Philippines, it takes two jeepney rides from our subdivision in Antipolo to Ali Mall, Cubao. If you go during the rush hour, chances are they would run out of jeepneys in the terminal and you would have to wait a while for your turn to board. If you go during the slow hours, you would still have to wait for a while because the jeepney doesn't leave until totally filled up according to the dispatcher's standards - but at least you would be sitting for the duration of this wait. In relation to these “standards”, the jeepney is usually very cramped when it finally leaves the terminal. I've always suspected that the formula used to calculate the maximum capacity of each row is physically possible capacity plus one; however, I had never been able to confirm this hypothesis. The trick is for some of the passengers (usually male) to position themselves near the edge of the seat so that their hips and shoulders would not have to compete for the limited space with the persons sitting on either side. The most ideal way to carry this out is an alternating formation wherein every other person would be sitting in the said manner although one or two would usually suffice.
This feat is not always accomplished, however, and sometimes the spatial limitations are simply too apparent prompting some passengers to protest. At these times, the konduktor usually retorts “Araw-araw ginagamit 'yan!” or “Mag-taxi kayo kung gusto niyo ng maluwang!” Here in the East Bay, the bus terminals are usually BART stations and malls. There are no dispatchers to shout the routes and popular stops – all these information are available online. The bus leaves on scheduled times regardless of the number of passengers and there had only been two instances that I've been on a bus wherein some people had to stand because all the seats are taken. Public transportation is a much less popular mode of travel here than back home and it is not unusual to find first time passengers. Less bus operate during the weekends and holidays and those that do usually travel less frequently with the last trips scheduled earlier. In the last fourth of July, I had the misfortune of missing this last trip and I might have spent the night in the bus terminal if not for an angel of a kababayan giving me a ride back home. On the Road I once read in a travel guide for the Philippines that “The jeepney ride is not for the faint at heart”. I imagine that if I had not been raised with the jeepney as an integral part of my life, it really would have been quite a shock to try them. The “patok” jeepney is notorious for its thundering bass amplifiers and road swerving moves fit for action movies. If you can't handle these jeepneys, the general rule is that if you can hear it's music clearly from ten feet away on a busy street, it's probably best not to get on that one. Sometimes the music gets so loud that you couldn't even hear yourself complain. We've always held that the hallmark of a veteran Filipino commuter is that he or she can fall asleep while riding a patok. The jeepney is involved in many cases of traffic congestion. On the LRT Santolan station platform , you have a good view of the busy Marcos Highway below and you could sometimes observe how the jeepneys form a bottleneck while they compete for the passengers from the LRT. I love imagining myself as a professor using this example to explain plaque formation in the blood vessels to my students. In a stark contrast to the jeepney, the bus ride here is largely a gentle experience. There is no music on board and there is hardly any swerving or overtaking. Bus drivers are the masters of following traffic rules and no stop signs are ever ignored. Buses only stop to pick up passengers in bus stops and never pile up to cause traffic congestion. This has been a minor annoyance to us since we live a bit far from one of these stops although I guess it's a good tradeoff for the traffic it prevents. The Fare Any amount of fare increase is an enormous issue back in the Philippines. I feel bad for the drivers and konduktors whenever one such increase takes place. Passengers may take weeks to catch up on the new fare and a lot of them don't do so in an elegant way. There would be much surprised looks and reluctant recalculations before the public finally adjusts to the new rates. I haven't been here in the US long enough to see a fare increase but as it was our nature as newcomers to convert everything to its peso value, we weren't too enthusiastic about the bus fare initially. With the current exchange rate, a single local bus ride here ($2.10) would cost more than a round trip of the two jeepney lines that I take to Ali Mall from our place. The fare amount, however, is not as important of an issue as how it is collected. Buses here have those automated boxes where you drop the fare as you enter the bus. No human interaction is necessary to complete this process although it seems to be customary to exchange greetings with the driver. The jeepney, on the other hand, utilizes the intricate “bayad po” system. First of all, in anticipation to how cramped the jeepney would be when it leaves the terminal, it is highly suggested that you have your fare in your hand or anywhere that is not in your pocket. It is highly uncomfortable for you and the person beside you when you try to reach for your wallet while hip to hip with each other. Whenever possible, pay exact fare because many konduktors seem to be reluctant to carry “panukli” with them and would likely depend on the other passengers to give them coins for your change. This is especially true if you are a student because no matter how complete your student attire is, the driver or konduktor would automatically assume that you have to pay the regular fare unless you specifically mention that you are entitled a student discount. The dynamics of the bayad po depends on whether there is a konduktor present. If the driver himself collects the fare, it is much better to pass your fare while on a stop or at least when the road is not as busy. Under no circumstance should you try to pay while the driver is trying to pull one of those tight overtakes. You should also understand that calculating your fare based on where you boarded and your destination requires quite a bit of focus so try not to pay simultaneously with three other passengers lest you risk having your change forgotten. Your position in the jeepney also dictates your responsibility to pass the fare. If the fare goes to the front (as when there is no konduktor or if the konduktor decides to stay in front), do not take the seat second closest to the front end if you don't like passing fares because that is the most ideal position to do that. The closest seat is usually too close with a reach that is nearly identical to the driver's and therefore not a vital part of the relay. The public transportation systems here and the Philippines are just so different that there is almost no sense in trying to compare the two. Sometimes, however, as I ride the bus, I can't help but reminisce some of those experiences I had with our beloved jeepneys back home. For all its imperfections and even notoriety, I don't think the Philippines would feel as much of a home without Manong Driver/Drayber and Kuya Konduktor giving the streets its rich and unique color. *Back home, “Kumusta?” or “Balita?” is usually reserved for friends and relatives whom you have not heard from for quite some time. It took some adjusting on my part to answer this sort of question from someone I've barely met since I can't reference a past point of my life. As it turns out, “How are you?” doesn't actually require a detailed answer as what I initially thought.
