Jeepney

Actual posting Feb. 1, 2013

This seemed like a good opportunity to take a break from construction-type processes, so here's a posting about JEEPNEYS - a type of vehicle unique and ubiquitous to the PHILIPPINES.

In the USA 100 years ago, a slang word "jitney" meant "5- cents."  As the country gradually became  motorized,  some enterprising car-owners "stretched" their cars into small buses, and charged 5- cents for other people traveling into town or to informal "stops" in a metro- area.  These vehicles became known as "jitney buses."
In the Philippines, the close of World War II left large amounts of U.S. Army "Recyclable" material behind, including lots of jeeps - which were often "stretched" into small buses for public transpor-tation, and this combination of events coined the word, "jeepney."  A lengthened jeep frame would have a partially enclosed body put on it, with bench seats running along the sides, and this "model" became the foundation for public transportation in the Philippines. Their descendants are still around in large numbers and all-over-the-place (that's ubiquitous, see above)  hauling people and "freight" medium to short distances around cities and into the rural areas.

Most jeepneys today are built on Japanese van or medium-truck frames.  Here 

is a nondescript lineup at the San Jose terminal.  The white one is about the

size of a Dodge Caravan; the larger yellow one probably has dual-tire back axle;

these large ones can be 30- feet long.  Windows usually have rolled up plastic 

curtains in case of rain.    All are familiar makes: Izusu, Mitsubishi, Nissan, 

with diesel engines,  manual gears, and  quite often "armstrong" steering.

The "retro look" is still really popular. Not likely that a 1940s jeep would still be around, and this "re-man" front end is larger than original, anyway.  Under the body will be a mid-size Japanese truck frame, as noted above.  Roof- racks are often loaded with all kinds of "stuff"including passengers.  I have a non-digital photo of someone riding on top sitting in a rocking-chair (it WASN'T 

"Granny" Clampett).

This jeepney is "all about chrome everywhere.  It has a vertical- bar grille and
nautical-theme decorations.  Any imaginable theme is probably somewhere on
a jeepney as decor:  superhero, religious, scenic, U-name-it, THEY-got-it.

Familiar German-car emblem is often-seen.

This private jeepney was so fancy I asked our tricycle driver to stop so I could
get photos.  To own such a vehicle and not have to earn its keep "in-service"
is very wealthy by local standards.

I like looking at jeepneys - they sure make the Buick Park Avenue I had in
Kentucky look "PLAIN-vanilla" by comparison.

I don't get to ride in jeepneys very often as they make a lot of stops and side-trips in-between towns, though in-town their routes seem to be fairly linear and well-established - - I don't know enough about Iloilo (eee-low eee-low), the largest city, yet to be able to get around on them.

I will include later some photos I haven't been able to capture yet:  jeepneys with 8 or 12 people hanging off the back and top, stacked twice-their-height with top-rack freight (that would be baskets or other light weight if it's that much), and interesting artwork.  Also not seen on this blog yet is anything much about tricycles, the motorcycle-sidecar combo which are everywhere in the Philippines.  It's mostly that I always see the best "photos" when I don't have the camera in-hand and ready.   COMING UP You can expect to see one "POST" about the tricycles, and likely one about "BIG TRUCKS", and one about FISHING - boats and methods - - THESE,  among other things I'm planning to write about.  Next blog is likely to be back to the concrete-block house project, as it is moving along rapidly and I have lots of photos - - my limit per blog is about 6 or the program starts to scramble them - so I learn to keep only the most-needed ones to tell a story.  But I also have in-mind at least one article on shopping/ cooking - - we'll see how it comes out.

Hope you all are having a fine and prosperous year 2013!    Tim Larson, Philippines