The Philippine Jeepney

[shyaman]

THE PHILIPPINE JEEPNEY




Etymology

The word ''jeepney'' is commonly believed to be a conflation of "jeep" and "jitney", or "jeep" and "knee", the latter referring to the jeepney's crowded face-to-face seating.


History

When American troops began to leave the Philippines at the end of World War II, hundreds of surplus jeeps were sold or given to local Filipinos. Locals stripped down the jeeps to accommodate several passengers, added metal roofs for shade, and decorated the vehicles with vibrant colors and bright chrome plating and hood ornaments.

The jeepney rapidly emerged as a popular and creative way to reestablish inexpensive public transportation, which had been virtually destroyed during World War II. Recognizing the widespread use of these vehicles, the Philippine government began to place restrictions on their use. Drivers now must have specialized driver's license, regular routes, and reasonably fixed fares.


Manufacturers

Although the original jeepneys were simply refurbished military jeeps (Willys), modern jeepneys are now produced by independently owned workshops and factories within the Philippines. In the central Philippine island of Cebu, the bulk of jeepneys are built from second-hand Japanese trucks, originally intended for hauling cargo rather than passengers. These are euphemistically known as "surplus" trucks.

Recently the jeepney industry has faced threats to its survival in its current form. Most of the larger builders have either gone bankrupt or have switched to manufacturing other products. Currently there are 2 classes of jeepney builders in the Philippines. The backyard builders produce 1-5 vehicles a month, source their die stamped pieces from one of the larger manufacturers, and work with used engines and chassis from salvage yards (usually the Isuzu 4BA series diesel engines or the Mitsubishi Fuso 4D30 diesel engines--a shift from the Isuzu C240 engine that powered early jeepneys). The second type of manufacturer is the large volume manufacturer. They have 2 sub groups: the PUJ (Public Utility Jeep) and the large volume metal-stamping companies that supply parts as well as complete vehicles.

The jeepney builders in the past were mostly concentrated in Cebu City, Las Piñas City and Cavite; however, with the recent slowdown of sales, many of the smaller builders have gone out of business. The largest manufacturer of owner-type jeeps in the Philippines is David Motors Inc. in Quezon City, located on the north side of Metro Manila. The largest manufacturer of vintage style army jeepneys is MD Juan.

Passenger jeepneys are also facing increasing restrictions and regulations for pollution controls, as they increase amounts of traffic and consume lots of fuel. A recent study published in a Metro Manila newspaper compared the fuel use of a 16-passenger jeepney to a 54-passenger air-conditioned bus and found that the fuel consumption for both was the same. With major roads clogged by empty jeepneys cruising for fares, there is intense pressure to remove them from the streets of Metro Manila and other cities.

The cost for a new jeepney will also rise due to the increased costs of raw materials like steel and the need to use new engines to power their vehicles. The supply of remanufactured used engines is slowly dropping as wear and age take their toll and the number of factories that rebuild engines diminishes.

The jeepney businesses in the Philippines are struggling to compete with imported used vehicles, and many manufacturers are moving to build more modern-looking jeepneys such as Hummer lookalikes and oversized Toyota van-style passenger jeepneys with Toyota headlights, hoods and bumpers. The jeepney industry has evolved more quickly in the past 2 years than it has in the past 50 and the chromey, loud, boisterous icon is soon to be a vehicle of the past.

Other manufacturers/marks include Mega (which also produces the Lanceta line of jeepneys, in Lipa City), Malaguena (whose factory in Cavite was the site of one of the very first Yield Stops of The Amazing Race), LGS Motors, Morales, Hebron, Marinel (jeepney makers based in Rizal Province which is popular for their ''patok'' (popular) jeepneys which are equipped with high-powered sound system, aggressive fonts, and their speed) and Sarao (which is the most famous and based in Las Pinas City), and Armak (one of the largest). Another manufacturer PBJ motors manufactured jeepneys in Pampanga using techniques derived from Sarao motors.

Already in production is a jeepney the size of a small bus and is equipped with state-of-the-art vehicle technology (brand-new engine and drivetrain) and Thermo-King-brand airconditioning intended for buses.




Source: Wikipedia



Here’s your chance to show what jeepneys in your city or province look like.

[shyaman]

ILOILO JEEPNEYS

Jeepneys in Iloilo have evolved differently from the typical jeepneys commonly seen in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.

Iloilo’s version of the jeepney has a style and elegance that even locals marvel at its beauty. Most have that aerodynamic look. It is more roomy, well-ventilated and “well-groomed” inside out.












































If they look cool from outside, they also look splendid inside. Unless there is a necessity to take a quick ride, many Ilonggos shun from riding jeepneys with torn upholstery.

[bitoy]

nice thread.

You might want to add here the Evolution Of The Jeepney from the original Jeep of 1941-1945 by Willys Overland Motors and Ford Motor Company.

[dattebayo]

those jeepneys in Iloilo are also called fieras.

[bariQ]

some jeeps in cagayan

[shyaman]

Originally Posted by shippuden

those jeepneys in Iloilo are also called fieras.

As in Ford Fierras of the 70s? Those were the days when Fierras were used as jeepneys. Ilonggos never called their jeepneys fierras as far as I remember.

[Askal82]

I heard they are called PU (pee youu) down there.

[oboi]

During the 80's taxis were called as PU's.

[r93k401]

Naligaw naman yata ang thread na ito. Dapat siguro sa transport section siya nailagay...

[alcogoodwin]

Howdee,
I have to admit to spending a lot of time photographing jeepnies when in the Phils. Prefer travelling on them to a mabahu (spelling?) taxi anyday. They are a fun, frequent and reliable way of getting around.
Still trying to convince my Pinay wife that my idea of bringing one to Australia would be fun and it would be worth the cost :-)

Good ol Jeepney on Pedro Gill. Feb 2007


Lineup of Jeepnies in Quezon Memorial Circle


Twas a big surprise to see jeepnies of a different style in Iloilo. Until visiting here in Feb 2007 I thought they were all to a similar design.


Cheers
Brad
Philippine Railways SIG
http://www.geocities.com/alcogoodwin...eRailways.html

[shyaman]

Cool photos Brad. More please...

[shyaman]

Originally Posted by r93k401

Naligaw naman yata ang thread na ito. Dapat siguro sa transport section siya nailagay...

Pwede rin... but I think of the jeepney more as a Philippine heritage than a transport object.

Anyway, Mr. Mod may transfer this thread if he finds it necessary.

[alcogoodwin]

Originally Posted by shyaman

Pwede rin... but I think of the jeepney more as a Philippine heritage than a transport object.

Anyway, Mr. Mod may transfer this thread if he finds it necessary.

I do fully agree that the Jeepney is a Phil heritage object nowdays.
There was recently a short documentary on the Jeepney on Aussie TV. It was hinted that the Jeepney may one day disappear from the Philippines. What a horrifying thought that is, it would be like Sydney loosing the Harbour Bridge or Jollibee loosing the bee character.
A jeepneyless Manila. NO WAY THANKS! No matter when you turn up at a stop they are always appearing and heading where you wanna go.
Anyway I am sure this thread is aimed mostly at photos of the beloved Jeepney and this is a photography section.
I shall put more up in a day or two when the wife isn't around to complain about my time spent on the net. These Pinay asawas can be strict sometimes :-)

Long Live The Jeepney!

Brad
Philippine Railways SIG
http://www.geocities.com/alcogoodwin...eRailways.html

[le Reine]

Though I really love jeepneys, most of the time, they are actually the cause of traffic and pollution. I don't think we still need them in major thoroughfares of MM but they could still be quite useful in secondary roads. I think it's time to focus on mass transportation.

[Insanedriver]

i like the 1st jeepney at the second post...

[jbkayaker12]

Jeepneys need to evolve for the better and not gaudier in the 21st century. The mentality of Filipinos need to step up and make it world class!

[bitoy]

AC=Auto Calesa

Some cool signs on a jeepney



Moving billboard ads

[shyaman]

Originally Posted by tsinoy

AC=Auto Calesa

First time to see this. Was it really that short? Parang napitpit sa puwitan kaya umurong papuntang harap.

[shyaman]

Some jeepneys are made to carry passengers and cargo more than the usual (heavy duty baga) like this one in Passi, Iloilo.

During market day, jeepneys to and from far-flung barrios overflows!






Even ladies and children are not spared from catching the last ride high above everyone else!

[nayki]

Nice thread, binalak ko na din dati gumawa ng ganitong thread to showcase our very own Jeepney:smile: Hindi kasi pare2ho design ng jeepney, bawat jeepney kasi kadalasan unique sha, depende sa owner at nag assemble nung jeep, makikita mo ung artistic sense.

Pose naman kayo ng mga Air Conditioned jeepneys pag may makita kayo...