Jeepney - King of the road

The most dependable source of public transportation in Zamboanga is the Jeepney. It gets you everywhere you want to go. Jeepneys started as an 8 passenger vehicle recycled from surplus US army jeeps left behind after World War II. Now they range from 16 to 22 passengers and still manufactured out of recycled parts of Izuzu, Toyota, Nissan trucks to name a few. The owner takes pride in fully dressing up his vehicle.  Jeepneys are like pop-art on wheels. You will see chrome stallions, stars & ladies adorn the hoods and of course  the fake antennae with streamers that flutter in the wind. How much extra money the driver or the  owner of the Jeepneys have, will dictate the type of fringes and toys will decorate the rear view mirror and dashboard. Wild is the norm!! There are very few (extreme minority) Jeepneys that are not wildly decorated.

The front of the jeepney is occupied by the driver and two passengers. The back of the jeepney is open. This is where the passengers come in and squeeze in. It's amazing how a seat that would comfortably fit 8 can cram in 10. There are two rows of padded seats on each side with a hand rail above on each side for passengers to hang on. 

Each Jeepney is clearly marked on both sides with their  designated route as regulated by the government. The front of the vehicle unmistakably  marks the name of the barrio (Barangay) it serves. As the jeepney takes it route, there are no rules (at least the drivers ignore them) dictating where to pickup or drop off a passenger. A passenger may  flag down a jeepney from any where and a passenger may ask the driver to stop at anytime. Traffic is not the main concern, making a living is.

The horn is a must for the jeepney. No self respecting jeepney  owner will go without  a horn. They come with different sounds, from a laugh to a siren. It's all fair as long as they can attract the passenger's attention.

For those Jeepneys that service the outer barangays there is no  limit to the number of passengers that  it can carry on it's last trip. Passengers will be hanging from the  rear rails and some will  be comfortably  seated (balanced) on the  roof. It's the last trip. Jump in or on or get left behind.