The Philippine Jeepney...

[ghosthunter]

Ang aliw. May thread palang ganito. It just so happened that I chose the prevalence of jeepneys in the Philippines as subject for my term paper.

I think that there is a problem when we see jeepneys as a sign of "ingenuity" and "culture/tradition" just because we were able to make something out of the scrap trucks from WWII. I mean, how can we call it ingenious if it uses 4BA1 Isuzu engines from way back in the 80s? What exactly have we done new to the jeepney design aside from add rear seats and multiply its wheelbase by 5.

I know there is a need for mass public transportation that simply can't be answered by train systems (for example, Pasig-EDSA jeeps. imagine mo may tren dun). But I think that we should slowly progress to modernize the jeepney. The government has been too lenient with everything jeepney: emissions rules, safety requirements, even violations of jeepney drivers.

It saddens me how much of an example of how sick our country is the jeepney has become.

Actually, Metro Manila had a good transport system back before WW2 with the tram system ... A little historical background...

http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/top...o#encyclopedia

The Manila Electric Company , also known as MERALCO, is the Philippines' largest distributor of electrical power. The word MERALCO, is an acronym for Manila Electric Railroad And Light COmpany, which was the company's original name from 1903 to 1919. MERALCO is the Metro Manila's only electric power distributor and holds the power distribution franchise for some 22 cities and 89 municipalities, including the whole of Metro Manila and Mega Manila region La Electricista

In 1903, about 3,000 electric light customers and the city government with its streetlights were served by an electric company called La Electricista organized in 1892.

La Electricista had built a central power plant on Calle San Sebastian (now R. Hidalgo). On January 17, 1895, its streetlights were turned on for the first time.

American Occupation and Pre-War History
On October 20, 1902, the Second Philippine Commission began accepting bids to operate Manila's electric tramway, and by extension, providing electricity to the city and its suburbs. Detroit entrepreneur Charles M. Swift won the bidding by default as he was the sole bidder and on March 24, 1903, was granted the original basic franchise of Meralco.

In 1904, Meralco acquired both the Compañía de los Tranvías de Filipinas, a firm that operated public transportation and ran Manila's horse-drawn street railways, and added La Electricista. Construction on the electric tramway began that same year. In addition to acquiring La Electricista's Calle San Sebastian power plant, Meralco built its own steam generating plant on Isla Provisora which powered the streetcar system and eventually also the electric service. By 1906, Meralco's yearly power output capacity was around eight million kWh.

Public Transportation

Meralco built up a strong public transportation business in the decades leading up to World War II, building a 170-strong fleet of streetcars into the 1920s, before switching over to buses later in that decade.

The company operated a 52 mile tram transport from 1903 to the World War II. The equipment and tracks of the system was severely damaged during the war and had to be removed.

Manila streetcar, early 1900s


Calle Escolta de Manila

[jut703]

I don't think trams are still feasible today with the high volume of passenger cars, reducing available road width to them would cause more traffic.

Tapos I think the tram system won't be able to accomodate the sheer volume of commuters. AFAIK they have less capacity than our LRT/MRT trains (which are bursting at the seams during rush hour, especially when coupled with poor management by the DOTC in terms of dispatching trains on time).

[ghosthunter]

I don't think trams are still feasible today with the high volume of passenger cars, reducing available road width to them would cause more traffic.

Tapos I think the tram system won't be able to accomodate the sheer volume of commuters. AFAIK they have less capacity than our LRT/MRT trains (which are bursting at the seams during rush hour, especially when coupled with poor management by the DOTC in terms of dispatching trains on time).

And here is another example of the short sightedness of the Filipinos today.

Today's traffic & transport mess was born out of the transport system we adopted at the end of WW2. If we would have adapted a different system then, the streets might not be as congested today, it would also mean a better impression for rail transport for the masses instead of the tired old trains we had for decades. It might also have meant we could have had LRT/MRT style railed transports much earlier than during the 1980s.

Anyway, a BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) system could have been much better instead of the current MRT. It would still use the same "rail-line" but without the actual rails. Instead it would be dedicated roadways for the BRT buses. Fare and ticketing would be the same. The difference is the density of buses can be adjusted to carry more people at peak times without massive cost of buying expensive trains.

Slide Show Review of BRT in China:
http://www.slideshare.net/EMBARQNetw...a-brief-review

[jut703]

And here is another example of the short sightedness of the Filipinos today.

Today's traffic & transport mess was born out of the transport system we adopted at the end of WW2. If we would have adapted a different system then, the streets might not be as congested today, it would also mean a better impression for rail transport for the masses instead of the tired old trains we had for decades. It might also have meant we could have had LRT/MRT style railed transports much earlier than during the 1980s.

Anyway, a BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) system could have been much better instead of the current MRT. It would still use the same "rail-line" but without the actual rails. Instead it would be dedicated roadways for the BRT buses. Fare and ticketing would be the same. The difference is the density of buses can be adjusted to carry more people at peak times without massive cost of buying expensive trains.

Slide Show Review of BRT in China:
http://www.slideshare.net/EMBARQNetw...a-brief-review

Hmm, how was that short-sighted? All I said was that adopting a tram system like before won't be feasible in the current state of the country's transportation system.

Yeah I agree that our current transportation systems are messed up. What's important is coming up and implementing a solution to our current transportation problems instead of thinking of the 'what-could-have-beens' of the past.

They are trying to implement a BRT system but I'm not so sure as to how much progress that's actually getting.

[ghosthunter]

Hmm, how was that short-sighted? All I said was that adopting a tram system like before won't be feasible in the current state of the country's transportation system.

Yeah I agree that our current transportation systems are messed up. What's important is coming up and implementing a solution to our current transportation problems instead of thinking of the 'what-could-have-beens' of the past.

You have first to know what worked and didn't work in the past so you can design and build a better system tomorrow.

They are trying to implement a BRT system but I'm not so sure as to how much progress that's actually getting.

If they are really trying to implement a BRT system in Metro Manila, the first thing they should do is to consolidate all the buses running on a particular route into a single company (no ifs, no buts about it). Next is to get rid of the "boundary" system for the bus crew (driver and conductor). Next, get rid of the conductor. Next, make sure the BRT bus stops (to load/unload passengers) only at designated stops and nowhere else.

[jut703]

You have first to know what worked and didn't work in the past so you can design and build a better system tomorrow.




If they are really trying to implement a BRT system in Metro Manila, the first thing they should do is to consolidate all the buses running on a particular route into a single company (no ifs, no buts about it). Next is to get rid of the "boundary" system for the bus crew (driver and conductor). Next, get rid of the conductor. Next, make sure the BRT bus stops (to load/unload passengers) only at designated stops and nowhere else.

You will have to consider the other circumstances that have changed since the past (increase in population, development of newer technology, exponential increase in corruption, etc).

Then again it's not only the system per se that brings about the problems. Mapapasok na naman diyan yung poor implementation of rules and regulations that pushed the conditions to insane levels. Medyo mahirap yung consolidation into a single company (it's good in theory but with all the politicking here, it's not going anywhere) but in reality that's what we need, to somewhat control and reduce the volume of buses and jeeps that ply our roads.

Sa totoo lang madami namang feasible solutions jan kaso as usual it will boil down to the implementation.

[ghosthunter]

You will have to consider the other circumstances that have changed since the past (increase in population, development of newer technology, exponential increase in corruption, etc).

Then again it's not only the system per se that brings about the problems. Mapapasok na naman diyan yung poor implementation of rules and regulations that pushed the conditions to insane levels. Medyo mahirap yung consolidation into a single company (it's good in theory but with all the politicking here, it's not going anywhere) but in reality that's what we need, to somewhat control and reduce the volume of buses and jeeps that ply our roads.

Sa totoo lang madami namang feasible solutions jan kaso as usual it will boil down to the implementation.

I didn't say the solution would be easy nor popular with the existing system and people.

[jut703]

I didn't say the solution would be easy nor popular with the existing system and people.

Which goes to show that to solve problems like this we have to solve the prerequisite problem (which plagues practically all other national issues), which is the mindset and discipline of the people, and (oh how cliche) the corruption in the government.

It saddens me to think na lagi nalang diyan nagboboil down yung mga problema. Implementation. Kasi ang laki ng problema natin sa mga taga-implement.

[foifoi05]

for now, maging strict lang sana sa stops (jeepney and buses) hindi yung mag pa-para kahit saan.

on topic: para di maglaho ang Jeepney, gawa nalang sila ng mga aircon na 5 seater lang in short owner type lang pero design in which ang seating eh parang sedan... then gawing metered taxi.

[jpdm]

Part 2: The days of jeepneys in key cities like Manila are numbered...

So far, the still being revived PNR is now becoming an alternative to Metro passengers:






Crowded PNR DMU Train in Metro ( photo by Happosai of SSC)




I hope no more of this eye sore (photo by Englehart of SSC)



Exterior and interior of the refurbished trains (Bicol Express)

The soon to be Bicol Express Trains (refurbished by local contractors) will compete with those dangerous Manila-Bicol buses and jeepneyss. These trains will service the lucrative Camsur, Naga and Albay tourism areas...


Photo by Vic Nierva and Jafiti of RIHSPI and SCC