On Public Utility Jeepneys

It has been quite a while now that I have not commuted from my place going to Cebu via PUJ (public utility vehicle).

Yesterday, being Ayala Center as my destination, I took a PUJ from Basak, LapuLapu to Mandaue City highway. I disembarked before the overpass and took another PUJ for Ayala. The jeepney dropped me off at the Ayala terminal. I was amazed. That was a quick trip, feeling more convenient than traveling with my personal means of transportation.

On my trip, I enjoyed watching my co passengers embarking and disembarking in haste. I admired the skill of the driver changing lanes abruptly to pick up passengers standing in the “no stopping” area. I could see the fury of other drivers watching helplessly as our driver “stole” their supposed to be passengers. I would have blown my top too if I were driving my own vehicle and was following this “reckless” jeepney. But NO! I enjoyed it completely.

I missed opening my palm as if meagerly counting coins for my fare, as I was used to flip a hundred for a taxi fare without getting back the change.

I experienced simplicity. I felt unwound. I had the feeling of respect and compassion towards these drivers and their conductors. There should be a contest on the most skillful traffic-sign-violating drivers. I have a feeling I know the reason why they’re doing it. They’re racing against time. They need to pick up more passengers whatever it takes or else their family would starve.

On V-Hire Transport

When my personal transportation breaks down, or when I feel like conserving gas, my regular means of transportation from LapuLapu to Cebu City is by v-hire. It is a collective fully air-conditioned passenger van, carrying 19 passengers including the driver. Most of them have really good air-conditioning units but through the years, entered into a state of decline. Lack of maintenance and negligence of operator is the main reason. If you are unlucky to be on board one of this kind, on a hot day, you’d be like in a sauna, sweating your armpits off.
 

Considering that they force four people to a seating capacity of three is a form of torment. Imagine yourself rubbing bodies with people you don’t know. Some fall asleep on your shoulder with their saliva drooling down your shirt. In some case, your ribs get elbowed by your stranger seat mate.

The most annoying part is when one of those young passengers turns on his cellular phone music without connecting it to their headsets and let their lousy, out of this world music fill the limited air while the vehicle is in motion. Are they serious? Aren’t they aware that what they are doing is noise pollution?

 

Far worse are those morons talking to their phones in an extra modulated LOUD voice. No matter how hard you try to close your senses, you can still hear that person talking gossip and nonsense. I’m sure they knew that you can just talk normally on the phone and the person at the other end of the line can hear you clearly. They can also cover the mouthpiece with their hand and speak normally. That’s a radio telephony rule-of-the-thumb. Perhaps phone companies could add that information to their list of phone ethics.