Four Most Common Transportation Vehicles in the Philippines

Public transportation in the Philippines is the most applied job by people who wasn’t able to finish high school and college. There are four common public transportation vehicles in the Philippines.

The first one is widely known as the cab or taxi. It is a vehicle which is either a car or a van in appearance. Taxis are found more commonly in the more developed areas in the Philippines like its capital Manila, Cebu and Davao. Though it is the most relaxing and efficient of the four, it is also the most expensive. Depending on how far the destination is, the fare is ranging from 40 Pesos ($1) to as high as 200 Pesos ($5) or more.

The second most popular transportation in the Philippines is what the locals call as "Jeepney". Others like foreigners call it “Jeep”. It is also sometimes referred to as a mini-bus. They were originally made from US military jeeps left over from World War II and were modified by extending the back to increase passenger capacity to a maximum of 20 or more, not including the driver. Jeepneys are found in almost every cities and provinces of the Philippines especially in the more secluded areas. Its route is limited to a minimum of fixed route inside a city to a maximum of a fixed route from one city to another. The minimum fare on a jeep is 8 Pesos ($0.20) depending on the distance between the routes.

The third is the bus. It is the major land transportation vehicle in the Philippines which is used in traveling between long distances. The bus is divided into two. They are the non-aircon bus and the aircon bus. The non-aircon bus is cheaper than the aircon bus but provides you a not so relaxing trip because of the over crowding and sometimes people smoking from within. On the other hand, the aircon bus is the more comfortable than the non-aircon bus which is suitable for very long trips. Also, the difference between the fares is very slim. It is only between 1 and 0.50 Pesos per kilometer. The minimum fare on the bus is 12 Pesos ($0.30) depending on how far your destination is.

Last but not the least is the tricycle. It is a motorcycle with a side car or passenger cabin is attached. The tricycle is the cheapest of all transportation but is limited within city limits only. You will see tricycles in almost every corner of the Philippines more particular in provinces. The fare is only 7 Pesos ($0.17) per person. Though it is cheap, it lacks the capacity and the speed because it only uses one motorcycle engine.

These are the common transportation vehicles used in the Philippines. If you plan on visiting the Philippines, you now know what type of transportation vehicle is appropriate to use according to your destination.