Who said that the life of a jeepney driver is easy? Show him/her to me and let me ask him to prove it.
Not all people have cars and I am one of them. People like me travel to places by riding public vehicles. Sometimes, private cars if in a carpool. It's not a problem any more if we are going to talk about getting tired. I'm used to it already. Yes, it still bothers me, but really, it's no big deal.
Of course, there will be times when conflicts happen and they ruin my day because of the driver's attitude or of their companion's. For example, I paid a fare that I know was the right amount to where I am going. If it lacks a few more peso, they shout right away or the way they say it to inform me isn't respectful any longer. I was brought up with manners and I know how to respect others. But there are limits. The good thing is that I know how to control myself and just let it go.
I understand them... even though at times a twenty passenger jeep becomes twenty-two; if a newly-emptied jeep is parked and waits for passengers and even though people have already ridden, still waits for more; and if there are times that when they drive, it's as if they are going to be late on something. They don't always get enough money to feed their family properly. So they always want to get back and forth in their route and wants to have more passenger even it would exceed the capacity.
It's a normal scenario that drivers will say that their jeep is still spacious even though we're compressed already and when a "victim" takes the bait, I'll think, "Where in the world is he going to sit?"
Drivers sometimes get disappointed because majority of their passengers are students and seniors. Instead of being happy that they have passengers, they are somehow sad because a lot of us got student and senior discounts so they get smaller money than usual.
I would also like to share that I know how cholorum vehicle drivers of FX or van feel when they are caught. It's really hard on someone's part to pay a penalty fee if what you earn isn't even enough for your family in a day. I also get the point of why they still continue operating in spite of being kind of illegal operators. They have the idea that if they stop, how will other people get to places they need to go because only a few have been given permit or license to become legal. So somehow they are after service. And when they serve, both parties will benefit from each other.
Some drivers still care about their passengers. Whenever it is raining, they will lay down the protective sheets of their jeep so that we won't get wet because their vehicle doesn't have a window the we can easily open or close. If I am going somewhere I don't know yet, I ask for assistance and they willingly offer it. When we are going down already, not all driver's will get mad at you because you want to go down in the middle of the road or because if they unloaded you at an unloading area, they will get caught and get another expense. They want to bring the vehicle to the side so that you will get down properly and safely. It's not also their intention for our trip to be disturbed because the tire got flat.
I happen to be a passenger of a jeep that got a flat tire last October 11, I guess. it was already evening and I didn't care. I wasn't in a hurry to get home. I went down while waiting. I even watched the driver fix the tire. As I look at him work, I saw that he really knew what he was doing. Even though the cement was wet and the ladies were still seated inside, he still had his job done.
There was also an instance last school year's second semester when the jeep I was on became alert when we heard something. We were on an expressway, just after the toll gate. When the driver parked on the shoulder. He then inspected what was wrong. We went down to check it as well and a man said "Buti na lang hindi tumaob." (Good thing the jeep didn't turn up-side-down) They were talking about a piece that concerns the driving capability of the jeep. I was really relieved that God kept us safe. The solution was that the jeep was pulled by a tow truck and when we reached the end of the expressway, we went to another jeep and the first driver passed the fares to the second driver.
That is how hard it is to become a driver. They also have a dream and hopefully, in time, they achieve it. But I'm thankful that they've become good drivers.
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I hope you have understood my story. I intended this post to be short before I even started. Sad to say, ideas came running to me. I had a hard time constructing it in English so when I decided I can express it well in Filipino, I was already halfway. It was long so I just continued it. If I started from the beginning again, I doubt if I will be able to finish this post in time, or never at all.
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