Jeepneys originate from the American colonial period–share taxis known as "auto calesas", commonly shortened to "AC". These evolved to modified imported cars with attached carriages in the 1930s which served as a cheap passenger utility vehicles in Manila. These vehicles were mostly destroyed in World War II. The need for replacement transport vehicles led to the use of U.S. militaryjeeps left over from the war, which became the template for the modern jeepney.[5] The word jeepney is a portmanteau of post–World War II "jeep" and pre-war "jitney", both words common slang in the popular vernacular of the era.[6][7][3][8]
An estimated 600,000 drivers nationwide depend on driving jeepneys for their livelihood.[9] In Metro Manila, an estimated 9 million commuters take the jeepney each day.[10]
^Otsuka, Keijiro; Kikuchi, Masao; Hayami, Yujiro (January 1986). "Community and Market in Contract Choice: The Jeepney in the Philippines". Economic Development and Cultural Change. 34 (2): 279–298. doi:10.1086/451528. JSTOR1153851. S2CID155062784.
^Rimmer, Peter J. (2013). Rikisha to Rapid Transit: Urban Public Transport Systems and Policy in Southeast Asia. Elsevier. p. 172. ISBN9781483150529.
^Gold, David L. (2009). Studies in Etymology and Etiology: With Emphasis on Germanic, Jewish, Romance and Slavic Languages. Universidad de Alicante. p. 177. ISBN9788479085179.