Have you seen those green and white multicabs roaming certain streets in Makati? In case you're unfamiliar with it, this is the B-Jeep. It was launched in 2008 as a green alternative to public transport within the busy business district of Makati. It used to run the two routes for free but now that it has been franchised, the cost to ride one is the same as a regular jeep.
What makes it different (and personally my preferred mode of transport) is that it is environment-friendly. It runs a bit slow, usually between 40 to 50 kph, but since it runs on a rechargeable battery, it does not pollute and does not generate noise so the ride is a more pleasant one compared to the usual diesel PUJs.
Even more unique is the way they run this franchise. You may notice that drivers are a mix of men and women, this is not something you would commonly see in our other public transport options in Manila. They also do not have to fully load the BJeep per stop since drivers are paid to ply the routes -- whether or not it is full. Meaning, they don't contribute to the already congested streets of Makati.
The first route (the green B-Jeep) runs along the different streets of Legazpi Village: Salcedo Street - VA Rufino Street - Adelantado - Gamboa - Salcedo - Benavidez, Paseo De Roxas - Legaspi Street - Dela Rosa - Salcedo.
The second route (the white B-Jeep) runs along the different streets of Salcedo Village: Dela Costa Street - Makati Avenue - Paseo De Roxas - Villar Street - Leviste St - Rufino Street - Ayala Avenue - Dela Costa Street.
The routes intersect in Landmark so you can hop on from one route to the other from there. This really is a great movement by the Makati local government and I hope more cities adopt it soon so even if you're a public transport user, you know you're contributing to helping improve the environment. read more