I really hate having to pay for parking. If you compute how much you spend on parking fees, you'd be surprised! At Php 45.00 per day (that's just for 3 hours), 5 days a week, that comes up to Php 900.00 a month!!! And you haven't even paid for your meal and shopping yet!
Well, today I decided to go car-less to the Mall. I took a leisurely walk to Greenbelt to do some Christmas shopping. I crossed over to the Ayala Triangle and took the underground to Greenbelt. It took less than 10 minutes from H. V. Dela Costa Street. I took the footbridge to Landmark and made my way to Glorietta and before I knew it, I was at SM already!
By 5:00 p.m. I was done for the day and decided to head on home. Now, this time, I told myself that I would try the E-Jeepney.
I headed on to Landmark and asked the security guards at the door where I could take the E-Jeepney. They pointed me to the station which was located in the front entrance of Landmark facing Makati Avenue. I got there at 5:09 p.m. I noticed 2 ve:30 pry long lines forming and I told myself that if I wanted a FREE ride, then I'd have to wait in line. But to my surprise, these lines were not for the E-Jeepney! They were for the regular jeeps. So I asked the barker if the E-Jeepney was still operating and he said yes.
So I waited and kept reading the E-Jeepney sign making sure that I was waiting for my ride during the scheduled service times (7:00 am to 10:00 am; 11:00 am to 1:00 pm; 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm). Three Pateros-bound jeepneys later, an E-Jeepney arrived! I was ready to jump in but the sign read "Legaspi Route". Ok, so I got too excited. I waited again and then at 5:18 pm, another E-Jeepney came by. Again it said "Legaspi Route"! So I just had to ask the driver if the Salcedo Route would come by. Fortunately, the driver said he was heading home and so he was driving to the Salcedo Route instead. So I hopped on and we were off to Salcedo Village. It was such a smooth ride. There were only 2 passengers on board, me and another lady. The best part of the trip was that the E-Jeepney passed right infront of my building and I got off at the footstep of my front entrance. And the better part of the ride is that it was FREE.
It was a hassle free day for me! Thank you, E-Jeepney.
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ReplyDeleteI frequent the E-jeep, but...
ReplyDeleteLately, it has been difficult for passengers and e-jeep drivers. First of all, it is difficult to tell each jeep apart. Certainly each of the 10 jeeps are painted differently, but the real challenge is being able to know whether one jeep is going around Salcedo or Legaspi.
Each ejeep is provided with a solid sturdy signboard. This a good thing only if it was readable from five cars away because the reality is that it is a one inch red font size lettering against a 4inch green background. Try reading anything red against green from three cars away and see if it is effective.
Realizing this problem, the ejeep drivers requested for replacements...they and we all are still waiting. So, the drivers took it upon themselves to make their own permanent marker on white cigarette carton versions.
Oh, I mentioned that there are 10 ejeeps circulating Makati. Out of the 10 only 8 are working. The drivers say that they are still waiting for the ejeep specialist to repair the broken two ejeeps.
Additionally, drivers stop still stop where ever you say "para". Their most common excuse is that the traffic is so congested that passengers just jump right out. This is true, but aren't drivers obligated to stop at the "stops" anyway even if there is no one hailing?
Tip: The best place to get a ride from Landmark is down the supermarket exit. Avoid the Makati Avenue stop because you will have to compete with all the other paying jeepney passengers.