Because of conflict in work schedules coupled by the difference in our work locations, my husband and I agreed that he will take the car to work and just pick me up after office. This means every morning I get to ride the FX shuttle to work.

Before, I used to bitch about the Metro Manila traffic… now I get to bitch about the public transport in Metro Manila.

Here are a list of things that frustrate me about riding FX shuttles:

• The dispatchers (as they are so called) cram 12 passengers or more into a 10-passenger shuttle. I mean really, 4 people sitting in the middle section of the FX is such a tight fit already that is why most of the time I choose to sit at the back. But there was one time, they sat 6 people at the back! I was literally falling off the seat if not for the door that was locked. Good thing our place is just about 15 minutes away from the office so I did not have to bear much of the pain.
• FX drivers are the brothers of the rude Jeepney drivers and cousins to the irritating taxi drivers. I am guessing you already know why. They drive like maniacs… like they own the roads and there is no such thing as courtesy. They swerve from left to right when a passenger says “Para sa tabi (a.k.a Stop please) as if the sidewalk will disappear unless they stop by it. They sneak in between vehicles with admirable skill (although bad when you are the driver he is sneaking in front of). They drop you off at impossible areas… like in the middle of the road while the light has just turned green.
• Most FX shuttles seem hell bent on saving by putting airconditioning on low or most don’t care to maintain their ride so the ride becomes so suffocating especially when you are seated beside a person whose smell is a challenge to your nostrils.

Here are memorable events during the 2 weeks that I have been riding the shuttles:

• While most FX drivers stop anywhere, anytime, there was one time that the driver of the shuttle I was riding surprised me. You see one passenger asked to be let off just past the intersection specifically indicating where she wanted to be let off. That means, if the driver stopped there, it would disrupt the flow of traffic as he would be blocking the intersection. The driver then said to the woman that it was illegal to stop there and that he would be stopping at the unloading section of Makati Ave. Times like these… who would think such people exist? Kudos to you manong driver.
• This happened just today. I was in line for about an hour sweating under the heat of the sun (grrr). It’s a friday so maybe it was just a busy day for the drivers and heavy traffic must have prevented others from coming back to the line earlier. Anyway when one finally came, all those in line took their seats inside. One lonesome lady was left behind in astonishment as we had initially counted only ten people in line. I wonder where that one person came from? Because the lady was not the last in line and because nobody would admit that he was a line-crasher, she was made to ride and fit herself in with us four passengers in the back. She did not choose to sit beside me so I didn’t complain (haha - evil!). She said that she would ask to be dropped off in Jupiter so the inconvenience would be short. Ok fine. We reached the intersection of Makati Ave. and Jupiter and we had to stop for quite some time because of the heavy traffic on the other side (across Buendia). I was thinking all that time that the woman could have just got down during the time that the shuttle was stopped as it was just a few steps to Jupiter street. She did not show signs of getting off and I wondered some more. Finally, when the traffic police let us move (imagine we were at the left side of the road - very far from any unloading sidewalk), the LADY asked to be let off at Petron just after the Jupiter intersection. What givesss??? Because she was so insistent, the driver had to swerve from left to right during a green light thereby blocking all moving vehicles… to stop just at the end of the street where Makati Ave. meets with Buendia this time blocking all vehicles going right. She got off there… by Petron… and then the light turned red. I can imagine all the mad looks the other drivers must be giving us as they had to wait some more just to get to cross the street. What’s my point? My point is… sometimes it is not necessarily the drivers who are menaces but the passengers.

Here is one thing I realized about FX shuttles:

• There is no FX shuttle that travels to LIBIS!!! Imagine if you had to work there, you would have to take several jeepney rides from Ortigas or from Cubao. Other than that you take a cab which for many hardworking Filipinos is not an option. I don’t know if there is a ban to have FX shuttles service people to LIBIS but I believe it will be a very lucrative venture to get a shuttle line that services that area. I am sure many are wishing for that (including me). It is really surprising that there have not been any since LIBIS has become such a corporate district already. Once shuttles become available going to and from LIBIS then maybe in the future I will get to bring the car to work and my sweetie can commute. Ha! 

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