The name JAM Liner came from the first letter of its founders', Josefina Mercado and her husband, Artemio Mercado, first name and surname. Thus "J"osefina and "A"rtemio "M"ercado.[4]
History
JAM Liner logo before sold to JAC liner
JAM Liner was started on April 7, 1968, by Artemio Mercado and his wife, Josefina Mercado with only four buses. They initially served the Biñan, Laguna to Manila route.[4] By then, the Mercados expanded their bus transport business in Laguna. It came to the point that around 30 percent of the province's transportation services were theirs.[citation needed]
In 1990, they increased their bus network to the provinces of Quezon, Batangas, Camarines Sur, Albay and Sorsogon. They had grown their franchises to around 290 bus units.[5]
However, in 2000, the Jose “Pepito” Ch. Alvarez-led Penta Pacific Realty Corporation took over the management. Chavez integrated JAM Liner's operations with Philtranco Services Enterprises, Inc., a bus company that Penta Pacific also bought out in 1999.[6][7][8][9]
Despite the integration of these two bus companies, JAM Liner and Philtranco run by their own set of company structures, management and subsidiaries. JAM Liner is operated under JAM Group of Companies with their subsidiaries: JAM Liner, JAM Transit, Phil Tourister and First Charters and Tours Transport Corporation; while Philtranco Services Enterprises Inc. has its own subsidiaries: Philtranco, Phikargo, and Amihan Bus Lines.[10][11] The company was later headed by its president and CEO, Dennise Trajano.[1]
JAM Liner, along with Philtranco became innovative in their ticketing services with their ventures to VMoney, and Smart's Pinoy Travel.[12][13]
In 2013, The Dawn composed and perform their company theme song entitled "JAM Tayo" (Tagalog: Let's Jam).[2][14][15]
In 2016, JAM Liner along with QRS Logistics and University of the Philippines had their own basketball team for the PBA Developmental League as UP-QRS-JAM.[23][24] Majority of their team members are from UP Maroons who played for UAAP Basketball Games.[25] In March, JAM Liner along with their alliances Philtranco and FastCat unveiled their modernization program in aiming to link Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Accordingly, Philtranco and JAM Liner envisioned having a fleet of 1000 with FastCat as their partner in sea to expand their road network, nationwide.[26][27]
In 2021, JAC Liner acquired JAM Liner Inc. and JAM Transit to expand their route network.[28]
Fleet
JAM Liner utilizes buses that are made from a local coach builder, Santarosa Motor Works Philippines. Under the management of JAC Liner Inc., the company acquired new Yutong and King Long buses.