[pif]

[OT]

> In Asia it is called ...

So a few billions of people, speaking a multitude of languages, all use the same name for a concept? How nice!

[richiebful1]

If I had to guess it comes from Russian маршрут/marshrut (route). Маршрутки/Marshrutkas in the former Soviet Union typically run on fixed routes just like busses.