[jfoster]

Sounds similar to songthaews in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aside from bikes, they seem to be the primary way of getting around and you just hail them like a taxi, talk to the driver to confirm that they're headed in somewhat the right direction, and it all works a bit like a dynamically selected bus route.

[acomjean]

This was common in Fiji. You stand on the road and flag down the van, make sure its going to the right place and pile in. Its like private bus.