Larger kalesas which carry freight or up to six or more passengers in side-facing seats are known as karitela or karetela (also tartanilla in Cebu).

Small kalesas which can carry one or two passengers in front-facing seats are known as karomata or karumata (Philippine Spanish: carromata).

Karomatas had the barest of conveniences and charged the lowest rates, which led to them being characterized as the "commoner's carriage".

[6][7] Larger kalesas that carry freight or up to six passengers in side-facing seats are known as karitela or karetela (Philippine Spanish: carretela).

[7] Use of the kalesa continued during the American colonial period of the Philippines (1898 to 1946), where they remained the main form of cheap public transport.

[11][7][12] The American colonial government also started the motorization of public transport in the early 20th century, introducing automobiles like jeepneys ("auto calesas") and buses ("autobuses") as well as the expansion of the Tranvía electric tram lines (operated by Meralco).

Despite this, the kalesas flourished well into the mid-20th century, due to their much more flexible routes, their cheapness, and the significant political power of the cochero unions.

It included the low-income working class and small businesses who relied on the kalesas for both personal transport and delivery of goods.

The "calesa vote" had a strong influence in elections, allowing kalesas to avoid most attempts at changing traffic regulations.

[7][12] In 1939, the government proposed measures in a series of public hearings to abolish the kalesas to solve the worsening traffic problems they caused.

[7] During World War II, from 1941 to 1945, kalesas survived and provided much-needed services during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines.

Tourist kalesas are common in historical colonial-era sites in the Philippines, such as in San Fernando, Pampanga, Vigan and Laoag.