The cable car grip-men are the rock stars of the public transportation sector here in San Francisco. First, they get to clang their bells as they careen down Powell or Taylor or Hyde. They're generally big and burly, like a former football player. While their skills are unique and require extensive training and practice, the cable car operators can't hold a candle to the respect earned by the humble muni bus driver.
The muni bus driver has a tougher going compared to the cable car and trolley drivers. The latter operators are on tracks, so cars, cyclists and pedestrians are required to move out of their way. That takes one responsibility off their load. The bus driver, because they can maneuver around cars and other objects, have to take evasive action to avoid contact. Imagine yourself doing so. Here you are, manning a huge, heavy machine, filled with more people than any other transport besides BART. You have to avoid people (like me, sometimes) who jaywalk and jump in front of the bus. You have to avoid the drunkards, the homeless, the manic drivers, the double-parked UPS trucks, and rabid cyclists.
Then, there are the overhead cables. Sometimes, the boom arms detach and the driver has to get out to realign the arms. That's hazard pay right there.
The buses also have tougher routes. All right, the cable cars do go up those impossibly steep hills. But so do some buses. The buses do that while swerving around cars and pedestrians. The buses also have to tackle tight corners. Neither cable cars nor the trolleys have tight corners. Dem's good machine handlin' there, guys! Congrats.
The key complaint about the Muni buses is that they're slow. But the public don't see why they're slow. They're slow because of the cars and traffic and the pedestrians mindlessly walking in front of the buses. These drivers have infinite patience. I know I can't do their job because I'd just drive through all the parked cars and jaywalkers (despite being one myself, although I tend to eschew blocking traffic when jaywalking). The buses come to a stop 3 in a row because the first one was blocked by some double-parked shipping truck dropping off products in Chinatown or in the Mission, or a UPS truck delivery parcels out on Market.
If you don't believe me, take a late-evening ride. The same route as during the rush hour would take twice as long, but during the calmer evening commute, the bus zips right through the city with no delays.
The bus drivers are also very friendly. They value their passengers. There's one driver who does the 30 Stockton run who speaks chinese to the passengers. And he's black! Another 30 Stockton driver shouts out the upcoming stops with far more information than what's presented on the screens. The tourists who ride that bus will know they are in good hands. If you're short on change, "No problem!" They just wave you in and you're good. I've gotten on before with $20s and $5s and they just waved in on. They didn't give me a transfer receipt, though, but that's fair.
It is the best $2 transportation bargain here in the city, that's for sure, and we have to all thank the humble Muni bus driver for the daily valiant efforts to push us along. I personally offer a verbal thank-you whenever I step off the bus. That's the best I can do in lieu of a tip.
The muni bus driver has a tougher going compared to the cable car and trolley drivers. The latter operators are on tracks, so cars, cyclists and pedestrians are required to move out of their way. That takes one responsibility off their load. The bus driver, because they can maneuver around cars and other objects, have to take evasive action to avoid contact. Imagine yourself doing so. Here you are, manning a huge, heavy machine, filled with more people than any other transport besides BART. You have to avoid people (like me, sometimes) who jaywalk and jump in front of the bus. You have to avoid the drunkards, the homeless, the manic drivers, the double-parked UPS trucks, and rabid cyclists.
Then, there are the overhead cables. Sometimes, the boom arms detach and the driver has to get out to realign the arms. That's hazard pay right there.
The buses also have tougher routes. All right, the cable cars do go up those impossibly steep hills. But so do some buses. The buses do that while swerving around cars and pedestrians. The buses also have to tackle tight corners. Neither cable cars nor the trolleys have tight corners. Dem's good machine handlin' there, guys! Congrats.
The key complaint about the Muni buses is that they're slow. But the public don't see why they're slow. They're slow because of the cars and traffic and the pedestrians mindlessly walking in front of the buses. These drivers have infinite patience. I know I can't do their job because I'd just drive through all the parked cars and jaywalkers (despite being one myself, although I tend to eschew blocking traffic when jaywalking). The buses come to a stop 3 in a row because the first one was blocked by some double-parked shipping truck dropping off products in Chinatown or in the Mission, or a UPS truck delivery parcels out on Market.
If you don't believe me, take a late-evening ride. The same route as during the rush hour would take twice as long, but during the calmer evening commute, the bus zips right through the city with no delays.
The bus drivers are also very friendly. They value their passengers. There's one driver who does the 30 Stockton run who speaks chinese to the passengers. And he's black! Another 30 Stockton driver shouts out the upcoming stops with far more information than what's presented on the screens. The tourists who ride that bus will know they are in good hands. If you're short on change, "No problem!" They just wave you in and you're good. I've gotten on before with $20s and $5s and they just waved in on. They didn't give me a transfer receipt, though, but that's fair.
It is the best $2 transportation bargain here in the city, that's for sure, and we have to all thank the humble Muni bus driver for the daily valiant efforts to push us along. I personally offer a verbal thank-you whenever I step off the bus. That's the best I can do in lieu of a tip.
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