As a nycta bus driver who is retiring in July 2019, to all those who LOVE to complain. I'm human, the bus is the machine. If I need a break i'm gonna take it. All day long dealing with the people on the bus. The taxis who cut you off all day and NOTHING is done about it management is brain dead because they no longer drive. The union is useless because they only take care of their pets. Don't get me started with bike and pedestrians
I drive for muni. I've only taken 4 702's in a year. So technically I've only taken 4 breaks each 20 mins in a whole year. And the average worker by law needs to take a 30 min break every 5 hours i think. And there's alot of operators who dont take 702's. Why is the media trying to make us look bad. Every company has bad apples but doesn't represent the organization as a whole.
Patrick Jamison I believe you. You work hard. If anything, you deserve MOREA BREAKS. this is clearly just management trying to squeeze the rank and file workers.
Here in the UK, bus drivers have to take a 45 minute break every 4.5 hours of driving. That's the law, and you are penalised if you don't take your proper breaks.
Try being a Muni driver and you'll be asking for a break too. Most drivers' layovers are barely 5 minutes. Sometimes when ya gotta piss, you gotta piss whether it's during layover or on route. This is coming from an everyday Muni passenger by the way...
TheCRTman I can relate. I used to stay in SF and I knew how they operate. I am currently a bus driver in a small town in Florida and delays can happen, especially during the first or last of the month.
TheCRTman that's how the muni management trying to head to head between muni operators with the public. Make em look bad then downsize their benefits and everything. For example, from point A to point B it should take 3 mnt they made it only 2 mnt, from point B to point C it should take 2 mnt they made it 5 mnt. At the end of the destination it should take 30 mnt but the drivers made it out 33-35 mnt down and the brake they gave em supposedly 10 mnt now it's only left 5 mnt max.
I'd rather my driver to be able to concentrate on driving and not be thinking about the bathroom.. they should be comfortable and clear minded.. they have enough stuff with traffic, passengers, keeping schedules and so on..
On Saturday’s, I have two lunch periods without access to anywhere to get food or anywhere but the bus to eat it. Then I have three 12-minute breaks after each 1:15 round trip. On the first, I can run into Wienerschnitzel. And then I can actually eat it on my next two breaks, provided that traffic actually cooperates, and I don’t have a large passenger volume, neither of which are guarantees. But people don’t realize this. They just get mad because I don’t let them on while I’m trying to shovel food down my gullet because I’m starving and it’s 3:45 pm and I’ve been at work since 5:30 am, and I’ll still be working for another two hours.
My father used to drive a bus in another country. People have to realize that bus drivers do not have lunch breaks. They are very hard-working people. Ask their boss why bus drivers are not allowed lunch breaks. Aren't they humans too?
They can have emergence like diarrhea,bathroom break,or family emergency,like don’t be mad at them you should try working as a bus driver that runs a 12 hour shift and only have 10 min break
I feel sympathy for the drivers. I take the 24-Divisadero everyday and I know for a fact it is not safe for the driver to get off the bus use the restroom at Palou and 3rd. I respect the fact that they need their bathroom break. Then there are lines like the 29-Sunset that runs from literally one end of the city to another taking almost 2hrs to complete only to have about a 10 min break.
It does suck to have to wait while drivers take breaks and it can be an inconvinience at times; but you can't blame the drivers. You have to blame the management for failing to put plans in place that determine how long the drivers can take breaks. Only five minutes at a layover is just absurd. Just driving around and driving around is stressful and can take a toll on your body. Even driving a car is stressful when you're driving and driving with no breaks; not to mention dealing with other drivers who cut the buses off and surly passengers.
At the end of the 9R line in the UNSAFE SUNNYDALE PROJECTS THERE IS NO BATHROOM FACILITY FOR BUS DRIVERS TO USE. SO WE CALL IN TO GET THE AUTHORIZATION TO USE THE RESTROOM AT THIS MC DONALDS ON GENEVA AVENUE....WE ARE HUMAN BEINGS AND HAVE TO EAT SLEEP AND USE THE BATHROOM. DO YOU USE THE BATHROOM DURING YOUR WORK DAY
The answer is simple: don’t plan routes that are more than 1.5 hours long each way, make sure there’s at least 15-minute layovers at each end, and make sure the layover stops have some sort of restroom in the vicinity. That way drivers won’t have to hold it for too long, they’ll have plenty of time to go at their layovers, and they’ll always have a restroom to go to.
The muni management should make the schedule more humanly, stop make it the drivers fault by making the schedule impossible to follow. Stop head butts em with the public.
these people act like that dont ever take extended breaks at their jobs.. working in a service industry doesn't mean they're your servant, your slave or a someone you can treat lower...
I was on vacation there last year riding the bus in which I was the only passenger on . The driver stopped in front of a small mom and pop grocery store and he said " I'm gonna stop here to get me a drink , I'm thirsty . You want anything ? " I said , " Why thank you ! Get me a Pepsi . About 7 minutes later , the driver came back to the bus with both his and my own Pepsi and continued on the trip . Some Muni drivers can be a-holes but this one was a cool dude .
If I am at the end of the line and you walk up to the bus I do not have to stop what I'm doing to allow you to get on the bus. Yes I will be taking all of my 5 minutes. Do you take breaks at your job? Do you want to be harassed on your break? SFMTA provides bus shelters and access to apps and websites that show when the bus will depart so WAIT.
It’s public transportation and the only break the drivers get is built inside the shift. If they let passengers in they start asking questions and their break is taken away. If they refuse to answer the question then their rude. And sorry but drivers aren’t allowed to talk to media 🤦♂️
Technically, Muni operators have NO official breaks. State law requires a 30 minute lunch break and two 10 minute “coffee” breaks; Ignored at Muni. At the end of the line, the LINE gets a “schedule recovery time” which can be as much as 30 minutes on paper, on busy lines, this is an amount of time written into the schedule so a late-running bus can leave on time, rather than arriving late, pulling out late, and running later. The operator of course can use this break, if he or she actually gets to the end of the line with time left, but officially it’s the schedule’s time, not an operator break. I have never heard of taking a break mid-trip. Then again what I’ve heard of new operators doing has often left me scratching my head. In the defense of those who seem to be doing this, there are often NO facilities at either end of some lines, or there might be a donut shop at best. In other words, nothing to eat. Some operators will bring their own lunch to avoid this problem, and the trash food too often available if anything. So stopping mid route might be the only option for operators on some lines. And, too often, the terminal is also a stop which it shouldn’t be. The terminal should be separate so the operator can have the schedule recovery time to themselves and not be pestered by people who want to board. Five to ten minutes may not seem like much, but in a town full of adult teenagers and addicts, that five minutes can create room to foster sanity in a losing situation for the operator.
Please stop this madness. Do my fellow residents not realize that MUNI is a great system compared to public transportation in other major cities. Yes, not perfect and it is very difficult to manage so many operators when each sees themselves as "the captain of their ship." Maybe we need to be more thankful for what we have and less critical. jmo
Jerome Morgenstern We see ourselves as “Captain of our ship” because we **are**. I don’t drive for MUNI, but I am an operator in SoCal, and I can tell you, the responsibility inherent in our profession weighs heavily on each and every one of us. Like another comment mentioned, the bus is a machine but the person behind the wheel is a human. We make mistakes, and we have to answer for them. People have no idea how much physical and mental work is done every second of driving a 40- or 60-foot many-thousand-pound vehicle. We’re constantly scanning the road 15 seconds ahead of us, looking at our mirrors every few seconds, paying attention to traffic, weather, pedestrians, cyclists, passengers, navigation, road signs, and looking for people at stops. We’re thinking, “okay, traffic ahead is relatively clear, but this guy on my left looks impatient, so he very might well cut me off. Is that person coming out of that driveway? Do they see me? Is that guy waiting to get on the bus?” And then the guy ends up cutting us off only to turn into the shopping center right in front of us, so we have to slam on the brakes. That introduces the risks of: a passenger falling, a car behind us rear ending us, and possibly rear ending the car in front of us even though we did nothing wrong. Best case scenario, we merely set off the Drive Cam, get called into the training department, review the video and explain our point of view of what happened, and no one is harmed. If we have even a minor accident, we have hours of paperwork to fill out, we have to be drug and alcohol tested, we have to view video of the incident, try to justify why we should keep our job, and all of that is constantly in the back of our minds. Very few of us only work 40 hours a week. Right now, I’m working about 48 in a five-day work week. And that’s if traffic cooperates. But my spread time is often ridiculous. Wednesday-Friday, I work from 6:15-9:15 am, then again from 1:30-7:15 pm; Saturday’s from 5:28 am-5:38 pm; Sunday’s from 6:59 am-7:25 pm. Some days, I’m lucky and I get a 10-minute break between trips, or more. Other days, traffic is shit, and I have no choice but to turn around and drive the next trip. I did that more than once on our BRT (bus rapid transit) line. I drove a 60’ articulated bus for nearly four hours with no break-no food, no water, no restroom-through downtown LA traffic and on the freeway, all while focusing on everything I mentioned above, and providing customer service. We bear the responsibility of being the captain of our ship, so it only makes sense that we would feel that way. Even though I’m sure this comes off as complaining, leading some to think “well, no one’s forcing you to do that job,” I’m not. I love my job. I’ve had many others, but this is by far my favorite. Just because some days are harder than others doesn’t mean I’m going to give up and find a different job. And that’s true for the vast majority of my coworkers. We do this difficult, dangerous, often thankless job, because we love it. Bus operators often only hear about their job performance when something goes wrong. If everything is going right, we’re invisible, as if buses are already autonomous vehicles. But they’re not. We’re humans, and we are why public transit agencies function.
Muni Drivers are not allowed to let anyone inside rain or shine till they’re ready to go - that’s in their contract .. Its not a break - its called layover to use restrooms and etc . That’s the operators time , they dont just go back and forth
I drive a continuous route in Florida, meaning no layovers. I take my bathroom breaks with no passengers. It is illegal to leave the bus running with passengers.
So drivers can't take breaks? This is bullshit. How do you get a break if you have to stay with your bus? That's not a break. They don't get lunch breaks. They can't leave the bus.
Muni should let them have 20 min break and have a partner to switch each shift so it makes it easier for them then just drive a 12 hour shot with cramps,and need to use the bathroom
Nicholas Wong The issue with having drivers switch off is that there are so many adjustments that need to be made before you can drive the bus. We have at least five different mirrors that are the only way we can see around the sides of our bus. The steering wheels usually tilt and telescope. The seats move up, down, back, forward, and the seat back tilts. It’s much more efficient for one driver to keep one bus all day. Additionally, we have to inspect the bus before we can operate it. That means checking all of the lights, the bike rack, the interior and exterior condition and equipment, and perhaps most importantly, the brake system. That alone is a 5- to 10-minute process. Even if we do a relief pre-trip inspection which isn’t as comprehensive, we still need to check the brakes. The company I work for uses a 12-step system, which seems to be the standard across the public transit industry. What would be nice is if transit agencies and the public had more compassion for the men and women-the human beings-who operate the public transit agencies around the country and the world, who are the faces of those agencies, and who bear the brunt of the public’s dissatisfaction with us, even when we aren’t in control of scheduling, traffic, weather, or any of the myriad hazards we face every single day.
I'm a bus driver in rochester ny. Usually drivers should be having their breaks at layover points. Sometimes there isn't a place for restrooms and to get a quick bite for the drivers. But they shouldn't get something to eat unless they're running too early and have time to stop and the bus is empty on some cases.
Here in Indy its much worse with these drivers, I had one who wouldn't let me on when it was pouring down rain one time and then there was another instance in which a driver had an 18 minute break at the end of the line and then after she picked me up the bus went through a Walmart Neighborhood Market and she got off her bus and was inside the store for at least 25 minutes
Gill Bates what did you do for a living? Stupid as it is. Why don't you proposed a space for a parking bus? Just because you drive a small car you moron. Lol
Don't they have SCHEDULES that afford breaks at layovers? Inconveniencing bus loads of passengers is not professional, this is a much bigger problem than just the drivers, something bigger is wrong.
Driving Muni in sf is pain in the ass. Yes of course we deserved 15 minutes breaks when we get to the end of the lines. Especially if were dealing with the public. They dnt understand when your in that seat your everything is on alert from pedestrians, bicycles skool kids, dogs, cats,, especially Uber, lifts and traffic's., By the end of your day your whole world collapsed.
Sounds like a catch 22! You let the passengers 🟩on the bus while you take your break you’re wrong! You leave the passengers 🟥outside the bus while you take your break your wrong! You just can’t please people! 🥴
I wonder sometimes how did it go when they have to go when nature calls sometimes it's urgent. .., you got to take into human factor for the bus drivers. .... Till Elon musk replaces them with robots that won't need to take any breaks whatsoever
It so disrespectful to the core, and you wonder why people don't want to pay for the fare, very very poor service . not only that they will pass right by you knowing you'll been waiting over 30 minutes . very sad very !!!!
I absolutely, I’ve late a couple times to work and for job interviews before. All because Muni was late making me late for the interview not getting the job. Muni had sympathy was unapologetic about it too. We need a responsible transit system which Muni isn’t.
joseph walls Oh man, I had a woman complain about me one morning. I had been given the wrong coach by dispatch, and only discovered it after I had finished my pretrip. So I had to pre-trip another coach, deadhead to the start of the line, and ended up being like 15 min. late. She complained because she missed her train from Union Station in LA. But, the train was scheduled to leave 7 min. after my scheduled stop at Union. So her making that train relied on traffic inbound to downtown Los Angeles being next to non-existent, and no unforeseeable incidents occurring on the three freeways it took to get there. And somehow it was my fault she missed her train. What’s even better is that the line I was driving left every like 10-15 minutes. So she could have very easily taken the one before me, giving her extra time in case something were to go wrong, but she insisted on taking my bus. That is not my fault.
Endozoso Gaming you try working a 12 hour shift with only 10 min break how can you finish your lunch or take a big dump.some drivers can have emergency like hunger,diarrhea,family emergency or more
Nanoblu Lovaolution you're ridiculous. What a new transit system were your talking about? Lol. So you think you're give a solution or part of the problem?
I do not have sympathy for MUNI drivers now very slow , on the Cell Phone, 2 or 3 buses arriving in a row that ruin the time schedule. They forgot what they are representing the city when tourists arrived, longer breaks com on, I was late for a job interview I had to walk to the place was 10 minutes late, and did not get the job, one driver on the 12 line stop at a Chevron station, and left us there as he turn OFF the interior lights while either getting A SNACK, and it was nigh time, then a Police car arrived and ask us where is the driver? We told him that he is in the food market as the Police Officer got him, and told him that your endangering the passengers without no protection in turning off the lights. Driver told him that he was on break, and waiting for his relived driver. Hey guess what KPIX the driver never shown up and we were there for another 20minutes then another 12 bus as we All got off, and insulting the driver for not doing his job. I went on SFMTA and reported him. Driver was either let go, or retrained. Now since Brown, Newsome(did not do shit MAYOR for this city spent his money on hair gel and same goes with Lee) did not do Nothing to Save this Iconic 116 year old City Own Transit company, Just going downhill, $7.00 for a Cable Car ride? We're not in Disneyland it is part of our transit system 20 to 30 minutes breaks on the Cable car, we locals cannot get even get on the Cable Car. I say FIRED the Union, FIRED these drivers that have NO respect to us. REMEMBER in 1983-1984 was the WORST year for MUNI Safety, and now this bus accident on the 28 line this morning... 9/10/2018. And I do not want to hear how Stress out they are, if so they should not be with Muni in the first place otherwise we be calling MUNI everyday, and complaint.
I absolutely, I’ve late a couple times to work and for job interviews before. All because Muni was late making me late for the interview not getting the job. Muni had sympathy was unapologetic about it too. We need a responsible transit system which Muni isn’t.
The driver is not obligated to let you on the bus if he or she is taking a break.
These entitled passengers are Karens and Darens
well now at transdev were suppossed to be obligated
when you work 10-12 hour shifts you need to break.
What is that thing in the middle of the bus called?
Get another job.
@@FlixCreEightR
Get a a fkn car, buy one or rent one!
@@FlixCreEightR find a another way to get a ride, via uber or lyft.
@@titanely5723It called articulation joint.
We all need breaks regardless of what occupation we have.
As a nycta bus driver who is retiring in July 2019, to all those who LOVE to complain. I'm human, the bus is the machine. If I need a break i'm gonna take it. All day long dealing with the people on the bus. The taxis who cut you off all day and NOTHING is done about it management is brain dead because they no longer drive. The union is useless because they only take care of their pets. Don't get me started with bike and pedestrians
You r so RIGHT🙌🙌
I drive for muni. I've only taken 4 702's in a year. So technically I've only taken 4 breaks each 20 mins in a whole year. And the average worker by law needs to take a 30 min break every 5 hours i think. And there's alot of operators who dont take 702's. Why is the media trying to make us look bad. Every company has bad apples but doesn't represent the organization as a whole.
Patrick Jamison it's not the media but the management. In order to cut you guys benefits, they head butts you with public. Politic.
Patrick Jamison I believe you. You work hard. If anything, you deserve MOREA BREAKS. this is clearly just management trying to squeeze the rank and file workers.
@dark zeratul 702 is code for a personal necessities
Don't you get your layovers? Unless your other operators are playing games or not adhering to their headways.
Most of the time you don’t get a break when you drive these mainline buses
Here in the UK, bus drivers have to take a 45 minute break every 4.5 hours of driving. That's the law, and you are penalised if you don't take your proper breaks.
Try being a Muni driver and you'll be asking for a break too. Most drivers' layovers are barely 5 minutes. Sometimes when ya gotta piss, you gotta piss whether it's during layover or on route. This is coming from an everyday Muni passenger by the way...
TheCRTman I can relate. I used to stay in SF and I knew how they operate. I am currently a bus driver in a small town in Florida and delays can happen, especially during the first or last of the month.
TheCRTman that's how the muni management trying to head to head between muni operators with the public. Make em look bad then downsize their benefits and everything. For example, from point A to point B it should take 3 mnt they made it only 2 mnt, from point B to point C it should take 2 mnt they made it 5 mnt. At the end of the destination it should take 30 mnt but the drivers made it out 33-35 mnt down and the brake they gave em supposedly 10 mnt now it's only left 5 mnt max.
I'd rather my driver to be able to concentrate on driving and not be thinking about the bathroom.. they should be comfortable and clear minded.. they have enough stuff with traffic, passengers, keeping schedules and so on..
tariq abdulWadud Honestly, as a bus operator, I can tell you that I am far more likely to take risks if I have to pee.
👏👏👏
how ironic, you're trying to get interviews from muni drivers while they're en route. .
You try working a 12 hour shift with only 10 min break then getting back on for a hour and thirty min for just 10 min of break😡😡😡
This comment section gives me hope in humanity ♥️♥️♥️ thank you for defending bus operators.
Imagine you have break time and you have the eat food you only have 10 min to eat it
On Saturday’s, I have two lunch periods without access to anywhere to get food or anywhere but the bus to eat it. Then I have three 12-minute breaks after each 1:15 round trip. On the first, I can run into Wienerschnitzel. And then I can actually eat it on my next two breaks, provided that traffic actually cooperates, and I don’t have a large passenger volume, neither of which are guarantees.
But people don’t realize this. They just get mad because I don’t let them on while I’m trying to shovel food down my gullet because I’m starving and it’s 3:45 pm and I’ve been at work since 5:30 am, and I’ll still be working for another two hours.
My father used to drive a bus in another country. People have to realize that bus drivers do not have lunch breaks. They are very hard-working people. Ask their boss why bus drivers are not allowed lunch breaks. Aren't they humans too?
They can have emergence like diarrhea,bathroom break,or family emergency,like don’t be mad at them you should try working as a bus driver that runs a 12 hour shift and only have 10 min break
I feel sympathy for the drivers. I take the 24-Divisadero everyday and I know for a fact it is not safe for the driver to get off the bus use the restroom at Palou and 3rd. I respect the fact that they need their bathroom break. Then there are lines like the 29-Sunset that runs from literally one end of the city to another taking almost 2hrs to complete only to have about a 10 min break.
Theyre called layovers and drivers need to do that to keep the schedule on time they usually do it if they're running early .
It does suck to have to wait while drivers take breaks and it can be an inconvinience at times; but you can't blame the drivers.
You have to blame the management for failing to put plans in place that determine how long the drivers can take breaks. Only five minutes at a layover is just absurd. Just driving around and driving around is stressful and can take a toll on your body.
Even driving a car is stressful when you're driving and driving with no breaks; not to mention dealing with other drivers who cut the buses off and surly passengers.
At the end of the 9R line in the UNSAFE SUNNYDALE PROJECTS THERE IS NO BATHROOM FACILITY FOR BUS DRIVERS TO USE. SO WE CALL IN TO GET THE AUTHORIZATION TO USE THE RESTROOM AT THIS MC DONALDS ON GENEVA AVENUE....WE ARE HUMAN BEINGS AND HAVE TO EAT SLEEP AND USE THE BATHROOM. DO YOU USE THE BATHROOM DURING YOUR WORK DAY
The answer is simple: don’t plan routes that are more than 1.5 hours long each way, make sure there’s at least 15-minute layovers at each end, and make sure the layover stops have some sort of restroom in the vicinity. That way drivers won’t have to hold it for too long, they’ll have plenty of time to go at their layovers, and they’ll always have a restroom to go to.
The muni management should make the schedule more humanly, stop make it the drivers fault by making the schedule impossible to follow. Stop head butts em with the public.
Bus operators and train operators are humans
these people act like that dont ever take extended breaks at their jobs.. working in a service industry doesn't mean they're your servant, your slave or a someone you can treat lower...
I was on vacation there last year riding the bus in which I was the only passenger on . The driver stopped in front of a small mom and pop grocery store and he said " I'm gonna stop here to get me a drink , I'm thirsty . You want anything ? " I said , " Why thank you ! Get me a Pepsi . About 7 minutes later , the driver came back to the bus with both his and my own Pepsi and continued on the trip . Some Muni drivers can be a-holes but this one was a cool dude .
iluvmusic62 most people would turn into assholes if they had to drive a huge ass bus around SF all day, everyday.
That was his bribe to keep you from reporting him
iluvmusic62 you guys look the drivers like a robot. While your guys asses on the offices act like you're the best. Lol
Some muni drivers are assholes because some passengers are assholes it's recycled energy
If I am at the end of the line and you walk up to the bus I do not have to stop what I'm doing to allow you to get on the bus. Yes I will be taking all of my 5 minutes. Do you take breaks at your job? Do you want to be harassed on your break? SFMTA provides bus shelters and access to apps and websites that show when the bus will depart so WAIT.
It’s public transportation and the only break the drivers get is built inside the shift. If they let passengers in they start asking questions and their break is taken away. If they refuse to answer the question then their rude. And sorry but drivers aren’t allowed to talk to media 🤦♂️
Exactly 💯
I love the operators comment I've never heard of it, he's holding it down.💪💪💪
Technically, Muni operators have NO official breaks. State law requires a 30 minute lunch break and two 10 minute “coffee” breaks; Ignored at Muni. At the end of the line, the LINE gets a “schedule recovery time” which can be as much as 30 minutes on paper, on busy lines, this is an amount of time written into the schedule so a late-running bus can leave on time, rather than arriving late, pulling out late, and running later. The operator of course can use this break, if he or she actually gets to the end of the line with time left, but officially it’s the schedule’s time, not an operator break. I have never heard of taking a break mid-trip. Then again what I’ve heard of new operators doing has often left me scratching my head. In the defense of those who seem to be doing this, there are often NO facilities at either end of some lines, or there might be a donut shop at best. In other words, nothing to eat. Some operators will bring their own lunch to avoid this problem, and the trash food too often available if anything. So stopping mid route might be the only option for operators on some lines. And, too often, the terminal is also a stop which it shouldn’t be. The terminal should be separate so the operator can have the schedule recovery time to themselves and not be pestered by people who want to board. Five to ten minutes may not seem like much, but in a town full of adult teenagers and addicts, that five minutes can create room to foster sanity in a losing situation for the operator.
Please stop this madness. Do my fellow residents not realize that MUNI is a great system compared to public transportation in other major cities. Yes, not perfect and it is very difficult to manage so many operators when each sees themselves as "the captain of their ship." Maybe we need to be more thankful for what we have and less critical. jmo
Jerome Morgenstern We see ourselves as “Captain of our ship” because we **are**. I don’t drive for MUNI, but I am an operator in SoCal, and I can tell you, the responsibility inherent in our profession weighs heavily on each and every one of us. Like another comment mentioned, the bus is a machine but the person behind the wheel is a human. We make mistakes, and we have to answer for them. People have no idea how much physical and mental work is done every second of driving a 40- or 60-foot many-thousand-pound vehicle. We’re constantly scanning the road 15 seconds ahead of us, looking at our mirrors every few seconds, paying attention to traffic, weather, pedestrians, cyclists, passengers, navigation, road signs, and looking for people at stops. We’re thinking, “okay, traffic ahead is relatively clear, but this guy on my left looks impatient, so he very might well cut me off. Is that person coming out of that driveway? Do they see me? Is that guy waiting to get on the bus?” And then the guy ends up cutting us off only to turn into the shopping center right in front of us, so we have to slam on the brakes. That introduces the risks of: a passenger falling, a car behind us rear ending us, and possibly rear ending the car in front of us even though we did nothing wrong. Best case scenario, we merely set off the Drive Cam, get called into the training department, review the video and explain our point of view of what happened, and no one is harmed.
If we have even a minor accident, we have hours of paperwork to fill out, we have to be drug and alcohol tested, we have to view video of the incident, try to justify why we should keep our job, and all of that is constantly in the back of our minds. Very few of us only work 40 hours a week. Right now, I’m working about 48 in a five-day work week. And that’s if traffic cooperates. But my spread time is often ridiculous. Wednesday-Friday, I work from 6:15-9:15 am, then again from 1:30-7:15 pm; Saturday’s from 5:28 am-5:38 pm; Sunday’s from 6:59 am-7:25 pm. Some days, I’m lucky and I get a 10-minute break between trips, or more. Other days, traffic is shit, and I have no choice but to turn around and drive the next trip.
I did that more than once on our BRT (bus rapid transit) line. I drove a 60’ articulated bus for nearly four hours with no break-no food, no water, no restroom-through downtown LA traffic and on the freeway, all while focusing on everything I mentioned above, and providing customer service.
We bear the responsibility of being the captain of our ship, so it only makes sense that we would feel that way.
Even though I’m sure this comes off as complaining, leading some to think “well, no one’s forcing you to do that job,” I’m not. I love my job. I’ve had many others, but this is by far my favorite. Just because some days are harder than others doesn’t mean I’m going to give up and find a different job. And that’s true for the vast majority of my coworkers. We do this difficult, dangerous, often thankless job, because we love it. Bus operators often only hear about their job performance when something goes wrong. If everything is going right, we’re invisible, as if buses are already autonomous vehicles. But they’re not. We’re humans, and we are why public transit agencies function.
Muni Drivers are not allowed to let anyone inside rain or shine till they’re ready to go - that’s in their contract .. Its not a break - its called layover to use restrooms and etc . That’s the operators time , they dont just go back and forth
I drive a continuous route in Florida, meaning no layovers. I take my bathroom breaks with no passengers. It is illegal to leave the bus running with passengers.
So drivers can't take breaks? This is bullshit. How do you get a break if you have to stay with your bus? That's not a break. They don't get lunch breaks. They can't leave the bus.
The simple solution is to require that breaks can only be taken at logical times, such as at the end of a route.
Muni should let them have 20 min break and have a partner to switch each shift so it makes it easier for them then just drive a 12 hour shot with cramps,and need to use the bathroom
Nicholas Wong The issue with having drivers switch off is that there are so many adjustments that need to be made before you can drive the bus. We have at least five different mirrors that are the only way we can see around the sides of our bus. The steering wheels usually tilt and telescope. The seats move up, down, back, forward, and the seat back tilts. It’s much more efficient for one driver to keep one bus all day. Additionally, we have to inspect the bus before we can operate it. That means checking all of the lights, the bike rack, the interior and exterior condition and equipment, and perhaps most importantly, the brake system. That alone is a 5- to 10-minute process. Even if we do a relief pre-trip inspection which isn’t as comprehensive, we still need to check the brakes. The company I work for uses a 12-step system, which seems to be the standard across the public transit industry.
What would be nice is if transit agencies and the public had more compassion for the men and women-the human beings-who operate the public transit agencies around the country and the world, who are the faces of those agencies, and who bear the brunt of the public’s dissatisfaction with us, even when we aren’t in control of scheduling, traffic, weather, or any of the myriad hazards we face every single day.
I'm a bus driver in rochester ny. Usually drivers should be having their breaks at layover points. Sometimes there isn't a place for restrooms and to get a quick bite for the drivers. But they shouldn't get something to eat unless they're running too early and have time to stop and the bus is empty on some cases.
Those couple mins at the end of the line is all we get. We’re human too and need a minute sometimes. The public can be abusive.
Drivers are not allowed to talk to media.
Los Angeles used to do that too MTA, that's why they will have autonomous buses that don't need breaks
In Detroit we call it taking a 10 20 and when I get back in the seat Ill say Im rolling or Oscar Mike aka On the Move.
Here in Indy its much worse with these drivers, I had one who wouldn't let me on when it was pouring down rain one time and then there was another instance in which a driver had an 18 minute break at the end of the line and then after she picked me up the bus went through a Walmart Neighborhood Market and she got off her bus and was inside the store for at least 25 minutes
i was on the 31 once on my way to school and the driver stopped the bus in the middle of the road and got Chinese food
Gill Bates sometimes starving is unsafe while driving…lol I wouldn't do that but hey
You should trie working a 12 hour shift with 10 min break
Gill Bates what did you do for a living? Stupid as it is. Why don't you proposed a space for a parking bus? Just because you drive a small car you moron. Lol
YES!
Don't they have SCHEDULES that afford breaks at layovers? Inconveniencing bus loads of passengers is not professional, this is a much bigger problem than just the drivers, something bigger is wrong.
Were those puns necessary lol
+CBS SF Bay Area
SFMTA muni buses must rehabbed hybrid bus on 8701-8750!
Driving Muni in sf is pain in the ass. Yes of course we deserved 15 minutes breaks when we get to the end of the lines. Especially if were dealing with the public. They dnt understand when your in that seat your everything is on alert from pedestrians, bicycles skool kids, dogs, cats,, especially Uber, lifts and traffic's., By the end of your day your whole world collapsed.
How about stop treating drivers like robots....
😂😂😂THEY STILL TAKE A BREAK RUN INTO THE LIQUOR STORE AND USE THE BATHROOM ECT.
Sounds like a catch 22!
You let the passengers 🟩on the bus while you take your break you’re wrong!
You leave the passengers 🟥outside the bus while you take your break your wrong!
You just can’t please people! 🥴
I wonder sometimes how did it go when they have to go when nature calls sometimes it's urgent. .., you got to take into human factor for the bus drivers. .... Till Elon musk replaces them with robots that won't need to take any breaks whatsoever
Self driving technology could help them have more breaks.
San Fransisco...figures.
Stop hating on the MUNI drivers. It's 2023, everyone knows their employee policy handbook front and back
Suurree they haven’t heard of it or don’t know. 🙄🙄🙄🙄
??????????
You really think those drivers are robots everyone needs breaks especially a stressful job like muni
WAAAAA BUS DRIVER NO DRIVE 24 HOUR WAAAAAA BUS DRIVER HAVE LIFE WAAAA
Please, your driving 10-12 hours a day you kinda need a break for your sanity.
Makes sense why I can never get to school on fucking time.
You gotta leave the house earlier my man it's public transportation not personal transportation
Happens all the time since I was a kid. The 15 bus which used to run on 3rd street the drivers used to get out and cop dope from the pushers
It so disrespectful to the core, and you wonder why people don't want to pay for the fare, very very poor service . not only that they will pass right by you knowing you'll been waiting over 30 minutes . very sad very !!!!
Why does it seem like the West coast is turning in to the East coast of the 1930’s?
Teamsters/ Mob run
I absolutely, I’ve late a couple times to work and for job interviews before. All because Muni was late making me late for the interview not getting the job. Muni had sympathy was unapologetic about it too. We need a responsible transit system which Muni isn’t.
You made yourself late to your interview, next time take an earlier bus
joseph walls Oh man, I had a woman complain about me one morning. I had been given the wrong coach by dispatch, and only discovered it after I had finished my pretrip. So I had to pre-trip another coach, deadhead to the start of the line, and ended up being like 15 min. late. She complained because she missed her train from Union Station in LA. But, the train was scheduled to leave 7 min. after my scheduled stop at Union. So her making that train relied on traffic inbound to downtown Los Angeles being next to non-existent, and no unforeseeable incidents occurring on the three freeways it took to get there. And somehow it was my fault she missed her train. What’s even better is that the line I was driving left every like 10-15 minutes. So she could have very easily taken the one before me, giving her extra time in case something were to go wrong, but she insisted on taking my bus. That is not my fault.
They could never do that shit in NYC.. They would've killed the driver, LITERALLY!!!!!! 😂😂😂
It’s okay automation will take over one day this will be in the past. At the same time they are humans too and need breaks.
they be pulling off leaving riders and they dont wear face coverings thats unsafe i dont ride them no more .
I hate when they do this.
If I owned Muni, I would fire the excessive break people
Leo Jhay if I owned it, not I own it
Endozoso Gaming you try working a 12 hour shift with only 10 min break how can you finish your lunch or take a big dump.some drivers can have emergency like hunger,diarrhea,family emergency or more
I wouldn't work for your ass
Endo the Railfan another smart ass talking. Like a fart lol
Check line 44 always I have to wait more than 15 minutes early in the morning as well in the afternoon it is very annoying
Muni is just ridiculous, late and now being abusive with breaks. We need a new transit system in SF.
Nanoblu Lovaolution you're ridiculous. What a new transit system were your talking about? Lol. So you think you're give a solution or part of the problem?
I do not have sympathy for MUNI drivers now very slow , on the Cell Phone, 2 or 3 buses arriving in a row that ruin the time schedule. They forgot what they are representing the city when tourists arrived, longer breaks com on, I was late for a job interview I had to walk to the place was 10 minutes late, and did not get the job, one driver on the 12 line stop at a Chevron station, and left us there as he turn OFF the interior lights while either getting A SNACK, and it was nigh time, then a Police car arrived and ask us where is the driver? We told him that he is in the food market as the Police Officer got him, and told him that your endangering the passengers without no protection in turning off the lights. Driver told him that he was on break, and waiting for his relived driver. Hey guess what KPIX the driver never shown up and we were there for another 20minutes then another 12 bus as we All got off, and insulting the driver for not doing his job. I went on SFMTA and reported him. Driver was either let go, or retrained. Now since Brown, Newsome(did not do shit MAYOR for this city spent his money on hair gel and same goes with Lee) did not do Nothing to Save this Iconic 116 year old City Own Transit company, Just going downhill, $7.00 for a Cable Car ride? We're not in Disneyland it is part of our transit system 20 to 30 minutes breaks on the Cable car, we locals cannot get even get on the Cable Car. I say FIRED the Union, FIRED these drivers that have NO respect to us. REMEMBER in 1983-1984 was the WORST year for MUNI Safety, and now this bus accident on the 28 line this morning... 9/10/2018. And I do not want to hear how Stress out they are, if so they should not be with Muni in the first place otherwise we be calling MUNI everyday, and complaint.
Shit happens when you become a bus driver.
I absolutely, I’ve late a couple times to work and for job interviews before. All because Muni was late making me late for the interview not getting the job. Muni had sympathy was unapologetic about it too. We need a responsible transit system which Muni isn’t.
Alex Carrillo be a bus driver, why not? If you think they have a better break time? Idiot lol
Wow....you need to work on your spelling. Very bad....