Thank You for Driving Muni!

With this Wednesday being Transit Driver Appreciation Day, we want to give a tip of our caps to the men and women of  Muni who provide more than just a steady hand on the steering wheel as they ferry patrons between destinations.

Have you thanked your driver lately?

A number of Muni patrons certainly do. During an average month, San Francisco’s 311 Customer Service Center processes 19 operator commendations. Some patrons take to Twitter and Facebook to express their satisfaction while others take the time to send a handwritten note via snail mail. Below we share some of our favorite recent examples as well as our appreciation for the hard work our colleagues do every day.

“He’s very reliable and very courteous to everyone who gets on the bus. He’s a great driver.” - 311 Commendation

Over the course of a day, transit operators not only provide information on stops or connecting routes but also information on scenic locations, what to do and where to go and even local history. For many customers, transit operators are the friendly face of Muni who provide service with a smile.

“She always goes out of her way to do her job well, and she is always making everyone laugh.” - 311 Commendation

As any driver can attest to, operating a vehicle in a dense metropolitan area is not always an easy thing to do; often it can be downright stressful. Imagine navigating a 75-foot light rail vehicle or a 45-foot bus through many of those same intersections or meandering streets. And when service does not go as planned, operators are the ones who take the brunt of customers’ frustration all the while maintaining a level head making their stops and answering questions.

 “@sfmta_muni 16x driver in #1821 needs to be cloned. He's awesome! Makes me smile every time he says #youguys :)” - @CourtneyLJ on Twitter

Just like any other profession sometimes operators have bad days, but let us not forget that it is a difficult and tense job they have. On Wednesday let’s make sure they know it’s not a thankless one. If you get the chance, a simple “thank you”  can make all the difference.

“I encountered the most friendly and wonderful operator. She was very friendly and helpful.” - 311 Commendation

Our friends at TriMet in Portland, Oregon put together a great set of tools at www.transitdriverday.org. Check it out to see some of the fun thank you cards and messages they’ve collected to help you thank your hard working transit drivers.

“@sfmta_muni big thank you to driver of route #12 bus #8362 for waiting for me this morning. Always pleasant, courteous and smiling.” - @ocotillo42 on Twitter

Remember, Wednesday is the big day. If you’re on Twitter, use #tdad. And don’t forget to submit your commendation via 311 to make it official! Thanks!