Loretta: Muni bus driver, guardian angel
Photo by Thomas Hawk
Last night I fell asleep riding the 49 inbound up Van Ness around 9 p.m. Fell asleep BAD. Like I’m surprised no one checked my pulse to see if I was still alive (well, maybe they did and I just slept through it). When I woke up, I realized I had missed my stop at Jackson by several blocks and raced out the door. Shortly thereafter, I discovered that my phone, which I had been holding when I fell asleep, was no longer with me. I panicked, but there was no way to catch up to the bus.
I got to my friend’s house, and used his phone to call mine. Nobody picked up, and I expected the worst. It was a hat-trick in the worst way: the Giants get shut out by the A’s, I miss the season finale of LOST, and my cell phone is now being kicked around an empty bus. But awhile later we got a call from Loretta, the Nicest Bus Driver on the Planet. She had found my phone, and rather than sending it to lost and found—where she insisted it would have been gone forever—took it with her.
Today I met her on her route and she returned it to me. I tried to give her some cash as a thank you, but she wouldn’t accept it. Anyways, Loretta, you saved the day! Thank you!
Caitlyn
Loretta is my favorite driver in the MUNI system. I’ve seen her on both the Fulton and California buses, and on holidays she turns her bus into a party with themed decorations and what not. She really does brighten your day and makes a point of saying hello to everyone who boards her bus. Love her love her love her.
methinks a Best Muni Driver contest is nigh on these Muni Diaries. what say?
bring it. Loretta would win! surely someone else has experienced the joy.
What about Tammy?
I never learned his name, but I used to have a 22 driver who would say “Good Morning” to all his passengers and I’d make it a point to ride his bus to wish him the same.
He once caught me running to catch his bus and told me I didn’t need to do that, that he would have waited. By far my favorite driver of all time.
A ‘Best Driver’ contest would be fun, though I don’t know the names of most of my favorite drivers. I guess I’ll have to start asking!
Yes, I think we owe it to those drivers that have been able to maintain such a great attitude while still going through all the struggles that Muni is seeing right now. I know that I try to make the extra effort to just say thank you, or even have called in a driver compliment before. I want Muni reform, but I also think as riders we should practice a little more gratitude towards or drivers. I am sad that they have to work under the conditions that they do, and as passengers we offer them no protection or aide, and so little sympathy.
My coworker told me I was on this blog, and yep, that’s me in the picture.
What a heartwarming story. Loretta truly embodies kindness and integrity. Kudos to her for going above and beyond to reunite you with your phone.
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