A plea for better distancing, from a friendly Muni driver

A second Muni operator has tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, and we are hearing from our operator friends that they’d really, really like you to be mindful of everyone on the bus when riding Muni.

One driver who contacted Muni Diaries said that while they always remind passengers that they want to keep everyone safe, not all passengers are as careful as they could be. “We have many passengers who don’t take this seriously,” this driver confirms, and we can only imagine how much more stressful it is to drive Muni under these circumstances.

Earlier last week, several operators took matters into their own hands to protect themselves on the job, as reported by The San Francisco Examiner. Drivers were taping fare boxes close and shutting the front door to try to keep riders at least six feet away. Recently the SFMTA announced that backdoor boarding is required except for those with accessibility needs, which we hope would help with keeping safe rider-driver distance on the bus.

Our driver asks that if you ride public transit to get to your jobs or other essential services, please practice the recommended measures, like covering your mouth while coughing, keeping at least six feet of distance from others, and stay home if you feel ill. And of course, if you can avoid touching surfaces on the bus (which, even in peace time, we would recommend because of stuff like this), that would be extra great.

p.s. If you haven’t already, take a minute to read up on the service changes: there is no subway service, and some rapid routes have been cancelled for the time being.

Photo by @kevinkelleherphotography