#1 Muni Driver for Complaints

It’s been a long road. We began the battle with Muni over access to its records of complaints against bus drivers about two years ago. We were just trying to gauge what passengers were experiencing on a daily basis. We even had to file a lawsuit against the city and Muni, when the bus drivers’ union got involved and tried to block our efforts.

We won that lawsuit, got the complaint records and surveillance videos to go along with them, and today, we finally name the #1 Muni bus driver in terms of complaints.

Cynthia Thompson has received 139 public complaints in three years, the most of any of the 2,000 Muni drivers. Here are some we didn’t mention on the air:

May 18, 2004: “The operator was on her cell phone from the time she boarded … until she got off.”

January 26, 2005: “She reminds me of the ‘Soup Nazi’ on Seinfeld.”

September 13, 2004: “Extremely rude and unnecessarily rude toward passengers.”

January 2, 2006: “Operator was clipping her nails while driving the bus.”

March 23, 2005: “Close doors on patron’s wrist. Patron had to pull his wrist out to avoid being dragged by the bus.”

October 3, 2005: “The rudest, most disrespectful operator this patron has ever seen.”

And those are just some of the complaints deemed “actionable” by Muni; there are many more labeled “no action”. We're also streaming some of the surveillance video featured in our report tonight: "Your Momma" and "Foot Stuck in Door".

To wrap up this story, we knew we had to speak with Thompson. The bus drivers’ union wouldn’t put us in touch with her, nor would Muni, and her name is so common, the only way to find her was to ride her line. It was an amazing coincidence. About ten minutes after an I-Team producer boarded Thompson’s bus, a young girl got her foot trapped in the bus’ door. Thompson’s response is featured in tonight’s report.

This probably wraps up our I-Team investigations into Muni … for now. We’re always looking for the next tip. Please send us an e-mail or call 1-888-40-I-Team.

Comments

[Mark S. Taylor]

I ride the Muni bus system quite a bit and find that most of the bus drivers are as nice as you are to them...human nature. Most of the passages seem rude, loud, and I find that most Asians (mostly older) are the most pushy riders via shoving their way into the doors and seating themselves. The young crowds are rude with load voices that disturb others with cussing and such. So, personally I find that if you give out kindness you get it back. I'm quite pleased with 90 percent of the San Francisco bus employees...under and above ground....but God knows, I wouldn't want their jobs!

Mark S. Taylor
San Francisco, CA

[Scott]

Is she the "Yellow Line" nazi who used to drive the 1-California? She was the worst driver I have ever had to deal with.

[Muni Employee (low end of the totem pole)]

How about those employees who strive to make Muni more customer friendly? Why focus on the bad when there are so many employees completely opposite to operator Cynthia Thompson? A reason the public are complaining is that every time city leaders consider raising fares, people moan and fuss.
If people really want Muni to improve, people have to invest into the system. (You get what you paid for.) Another reason is that parents cannot are unable to control the actions of the children. The children have no respect for anything; trashing up public transportation with trash (physical and verbal) and marking up by markers or scratching.
Raise the fares following other public transportation agencies and eliminate the transfers.

[Whole Wheat Toast]

Excuse me, Muni Employee (low end of the totem pole)? you know that muni is one of the worst transit systems. i was kicked off the bus twice, once for NO APPARENT REASON. (That's right, Noyes, NO APPARENT REASON.) And it could have been this driver too! Oh wait, that is her! She's the lady whose car accidentally plowed into a black SUV (though she cut off the SUV, the SUV got mad, and veered onto her bus.) She even kicked off this girl who was writing in the window with her finger! That is epic bull****.

Srsly.

[scott rossi]

seriously, San Franciscans have NO IDEA how good you have it! MUNI is a thousand times better than any other transit system in the USA. i haven't owned a car since 2004 and I have been using public transport in every major city, and SF has, by far, the best.

you probably don't want to believe that because you have lived here your entire lives and you take it for granted. i come from an area where the bus comes once every 2 hours if you are lucky and that is in an area of 1 million people.

they have their bad apples, like any organization, but for the most part, 99% of MUNI is great.

[Jack McKee]

On the N-Judah line there was (in 2000) a driver who seemed to me to be completely crazy. She would smile at everybody getting on (inbound from the outer Sunset) and while grinning from ear-to-ear loudly, cheerfully greet the riders with "HI GREAT MORNING!"
Now I was usually barely wake at these times; and, at first was annoyed by her boisterous cheerfulness, but after a few days began to look forward to this driver's extremely positive energy.
I think the ABC 7 story on the worst of the worst MUNI drivers is excellent, exhaustively researched, even somewhat balanced. This type of reporting is necessary to protect the riders of SF MUNI and possibly bring about corrections; but, perhaps a story about the unsung MUNI heroes would generate more positive energies!
I love San Francisco!

[Christine]

>Is she the "Yellow Line" nazi who used to drive the 1-California? She was the worst driver I have ever had to deal with.<

Oh wow. I take the 1 California home from work, and (assuming this is the same woman) I have gratefully only encountered her once. Lord have mercy, she is a real b*tch. She screamed at me for not showing my pass (even though I held it up, and she didn't bother to look at it), then a few minutes later, went on a screaming tirade against an elderly woman who (gasp!) touched the driver's hand while taking a transfer. I swear, she went off on this old woman for nearly 5 minutes. "Don't you ever touch me! Who the hell do you think you are?!" etc., etc. When I got off, I was very tempted to tell the driver what a horrible person she was, but didn't, and I regret that.

[sandra]

A muni patron who had her foot caught in Cynthia's bus door. Sued Muni and Cynthia. I served on that jury. We found in favor of Muni and Cynthia. Now I'm sorry I did, as Cynthia clearly has a problem. I am sorry for not finding in favor of the Muni patron, because Cynthia seems to make it a habit to close peoples feet in the door. I'm sorry that the Muni partron was not able to better prove her case, as now I see she was telling the truth.

[Concerned in the City]

Isn't Muni going to do something about problem people like this? I can't understand why the Union would protect someone like this.

[David]

"This probably wraps up our I-Team investigations into Muni … for now."

Really? You're not going to follow up with the head of MUNI? You're not going to follow up with the mayor's office.

Mr. Noyes, please do NOT add to the endless frustration of actions without consequence in this city. Your story would seem to inidicate that customer service is NOT a priority of SF's transit system. Strange since without customers, there would be no need for public transit. Please don't fall for that same old thinking.

[Mike]

Thanks Dan! Once again, you're doing great work. Fire these pathetic employees immediately! Who would run an operation with people like this? There are numerous good employees and more that would love to join, so get rid of the bad ones. I just wish that occasionally the best and the brightest would work for an organization like Muni.

[scooby]

Yes, most Muni drivers are crabby, the Asian males being by far the worst, in my experience. As I don't tend to base my self esteem on the response of a person who drives an insane asylum around in circles on a daily basis, I just ignore them altogether. At the same time, the way the bus drivers treat senior citizens makes you hope the bus driver has golf ball sized hemmoroids.

[gyaos97sf]

I remember Cynthia. This woman is the reason I stopped taking the 1 California home from work. I would get on everyday at about 4:30 where the line started at Howard and Main. It never failed that by the time we traveled the three blocks to Market St, she had picked a fight with somebody. Demanding ID from obviously elderly people who presented senior passes. I remember her kicking off a boy who could not have been older than 12 who presented a youth pass but did not have ID. "Under 17!" I remember her shouting over and over. She often refused to open the back door while the bus was stopped to take on passengers. "There's a cord back there. You need to learn to pull it." When she did she rarely kept the door open long enough for more than one or two people to get off. I'm serious. Anybody who was not standing on the steps ready to hop off when the door opened got the door shut in their face. She would slam the door without warning and speed off. God help the person who took the transfer from her hand in any way that displeased her. "You don't snatch things out of my hand like that!" The slightest thing would set her off. People would just look at each other in total disbelief over her tirades.

I eventually stopped taking the 1 home even though it was very convenient. I walked a few extra blocks and took the cable car.

MUNI please do us a favor and FIRE people like this.

[Luis Miguel]

She should be hanged.

Also, the video tapes should also monitor the behavior of the ridership that makes it worse for everyone.

Yes, there are bad drivers. How about all the rude, aggressive, kings and queens who act like the bus is their personal limo? These people act without retribution and impunity. If they are called upon by the driver, they turn around and complain about the driver.

I think that people would watch eagerly on the opposite side:
1) people who purposely run in front of the bus to force it to stop.
2) take two seats when there are people standing.
3) screaming on the cell phone.
4) blocking the front of the bus by the farebox.
5) asking why the bus is late while taking 3 minutes to get his fare.
6) hailing the bus from half a block away and wonders why the bus is late.

[Rob Anderson]

Good work, Dan. Speaking of Muni's union, what about a mention of the "sick-out" practice for Muni drivers? My understanding is that they don't even have to call in sick; they just don't show up for work, which is why there are so many gaps in service on Fridays and Mondays, when many drivers take long weekends.

[MichaelSF]

Muni has a lot of problems [e.g., the worst is that its buses and trains are killing people.]

I think that part of the problem is the union that has a contract so onerous that nothing can be done to get rid of the drivers, even the ones who are racists [the black drivers hate whites and Asians].

And now management is filled with people protecting their own. End result: nothing is or will be done to these drivers.

The only thing Muni understands is lawsuits. For example, those elderly people have valid claims against Muni for age and race discrimination.

Muni [and that driver] are violating the Unruh Act which prohibits discrimination by businesses, that is, discrim based on race, age, sex, or whatever.

I recall that POS driver on the Number 1. She would pick up elderly by Chinatown who were on their way to the hospitals for their medical appointments.

I watched her be rude and degrading to the Chinese and elderly.

Even worse, she would accelerate the bus before the people could take their seat. And she would also jam on the brakes.

The elderly had to hold on for dear life. I can tell you that if any of them were injured, I would have filed a lawsuit on their behalf.

But it seemed they were used to this driver and always managed to hold on for dear life.

That driver is not only rude, she is a racist and ageist. Her conduct is like a Nazi in WWII. And the poor Chinese elderly are like the Jews. They just take it because there is nothing they can do. I never saw any of them say a word to the driver. They just took what she dished out.

After a few weeks of seeing this, I filed a complaint online with Muni and of course they never did anything.

That is why I am saying the only thing they understand is lawsuits that call attention to the problem and forces them to deal with the problem.

Muni is also violating federal law with the way it is treating the elderly. That driver's discriminatory acts are a blatant violation of fed laws protecting the elderly and handicapped.

In fact, now that I think about it, on Tuesday I am filing a complaint with the Fed. I will complain about Muni and this driver. Maybe Muni will do something when the Fed cuts off their funding for the buses and fines them [a requirement for fed funding is that a public transit receiving the money will comply with all laws related to protecting the elderly.] Guess what Muni, your doing nothing about that driver is a violation of fed law.

Of course the sad thing is, this driver would still not be disciplined nor dealt with. She would still be able to keep her job.

But then again, the Fed does not fool around. They can nail her big time. And if Muni risks losing millions because of her and other's conduct, maybe they will shape up.

I would not feel bad if for some reason she was physically no longer able to drive a bus. Put her behind a desk, in customer service. Or maybe have her man a Muni Information kiosk in Chinatown.

If anyone else has witnessed her behavior and agrees with me, I would appreciate your also filing a complaint with the Fed.

Here is one place:

http://www.fta.dot.gov/civilrights/title6/civil_rights_5104.html

[MichaelSF]

Here is the main page for the Fed's mission:

http://www.fta.dot.gov/civil_rights.html

[MichaelSF]

Well here is what I sent to Muni and three Board of Supervisors:

Just a heads up on what's going on next week. I sent the below to Muni, albeit I doubt they could care. Just notice to you so the fed and state charges of discrimination don't hit you by surprise:

Dear Muni: This is to inform you that I am filing a complaint with the Federal Transit Administration against Muni and Cynthia Thompson for your conduct in violation of federal law prohibiting transit discrimination based on age and race.

http://www.fta.dot.gov/civil_rights.html

I contacted you over a year ago about Ms. Thompson's abusive behavior against Chinese and elderly patrons on her bus route.

Nothing has been done and recently Dan Noyes in an ITeam investigation exposed that Muni, the Board of Supervisors, and Union would rather protect its own then address illegal discrimination.

I am also contacting the California Attorney General to inquire about the State pursuing Muni for violation of the Unruh Act.

[Whole Wheat Toast]

You're supposed to spam them with comments until they respond, that's how the system works

Now if i run into dat operator, it ain't going to go well...

I wonder if this is the exact same operator who said "This must be the oriental express..." to a Chinese Teen...

@michaelsf, if you don't mind, I would like to join in for your cause :)

[Whole Wheat Toast]

And I'm letting the APTA know on this weekend's rail roadeo. It's at that new Metro East division at Cesar Chavez and Illinois (east of 3rd) if anyone's interested.

[Pissed off]

Ay, you know, hate Muni or not, it is what it is. Even though they do have some bad drivers, the African American ones especially, if you ask me, there are still good drivers and you just can't assume that all of them are bad. And you people don't even really know what it's like to be a driver. Having to deal with tight schedules, rude riders, graffiti taggers, homeless people, violence, and all the other problems that happen. But talking about Cynthia, if you think her driving the 1-California line is bad, try putting her on a really busy bus like the 9x-San Bruno Express or 38-Geary.

[amtray]

Mr. Noyles,This is the second time
I'm writing. The first time, I wrote you because some how you talk about bad apples, but you never responded nor owned it for
what you did (portion deleted as violation of board's Code of Conduct)
It is a shame that all the attention has to be focus in a bad driver, perhaps as a good reporter who intents to make a difference to this community;
should you be focussing in all the high 6 digits, that don't do
nothing, stay 2 works at the office and then they dissapear
for the rest of the day?.
Perpahs you can find them playing
golf or having lunch with their
mistresses for afterwords a quick
siesta. MUNI has more seriuos issues that need to be address, issues that the community will benefit, like monitore the mechanics that go to their managers homes to repair their own
private vehicles, and cycles's collections, (Harleys),the equipment doesn't get repaired, this same faulted equipment is given to another operator, many
times the repair orders is being
found in the bus or train garbage
can. Meaning that If the problem would have been fixed that repaired card needed to be filed.
Have you checked the highest paid
in the City employees, so many
inspectors that regular salary is
80,000.00, ended making 196,000.00
How could it be?, there is one
who had made 205,000 last year, that same inspector was reported
having oral sex in muni's property
on city's vehicle on city's time!
Another time he was reported comming out of a motel with a prostitue, when he was asked on the radio, he said he was outbound
at farralones. Management was told
to verified through the GPS (global positioning system) it will tell the time and location
where the white truck was, 2 weeks later, ALL GPS were removed; this inspector was never
disciplined and he was allowed to retired with the highest paid of
205,000.00.
There is nobody that supervises the inspectors, years ago there was a manager with a samll city car that would go and monitored them, after he retired, there hasn't been any body, so they do wherever they want, they take the truck home hide it in their garage and leave to do their errands on their own car, now this is in City paid time, when they supposed to be working.
This are the people you should be talking about that are stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars for doing nothing. Not a Ms. Thompson, yea, she get fired, but you had wasted so much energy for what, has the city made out the hundreds of thousand dollars or have you been able to get a team that is going to monitore the
equipment's repair and the mechanics. Besides being the Operators the lowest paid in the system, the Janitors, the fare collectors, street car cleaners, the station agents (booth people) all of them make $7 , 8/h more
then the operators. yet they don't work every minute like the operators do, and they do have their break, the operators are set to work until they finish their shift with very limited time for bathroom and the tider and tider schedules, the operator keeps running from one end to the other and some takes 1hour and 40 minutes to get to the other end like the N Judath or the T line. How do you say Mr. Noyles, are you going to do something constructive for a change? Are you going to help this community to get and do the right staff? FOR THE GOOD APPLES; I'LL CHEER, TO US!!!!!!!!!!!.

[Fumiko Shimano]

I agree with Pissed off who commented on June 13, 2008, 12:42 p.m. The patern he discribed is seen in the most of the companies and institutions. All small people are over worked with a little money. Realy ITeam, would you dig in?
I tolerated Ms. Thompson on 5 Fulton line many many times and felt pitty on her because her attitude toward people was horible and made me think that what is driving her to be that way.

[Holda]

Jan. 6, 2010
Muni Bus driver #8023 didn't stop at request today.
I requested a stop (reauested stop got on) and called him for stop but he didn't stop. He passed 3 bus stops. Probably he needs a hearing aids, because he said that he didn't hear me. He didn't say sorry.

Bus Line #28 @ 1:55pm (SB- he missed Uloa, Vincente and Wawona stop)

Holda
San Francisco, CA