Vivienne, Bus Operator

Now, this is Vivienne. Vivienne is a bus driver on bus line 108, serving Treasure Island. This week will be the last week on this line for Vivienne before she is going to drive another route. Vivienne is driving busses in San Francisco for 20 years and is very humble as to the importance of her job. She says: "Oh, well, somebody has to do the job." I like her calling me 'sweetie'. I know, this is nothing unusual here around, but given that I am Swiss and used to Swiss public transit operator attitudes, the idea of being called 'sweetie' by a Swiss bus driver just amuses me... they are waaay to stiff and formal to do something like that.

Of course, Vivienne has a million stories to tell, yet she shares one of her favorites with me. When she did the graveyard shift on the 91Owl at 3am in the morning, she picked up a man on Van Ness who said he had just been hit by a cab. Now, Vivienne spontaneously made her bus take a detour by SF General, where her injured passenger was helped. Now this is civil courage! This prompts my next question about her feeling afraid sometimes. Her answer: "You know, being afraid or not, it wouldn't change a thing." I'll take the lesson...

According to Michael who is just riding back to Treasure Island while I'm talking to Vivienne, she is "the sweetest bus driver in San Francisco". Well, thank you Michael for appreciating Vivienne's dedication to her job! She is the representative of many more dedicated muni operators to whom I'd convey my gratitude for their contribution to a prosperous city-life.