Muni: They love it

Pub date August 7, 2009
WriterTim Redmond
SectionPolitics Blog

By Tim Redmond

This is fascinating: Phil Matier talks to Nat Ford about the latest round of Muni accidents, and the bus-system chief is remarkably upbeat, saying, in effect, that we have so many trains out there that these things are going to happen (except that it would be better if he had the money to hire more supervisors).

But there’s a great line at the start of the interview. Ford says that the fact that 700,000 people ride the buses and trains every day shows that “they like it … they enjoy it.”

Okay, I’m one of those sickos who really DOES like riding Muni, particularly when I’m not trying to get anyplace in a hurry. But I have to wonder: Is Ford being a bit too optimistic here? Don’t people ride Muni in part because they have to get to work and there’s no other choice?