Oh, Muni, never a dull moment. Since all your doors seem to be closed today, instead one of your drivers (not all! We have another one today who is fun and cool) feel compelled to drive and text (and get mad when caught). You’re just giving Muni’s new PR consultant, a former SF Chron reporter, more to work with!
Muni PR Muscle Emerges
Hey remember how Muni’s hired an outside PR firm to manage media outreach during the upcoming contract negotiations with operators? Well, now we know who the spinmeister will be — it’s Goodyear Peterson, a newish public affairs consultancy comprised of political strategist Richard Peterson and one time Singer Associate and SF Chronicle reporter Charlie Goodyear.
The Ex notes that “(i)ronically, Goodyear was chosen for the SFMTA job” over his former employer, which I would have loved to note too, but Goodyear didn’t send his maiden SFMTA release to the Appeal. Where’s the love, Charlie? Is the $100K they’re reportedly paying you not enough to reach out to online media?
Better watch your backs, guys, as local transit pundit (among other things) Greg Dewar says today that Muni should hire him “to do the job. I’ll do it for lower fees, and frankly I’d kick ass. (Sorry, but as someone who is struggling to pay the bills seeing folks get all these big government gigs, I can’t help but think I’d do as good a job, and I actually ride Muni.)”
Muni Drivers Have Had It
Muni Diaries has a charming reader account of a driver who announced, “That’s it, I quit!,” as she hops off the bus to deposit some mail. Don’t get excited, Goodyear Peterson, she was just kidding.
OK, Now Goodyear Peterson Can Get Excited
It what’s sure to come up again as the war between Muni management and operators heats up, a 24-Divisadero driver who was reportedly caught texting while behind the wheel kicked a passenger who tried to film the illegal activity off the bus, and threatened never to pick him up again.
“While its news, it’s not really news” the Weekly resignedly reports, noting that the SFPUC has caught drivers doing far worse.
Muni has said that the nine-year veteran driver was suspended without pay for three days for violating both state law and Muni policy.
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