Known only as “Mr. Joseph, Badge #4842” to the San Francisco Muni passenger who nominated him for an MTC award, Jose Macasocol is a familiar face to hundreds of riders who board his bus every day and recognize the friendly, courteous and helpful driver who cares especially about seniors and disabled passengers and those with young children in tow.
“He makes sure we’re seated or standing in a safe position before he drives off,” said Joleen Smith, who has been riding Muni for more than 25 years with her mother, who is now 80 years old. “He also parks the bus as close to the curb as possible so it’s easier for us to get on. I’ve even seen him assist an elderly man onto the bus, which I find unusual.”
Macasocol, age 26, has been a Muni driver for nearly two years and enjoys his daily interactions with passengers. “I’ve been working in customer service since I was 14 years old,” he said. He drives a different route every day, which exposes him to a wide cross section of passengers. “It’s challenging, but it’s fun,” he added, “because I get to learn about a lot of different things and see a lot of different people.”
As an outstanding example of public service and “going the extra mile” for his passengers, Macasocol is MTC’s choice for the David Tannehill Special Employee Award, named after a dedicated and talented MTC planner who passed away in 2001.
