A shirtless guy with a cigarette and a wrecked city bus made for one seriously bizarre sight on Oakland’s streets — and the footage has many doing a double take.
The mystery man was filmed driving a retired San Francisco Muni coach through West Oakland, piloting a vehicle that appeared to have seen much better days. The front windshield was missing, the remaining glass was riddled with cracks, and a paper license plate was attached to the bumper. Somehow, the electronic sign above the damage was still lit up with the words “Not in Service.”
The clip began circulating online this week, accompanied by the caption “Oakland is like a GTA server,” a nod to the chaotic world of Grand Theft Auto. It spread from what appeared to be an Instagram post to Reddit’s r/BayArea and r/CrazyF—ingVideos forums.
The driver’s identity, how he acquired the bus and whether he had recently purchased it remain unclear. But the footage has put an unusual spotlight on what happens to San Francisco’s aging transit fleet once the buses are no longer needed for regular service.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is retiring older coaches as it introduces a new generation of battery-electric buses, meaning more used vehicles could eventually find their way into private hands.
And these hulking machines could be a deal for the right buyer, even after their public transit careers end.
SFist reported that a retired Muni bus was advertised for $8,000 in Sacramento, with “only 41,608 miles” on its odometer.
That figure was an asking price, not confirmation of what the bus ultimately sold for. The Oakland vehicle’s price is unknown, too, although its visibly battered condition leaves plenty of room for speculation.
