Faer does not recommend. An incredibly racist white driver on the Geary 38R morning route has me mistaken for someone more than a decade older than I and 75+ pounds heavier. In 2008 my junior year in college prep (highschool) when I am 16 years of age a young boy, I was accosted by this same xenophobic driver on the 1 bus. He slandered me to my classmates and persons from adjacent college preparatory. He ruined my relationships then by stating to multiple persons he saw me riding the bus with that I am "a jokester adult in my twenties". Fast forward to 2025, I have the misfortune to run into the same individual. He attempted to have me arrested by Muni Cops by insisting to them I am the individual he mistakes me. He stated during my morning ride on the 38 Muni circa 4-5 months ago when I am in the area for important graduate-level professional functions that I threw "stink bombs on the 1 bus and still do this stuff now hence ought be detained." On the note of this matter, I have every reason to believe the mother/son pair I observed on Monday 03/10/2025 on the 5 bus number 7287 at the First Street Bus stop are the persons he has mistaken me for. I request a former apology from Muni and the driver to rescind his inflammatory statements about me. A refusal to do so shall, you shall hear from Faer's legal representation on the subject matter. read more

My bus, lovely views of your favorite tourist spots. Make sure you have a clipper card!! read more

MUNI - 38 Geary - My bus, lovely views of your favorite tourist spots. - Public Transportation Near Me

HAHA I love these bus line Yelp listings and I'm gonna rock and roll it. I am on the 38 on Geary Blvd. I am trying to get to the dentist or take the 38 downtown to Van Ness and Geary. I have a foundation that I work with. There is no way out of it. No one will give you a ride unless you Lyft or have a personal chauffeur..so I'll have to hop on the 38 Geary after transferring with the 28 line out of the Sunset. And then I'll have take the same ride back on the 38 Geary to get back to the Richmond from downtown. It's a long ride. Or you'll take the 38 Geary to get from Union Square to Van Ness and pass through the Tenderloin. This is city life. I am sitting on the 38 Geary waiting for the world to explode because it takes so long, but for some reason I am not on the N Judah because this is what I need. And I am getting home late from a show and I am waiting at Geary and 19th Avenue..hoping for something to show up..and then.. You decide to CALL A LYFT! BECAUSE YOU ARE SO EFFING DESPERATE TO GET HOME! AND SLEEP IN YOUR BED AGAIN! read more

Vivid memories of a fight nearly breaking out, loads of discarded newspaper, nearly all seats always being occupied, and several other factors make me want to avoid this line. If pressed, I'll take the 38R because that one at least minimized the time you're cramped into the bus, but even that's not likely anymore. I remember flying into town and it took me more time take the 38 to 25th Ave, than it did for me to fly to OAK, take the connector train to the Coliseum station, get on BART, get into SF, and get off at Civic Center. I timed it. It was an hour and a half on a sweltering bus. Wake up a little early and walk in to the office, or to a different bus route, maybe? Or if you must, hit that 38R in the hours it operates. If not, just plan on taking a lot of time to get where you want to. I can't completely disregard this as an option, though. After all, it does pass by a lot of great businesses there on Geary, and takes you all the way out, almost to the ocean (but don't ride thinking you'll hit beach--it circles around at the V.A.) and you get to access huge swaths of the city on one fare. And because it's a popular line, you don't have to plan your day around it. You get one every ten minutes or so, sometimes sooner. I like riding mass transit when I travel. SF has some great lines; I make it a point to take one to get truffles, for example, every time I visit. This line, however, isn't in my top ten. read more

Convenient and relatively fast way to get from the Financial District to the other Richmond District, even a stone's throw to the historic Cliff House, near where the Sutro Baths were the rage some 90-100 years ago. Geez how time flies! The buses are usually the super long accordion types, yet ironically it's always pretty much full! If possible avoid after school or after work hours, or expect armpit smell and annoying rap for your entire trip! For the most part 38-Geary get's you where you need to be along busy Geary Blvd. It's a straight forward drive and like all Muni buses takes cash, transfers, or passes as fare. I'd avoid the sticky seats! read more

WTF?! I haven't ridden Muni in ages and I needed to take the 38 from Market to Tommy's Joynt on Van Ness to meet with friends and co-workers. It's about 12 blocks away, if my calculations are correct. This has got to be one of the most horrible experiences I've ever had. The driver was annoyingly rude; the passengers were rude, funky, ugly, disgusting; and one crazy lady kept yelling obscenities like Roseanne Barr singing the national anthem while having too many shots of tequila. Passengers getting on and getting off on every stop rushed in and out, pushing and shoving everyone in their way like a stampede of Gnus escaping the jaws of an alligator. As I was stuck inside the bus, I couldn't help but think that I should have walked from Market St. all the way to Van Ness. It probably would have been faster too had I walked. As I got off the bus (one stop earlier on purpose), I was glad I had a bottle of Purell in my backpack. read more

Even being a double bus, this is one of the most packed bus lines I've ever ridden. I don't take the 38 often, but it's convenient when I'm making a Target or Best Buy run. I can just hop off the bus at Masonic on the way home to Outer Richmond from Downtown. This was the case on Friday, December 18th around 3:15pm. Since I work in between bus stops, I tend to walk to the stop farther away from my destination as there's more of a chance I'll grab a seat. The closer the 38 gets to downtown, the more packed it becomes. Depending on where you're going, make sure you read the final destination of the 38 if you're going to outer richmond. There's one bus that turns onto 33rd Ave and another that will go straight down Geary. I can't recall which one is which since I haven't taken the bus all the way out there in a while. I believe this is the busiest muni line in SF. I prefer taking the 38R, but if the 38 comes first, I'll gladly take this bus. $2.25 for a ride across town?! Yes please! read more

One of the craziest runs in the city!!! Period. Full of yelling, screaming people...even though they are just trying to say "I had a good day at work" is a regular thing on this run. Always something to deal with. It's a double bus, but it seems that it can't keep up with the overload of people trying to get to the Outer Richmond area from DT. Muni is Muni...no matter how you look at it...but like I said...you'll hear nothing BUT yelling!!!! read more

Can't Help but yelp 38R n 38 .. Waited for 30 mins for 1 bus to arrived .. Of course, it's a full bus . But below me down next bus comes after 16mins 4 buss all at the same time ?? The bus I rode there was a wheelchair passenger n the bus driver doesn't even know how to hold lock the wheelchair tire ?? He ask the old lady to buckle up.. That really Insulting funny Moved .. How can a disable lady stand up and buckle up ??? Loved muni since it's easy to travel around the city!! Just hope they follow the bus intervals and not wait for people to pile up waiting for just one bus read more

See all

I take 38 and 38R daily to pick up my two toddlers from preschool. Often time, I take 38 R with a driver who always seem stressed out and on the verge. He yells at people at the front, runs out of the bus to yell at people in the middle of the bus. This time, when I got inside the bus, few folks at the front starting offering us a seat and the driver got very angry stating that he won't drive the bus if me and the kids will be sitting there. I calmly rejected folks offer and kept standing with two of my children. After couple of stops, another passenger again offered us a seat, and I thanked him saying we won't be sitting as we are afraid that the driver will yell at us. When the driver heard us, he got angrier, his voice was not just raised at me and my kids, he was yelling on top of his lungs. I started yelling back that he needs to stop this behavior and that if he continues, I will report him. He then stopped the bus and came out of it saying he will not be driving until I am out of the bus. I couldn't believe that for people offering us a seat, we got kicked out of the bus. I did then call 311 and reported the driver. I hope they will pull out the records from the video and will see and hear his unacceptable behavior. I wish I had a car and I wouldn't be humiliated like this in front the big crowd. Luckily, another senior woman then stopped me at another bus stop and apologized for the drivers behavior. That was so soothing to hear. read more

I enjoy taking the 38 because frequency of buses on this route is consistent. The 38 Geary does tend to be crowded and it is generally a busy bus route. read more

MUNI - 38 Geary - Public Transportation Near Me

See all

It's 1 am and I am safely at home. A home that I had previously taken for granted AND over an hour ago was pretty sure I would never see again. Still dressed from work, my friends and I took this bus home after drinks at Michael Mina tonight. Unfortunately, there was a fire in the Tenderloin (my friends didn't tell me the route, because they know I'm paranoid of getting jumped) and the bus stopped. For a LONG time. Long enough for a Russian guy to sit next to me and tell me we should get a hotel room and start the revolution together. I told him I not only look like a prude, but I AM one, to which he replied, "you may be prood now, but tumorrow you wake up whore." Charming. When he offered to show us the gun in his left pocket, we exited the still-stopped bus and wandered around the Tenderloin. Not the smartest thing to do at midnight in a tight-fitting dress. While I contemplated prostituting myself out for some extra Christmas money, my roomie came to the rescue and gave us all a ride home. We passed the bus and the Russian guy stuck out his tongue. I think tonight I'm going to have nightmares... 38 of them. read more

I swore I would never drunk yelp but tonight happened and well, here I am, drunk yelping like the classy lady that I am. I was so severely fucked up this evening that I fell asleep on the bus (if falling asleep is passing out). Did I mention I am classy? Yeah! So, my 38 Geary driver woke me up at 42nd avenue and asked me where I was headed. I said 36th ave. The kind man actually turned the bus around and drove me back to 36th, and even asked if I wanted him to go off the main road and drop me at my front door!! Minus one star because he asked for a "favor" (unspecified) when he dropped me off and tried to plant a big juicy one on me. I said no, just for the record. True story...am I actually writing a review of this???? Like I said before...classy!! read more

This bus route.......is just too long. I'm not even talking about the three miles or so of the Richmond. That can't be helped. After all, there's the whole series of avenues on your way out to the beach, 2nd thru 48th.....mind-numbingly boring, I agree, but it's not like there's anything unexpected there. It's simple math. No, what I'm on about is the unacceptable, sagging midsection of the city between, say, Masonic and Taylor. Even on the 38L there is the litany of Divisadero, Fillmore, Gough, Van Ness, Larkin, Hyde, all of it shabby urban filler that runs the spectrum from mere delapidation to out-and-out, bilious squalor. And it's not only annoying -- it's unnecessary, in my view. These streets simply shouldn't be there. You should just be able to get from the Mervyn's-that-used-to-be-Sears to the back side of Macy's in about five minutes. You really, and I say this with all sincerity, just should. Instead, one is always surprised by the protracted journey, freighted with shrill, field-tripping elementary schoolers, stout immigrant women carrying bags of live chickens, and the very un-San Franciscan blazing sun that only a crowded 38 can bring out. As stop after stop and cross-street after cross-street butt their way onto Geary and O'Farrell without *any relevance at all* to your Union Square destination, this malodorous synergy inevitably elicits a shuddering, screaming, froth-flecked seizure. I offer this as a very friendly and helpful advisory so that when, somewhere around Mason St., you find youself pounding your fist on the seventh rear door past the bus's third accordion pivot, screaming, "DRIVER! DRIVER! FOR THE LOVE OF **CHRIST** LET ME OFF THIS THING!!" before collapsing on the stairs in a heaving puddle of sweat and tears, you'll at least understand what's happening to you. Same for when the driver obliges by opening the doors at 21 mph and your inert form, jettisoned from the vehicle, bounces high off the asphalt, twirling gracefully above the bleary eyes of an admiring crowd before flopping into the gutter. Forewarned is forearmed. read more

A conversation overheard on the 38 line between Office Max and Office Depo. (Two teenagers get on the bus and sit down across from me and start talking.) Teen 1: I wish things were like in Star Wars, 'cus there's no racism in space. Teen 2: What about Chewie? He's, like, a slave to Han Solo. Like the Ewoks. Teen 1: Ewoks are just gonna be road kill because of those speeder bikes that are all fast and sh%@t. That chase scene was so cool. Teen 2: Or whaddabout Jar Jar Binks? Ain't he black? He's black, right? And irritating, right? I mean, everyone wants to kick Jar Jar's ass, 'cus he's so annoying. Teen 1: Naw, he's just Gungan. Gungan's are annoying. Teen 2: That's racist. Gungan's are not ALL annoying. That's a stereotype. And why do Gungans hafta live UNDERWATER and UNDER the Naboo city that's so pretty and sunny with ALL WHITE people? Huh? Why? Teen 1: Lando's black. He's rich, too...he, like, OWNS Cloud City. Teen 2: Yeah, but he's bought out by the Empire. He's not to be trusted, right? He was the only black dude in all of the Empire Strikes Back movie. Like, that's so lame. Teen 1: Nah, he totally saved Han's ass. He was bad-ass Colt 45 drinkin' Lando. Teen 2: Racist! Black people don't all drink malt liquor! Teen 1: Lando does. And he's BAAAD... Everyone in Star Wars is an alien or a creature...they're all different colors, so how can that be racist? Teen 2: Tuskan Raiders...they all live in the desert and kill people and steal. Arabs live in the desert, don't they? Teen 1: And Watto's a slave owner and owns a pawn shop. He's supposed to be, like, Jewish, right? Teen 2: Yeah, and Mace Windu got killed off, din't he? He was supposed to be the baddest mutha f%#@er Jedi Knight dude, and he DIED? That's so wrong. Teen 1: He din't die 'cus he's black, dumb-ass. He was WEAK...everyone knows no one could beat Anakin...he's, like, the CHOSEN ONE. HEL-LO...? Teen 2: Oooh, remember Mon Mothma? She was, like, the PRESIDENT and sh%@t. That wus awesome...a WOMAN president? Cool. Teen 1: Aliens and women are cool. Teen 2: Hey, and there ain't no Asians in the movies...where's all the Chinese and sh%#t? I mean, in the WHOLE galaxy there ain't ONE? Come on, dude...that's LAAAME. Teen 1: There wus plenty Chinese peeps in the Senate. They wus all over. Teen 2: Tell me you are NOT talking about those slanty-eyed Nelmoldians. Teen 1: Yeah...so OBVIOUSLY had a Chinese accent. Teen 2: And they wus all EVIL and SNEAKY, right? Sheee-it. They all punked out in that movie. And why is Darth Vader black? All the evil dudes are black. He wus all good when he wus white, and then all of a sudden he's evil and BLACK? Teen 1: Stormtroopers were white. They wus evil. Teen 2: Naw, Stormtroopers wasn't evil, they wus just, like, followers. They wus clones. Teen 1: Yeah, white people all look alike. (laughing) Teen 2: Jango Fett's a Mexican. They even hung some big fuzzy dice on Slave 1. He's, like, a clone. And they're, like, multiplying like crazy, right? Like, taking over, right? That's so racist. Teen 1: Nu-uh...not even. White people rule the Empire, dude...not clones. Teen 2: Exactly. Teen 1: Hey, I gotta joke. How'dya know you're a Jedi redneck? Teen 2: Whut? Teen 1: If you hear Vader say, (In James Earl Jones voice) "BILLY BOB, I AM YOUR FATHER...and your uncle!" Hahaha! Teen 2: Dude, that's so stupid. (They get off the bus.) Swear to GOD. read more

What came to mind while riding the 38 today: 1. While quantum mechanics suggests that as one moves closer to the speed of light, time slows down, 38 seems to disprove this theory. 2. Muni might actually promote more cars on the streets by convincing people to drive. 3. I can walk faster than the 38. read more

Rule one about ninjas: Nobody talks about being a ninja. You resign yourself to a life of utmost secrecy when you don the ninja cloak, with any discretions punishable by death. I have a hypothesis that the 38 Geary is populated by ninjas. Droves of people manage to climb aboard, cling onto the safety handles for dear life, and exit the doors without having to employ any smoke bombs. It seriously boggles my mind that anyone is able to do this every day, often multiple times a day. The 38 Geary is a wild, unpredictable beast, yet its passengers seem to take it in stride and, even more remarkably, make it work for them. There can only be one explanation, and that is that the riders of the 38 are ninjas. Perhaps some are ninjas in training and require brief negotiations with the bus to navigate to their kill destinations, ringing the bell, excusing themselves for brushing against other passengers. More experienced ninjas manage to slip themselves in and out the backdoor (that's what she said) like they've been riding the bus since the birth of feudalism. If you've ever seen a gaggle of elderly Chinese women unseat themselves and drift through the exits without so much as wobbling, you know what I mean. And you'll never know for sure because no one can discuss their true ninja natures. Unfortunately, my hypothesis starts to show holes when we consider the second rule of ninjas. Rule two about ninjas: Ninjas do not speak except with the blades of their knives. Plus, if the ridership is all ninjas, you'd think there'd be more than a few ninja star incidents to keep the swaying and crowding down. But there aren't. And without ninja stars, the ride can become very, very long (that's what she said). read more

During peak hours, this is what the 38 outbound bus looks and feels like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsSmxUE_-pw (except friendly policemen) read more

Number 38-- a bus that goes east to west-- of San Francisco. Late night at work... almost 10pm, tired... this is a bus that is door-to-door to home, literally to front door... a bus that takes all walks of life, including not just people who commutes to work, but also those homeless guys who get on from the back door with a big garbage bag and smell, and those who are rude... Well, it's Thursday night, too early to have drunk kids on board, too late for sane business people. I climbed on the bus, sat closest to the back door of the second cart so that I can have the least contact with anyone when it gets to my stop. A couple stops later, still in downtown, as I was reading news on my iPhone, a few more people streamed in, still lots of empty seats. Then there's someone standing right next to me. I looked up, perplexed, " seats are available, find a seat, buddy", I thought. Without looking up catching any attention but caught a fairly well dressed suit, nice tie, white shirt. But wait, alcohol sipped through my nose... drunk businessman!! Poor combo. For the next awkward and uncomfortable few minutes, I tried to look straight without entertaining or being entertained. Thank Goodness he knew my avoidance even after attempting to get my attention a few times. I hurried off from my stop. Looking back making sure he's not doing the same... As I am more green and cannot justify almost 400 dollars worth of parking of a car that I can't use, I don't drive in SF. Now I might have to reconsider... Boy, I wonder, did this guy just get laid off? promoted? or just any other Thursday to get drunk? Tired mind can't stop curiosity... read more

Nothing gives off more bad energy than the 38 Geary. The bus drivers are always pissed off, there is always a fight, if not a physical fight then without a doubt an argument that is teetering towards a physical engagement. There is almost always someone with really bad BO and it's usually my face that is crammed right up next to Mr Funk because the bus is so crowded. Last week I had to drop my car off on Geary and was waiting for the 38L to get to my job downtown. The bus driver stopped about 30 feet short of the bus stop and let people off and then tore away purposely not letting peolpe on the bus as they ran in its direction. I was pissed at first but then realized he just did me a favor because I decided to take the 43 to cole valley and catch the N train to work. Don't need that stinking 38. read more

There is a reason I don't travel crosstown from east to west (or vice versa) on any Muni bus. Actually, two: The 1 California and the 38 Geary. By the time you reach your destination, I guarantee your teeth will be ground down to nubs. OOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM.......................... OOMMMMMMMMMMMM....... read more

This bus is always super over crowed and is one of dirtiest buss es I've ever seen (the dirtiest being either the 49 or the 47) There was one day (a Saturday) when I got on the bus at about 6p.m. and noticed that on this crowed bus was vomit all over the floor and seat towards the back of the bus. I told the bus driver what I found and he stopped the bus at the next bus stop. He walked over to see what I was talking about, waited a minute or two after getting back to his driver seat and asked everyone if "we can deal with it." Most of the people that were on the bus were already drinking and hollered that they can deal with it. Nothing was put around the vomit to keep people from sitting/ getting near the vomit (which many people ended up sitting on it and didn't notice til after they felt something wet.) There was another day were there were a bunch of boys (must have hardly been 18) sitting in the back of the bus and with out shame started smoking pot like it was a normal thing to do. It seems like every time I'm on the bus there is someone drinking/ eating on the bus and with out shame just throwing the left overs on the floor. My biggest hate is the freaking sunflower seeds that always seem to be on the floor with several people just spiting out sunflower seeds. It's just sad that this is the only bus that gets me to where I need to be. read more

This rating goes to my friend who is currently in court because of trouble on Muni. Here is what happen. We got off the 8x bus and waited for the 38 Geary to arrive and took a while, he scan his clipper card and it was still within 90 minutes so it did the transfer mode. When we go to Van Ness to get off, here are 3 fare inspectors with their ticket books out. The approach my friend and say his clipper card expired and fare inspector said not its past the time. My friend said well when I scan it showed green and cleared me and I saw it too and told the inspector it did clear him so what is the problem. Fare inspector asked for ID and my friend said nope, why should I when its not my fault. So we began walking away, then fare inspector came up to my friend grab his shoulder and forced him to turn around. My friend said you better get my hand off me you greedy prick. He grab my friend arm really hard and demanded his ID card. So my friend took his fist and nailed him right in the center of his face, and boy he went down and stayed down. My friend said there you go that is my fucking payment for you. Police came and said what happen and witness and me explained what happen. Lot of people said the fare inspector was being the aggressor which is correct. So now he is in court to get this fixed up. 38 Geary and other Muni buses, fix the clipper card system. It's really a rigged system to give people tickets. This happen about 3 weeks from today. read more

So I don't really understand why someone chose to write a review specifically of the 38-Geary outbound, but since that's the direction I usually ride this bus in, my review is pretty much on point. I used to have to take this bus to get to my brother's house. He's since moved away from the Outer Richmond, and that makes me happy because I'll have to ride the 38 a lot less often now. The 38 serves a noble purpose--getting people from the Transbay Terminal to the Outer Richmond--but it does so in a terribly slow, wasteful, and annoying fashion. If you're going any great distance along Geary Street or Boulevard, you're much better off finding a 38L-Geary Limited stop and waiting for that guy. But if you're traveling at night, you're just out of luck, and you have to waste a bunch of your time. One positive about this bus is that despite its crowdedness and annoyingness, you'll never feel unsafe on it. That's not something you can say for most buses that go this far, but I think the thieves and thugs of San Francisco have better things to do than cause mischief on the sluggish Geary bus. I'm not saying you won't ever be annoyed on this thing, but high-school conversations are generally the worst of it, and you learn to ignore those after a bit of Muni-riding in this city. If you're going to the Outer Richmond, this bus can be terribly confusing if you don't know it well. There are three legs. One turns south on 33rd Avenue and then west again on Balboa Street; one turns right on 42nd Avenue and turns around beneath the VA, and the final one continues on Point Lobos Avenue until 48th Avenue (next to Sutro Heights Park). This may not seem like a big deal, but these three destinations are not very convenient to walk to and from. So if you're going anywhere on Geary past 33rd, make sure you're not on a bus whose marquee reads Ocean Beach. Similarly, if you'd like to end up on Balboa, make sure you're not on the VA Hospital bus. read more

B. R. T. All that needs to be said. Well, also what BRT actually is: Bus Rapid Transit, or commonly known as 'the exact opposite of what the 38 is'. The line is the busiest in the City (50K boardings per day) and among the busiest bus lines in the nation, yet it run like some school bus to and/or from hell. It is crowded beyond usable, the systems of stops make little to no sense at points, the drivers are often as frustrated as the passengers and the line does nothing to compensate (as it should) for the far distances many of the users travel. It is simply outdated and under capacity. Pro tips: Take the Bx and Ax if you are going to the FIDI or SOMA, or take the L if at all possible, except between 8 AM and 9 AM. This is when I'm going to work and I don't need any more competition. Loveyoumeanit. read more

Highlights - Thank you muni 38 and 38L for taking me from point A to B without me having to worry and deal with parking and crazy drivers, especially in the downtown area and even more so during the Christmas holiday season time. - Wait times are about 5-15 minutes, which is not bad at all and considering the 38 runs 24/7 and at $2 one way, there really isn't much to complain about. - They frequent so many popular spots that it is usually never empty and you'll probably run into your friend or whomever at one point or another, since everyone and their mama takes this bus line. Improvements - Since they make frequent and popular stops, these buses get packed. Even with the accordion addition to fit in double the amount of people, be prepared to be packed like a sardine. - During off hours, these buses can get a bit ghetto, sometimes they are smelly, and trashy. Tip - You better think twice about not paying and strolling in! They have stops where Muni patrol actually comes on to the bus or wait at various spots to check if you have paid your fare either on your clipper card or with your transfer as proof. read more

IT IS WHAT IT IS... You need to get get from Point A. (say... 6th and Geary) to Point B. (say... (Market and 3rd)... You have limited options. You could: 1. drive your car. (and park it where, exactly?... and for HOW MUCH?!) 2. get a cab. (but every day?... how much is that going to set you back?) 3. drive a bike. (yeah... sure thing, Lance.) 4. Hitchhike (you don't watch horror movies, do you?) 5. Have your limo pick you up and drop you off... (but there's one problem with this... but I can't remember what it is...) 6. Walk. (hah ha ha ha... ahh... ha... ha... ) 7. Take the 38... where you can go the width of the city for a buck and a half and get all the thrills of Boardwalk rollercoaster, the social interaction of match.com, more drama than a years worth of 24, the smells of Fisherman's Warf in August, the alternating climates of Siberia and Brazil (sometimes on the same trip!), more languages than the UN debating WMDs... and... if you're really adventurous... try sitting in the last row of seats... that always have that lovely, piquant aroma of dried urine. 8. Take the 38L for a more condensed version of the above. PLEASE HOLD ON. read more

Last time I rode the 38 the two dudes sitting in the back corners were literally smoking crack. I say literally because the term "smoking crack" gets thrown around a lot, but these guys were actually smoking crack, in real life, right there on the bus. Excuse me for saying so, and maybe I just don't have enough context here, but the bus doesn't really seem like the best place to smoke your crack. For one thing, it's bouncing all around and you gotta hold that foil and your pipe and lighter all at the same time. Also, lots of people can see you and might actually report you or something. Plus, if a cop gets on where are you going to run? Then again, the 38 seems to be completely free of the rule of law so those last two probably don't apply. read more

Dear 38, you brought out the worst in me during my 3 years in SF. I have countless stories of riding the "Dirty Eight", but one stands out. Happy Hour turns into happy hourS. I get on the bus, and I'm "That Guy" on the bus bobbing my head up and down trying not to pass out. Well, I failed at that. I pass out. Next thing I know, i'm at the last stop, Ocean Beach. Since it's the terminal stop i'm forced off the bus, while the bus driver chills. Luckily for me there's a bus already at Ocean Beach, and the bus driver of the bus I am on, tells me to go to the first bus. I go to the first bus, and that bus driver won't let me on. He says he's still on break, and tells me to go back to the bus I was on. I walk back and that bus driver tells me to go back to the first one. I go back to first one and he starts screaming at me and the other bus driver, turns on the bus, locks the door, and drives off. WTF? I go back to the bus I originally was on, and that bus driver turns out all the lights, and locks the door. Awesome. By this point, i'm tired of being ping pong, and I make the 4 mile walk back to Filmore St. What an awesome way to walk off your drunkeness. A part of my soul has died riding the 38. read more

Dear Muni, Stop this line. It's not needed. People can walk/crawl/limp/wheel the extra 3 blocks from a 38L stop. Then you can run 38L all the time and more frequently, make the drivers happier (because it's less stop and go), and make the customers happier. It's a domino effect. Falls either way, you choose. Best, S.D. read more

Fuck you 38. You and your slightly less horrible cousin the 38L are the reason why I pay $140 A MONTH for parking near my work! Driving is $140 plus gas, but only takes 25 minutes Taking the 38? $50, but it takes an hour of being sardined with a sea of smelly, noisy people. Fortunately for my sanity, but unfortunately for my wallet, I don't take the 38 anymore. read more

Fast but rider be wary. This got to be one of the worst buses in San Francisco. Dirty, chaotic, always super packed during rush hour and extremely unpleasant to ride. Ugh! The only good thing about it is that it gets you to most destinations on Geary pretty quickly. read more

Having moved to Oakland from the Outer Richmond a few weeks ago I'm pleased to report that I no longer have to ride the #38 to work every day. Pleased, not only because my new Transbay commute is a good 20-plus minutes shorter, but also because I now ride exclusively on buses that aren't going to mentally scar me for life. Here are a few memories from my days riding the #38... * Homeless guy takes off his sneakers on a hot day, toxic. * Non-paying passenger assaulting driver for having the nerve to suggest that he needs a ticket. * Driver refusing to let an old lady onto the bus because she's finishing off an ice-cream, argument delays bus for at least 5 minutes. * Kids tagging bus in plain view, nobody really taking any notice. * Homeless guy sneezing all over my iPod to the extent that it needs to be wiped clean, gross. * Piles of discarded sunflower seeds on the floor, often, along with other random garbage. * Two guys get into a fight because one looked at the other. One gets off at Fillmore, the other follows. * Smells that shouldn't exist in nature. I could go on forever, but I wanna save some of the best material in case I ever get around to writing a particularly disturbing book on the subject. The best (read: only good) things I can think of to say about the #38 Geary are that it's 24 hour, that it never actually killed me, and that--at least on my morning commute from 25th Avenue--plenty of the fairer sex passengers were easy on the eyes. Oh, and I guess the way the drivers slam on the brakes at seemingly random intervals might be considered a free workout if you're unlucky enough to be standing and holding onto something for dear life. I hope I never, ever have to ride you again #38. read more

This line runs often but it gets really packed. So packed that its easy to get perved on. You get annoyed because some jerks briefcase keeps edging up your ass and then you realize: he doesn't have a briefcase. Really its happened more than once. The pervs know this line is good for easy marks. read more

Some Haiku's: crazy 38 geary riding so weary homeless people pee -Michelle L the crowded bus rides extended for us to fit so all can get home read more

Infamous 38 line....it's slow, crowded, and you get to meet interesting people (usually not by choice....). I used to see very interesting things going on in tis bus line - people gettng beat up, human bodily fluids/other thing, blood, etc.....I feel sorry for people who ride this line everyday from downtown to richmond district..... It gets even scarier during evenings....take a cab, if it gets too late or at least sit in front during late evenings :) Interest fact: some guy made a documentry about 38 line several years ago. read more

TWENTY STARS for the 38 today! I had just gotten into an argument with the bus driver on the 28 over some trash (see my 28 line review), so I was not in the best of moods. And then afterwards, I jump on the 38L and my day got so much better. Because I was standing on this crowded ass bus next to a man with a BIG WHITE RAT SITTING ON HIS SHOULDERS. MADE MY DAY. 20 STARS FOR BUS. read more

I don't love you, 38 Geary. I kind of like you, but you frequently smell of fontina cheese and Sausage McMuffins mixed with armpit & butt. Are people using you to transport body parts? Because frankly, 38, you might want to look into that. However, on the weekend mornings when your driver blesses my dreaded commute to work with a falsetto rendition of "You Are My Lady", I feel very conflicted about where we stand, 38. Are you trying to actually make my AM enjoyable? You sneaky devil, you! I'll have to return the favor with a little huff and buff the next time I see a pigeon soil your shiny exterior. Friends, Lea read more

Did anybody say '' Let's take a bus? '' Wait wait wait! If anyone asks me that question I usually answer with the question '' What about BART?'' As you can see, I don't like buses here in San Francisco! Let's start with my first day in SF. I was already anxious getting used to life here. My friends who are from Columbia and Brasil wanted to show me some places. Unluckily I have encountered bus and its passengers inside on my very first day. It was like a theatre show and I was one of the audiences, surprised one! Anyway, there was a crying baby with an uninterested mother and at the other side there were teenager girls whose styles were weird for me ( like ripped stockings inspite of cold weather, thin blouses, exaggerated make ups and hairs ) I think it was the funny part because they have their own styles which is good to have but it was just not good for me because I was with my wool cap and also leather gloves.) Oops I almost forgot! One of the most important figure was a man who was really drunk although it was afternoon! He was yelling everybody in the bus and my poor English wasn't good enough to understand him. He was commenting for everybody ! I hope he had not said so many bad things about us! I was so stressed. 5 min. later we just have gotten off and taken a breath! That night when we were on the way to come home. We had to take a bus again! That time it was dark outside and there were not so many people inside ! Next time I will write about this, too. But I gotta go now!! read more

This bus changed my life as I stared on my Twitter page. I was coming in from a club and this bus came just in time for me to return to my hotel. I must declare I have experience a life changing moment aboard a bus. read more