"He's seen a lot in the dozen or so years he's been behind the wheel: He gave former Mayor Willie Brown a ride once, and about 8 years ago a gang member took pop shots at his bus while driving the 19-Polk past City Hall. All the passengers rushed towards the front of the bus, and he kept driving, running through a couple stop lights, he said. Nobody was injured."
"The "Comeback Kid," longtime 49ers quarterback Joe Montana, and his wife boarded the 2-Sutter around 7 years ago, getting on, and then getting off just two stops later. So did Lars Ulrich, the Metallica drummer. Williams grew up in the city, in Diamond Heights and Glen Park, where he attended Catholic school and worked as a paperboy, riding a bicycle and tossing the San Francisco Chronicle onto subscribers' doorsteps."
"Now, he rides around town in a "million dollar car," as he likes to call his bus, sporting thick framed blue glasses and a newsboy cap, perhaps an ode to his days as a paperboy. "I get the view of the city every day," he said on a recent Thursday afternoon, looking content. "Come on princess," he said to an elderly woman struggling to board the 22-Fillmore with a metal cart of groceries. "For you, come on," he said after stopping the bus in the middle of the block to lower the ramp and let her on."
DeJohn Williams is a 55-year-old San Francisco bus driver who has driven for more than a fifth of his life. He has encountered notable figures and incidents while working, including giving a ride to a former mayor and continuing to drive through a shooting incident without injuries. He describes his bus as a "million dollar car," enjoys daily views of the city, and assists passengers with care, such as lowering the ramp for an elderly rider. Williams serves as a "floater," driving various routes to meet operational needs and to avoid complacency.
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