SMRTR TechJun 9, 2026Wired

The Untold Story of the Google Buses That Took Over San Francisco

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Google employee Cari Spivack launched the tech shuttle program in 2004 simply to avoid traffic, but the buses multiplied across San Francisco, sparking protests and political battles. Activists in clown suits blocked buses, city officials clashed with uncooperative tech companies, and the shuttles became powerful symbols of tech-driven gentrification displacing working-class residents.

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