The Revolt Begins? Apple, Google Charter Buses Attacked In San Francisco

The last week has seen six charter buses, ferrying Google and Apple employees from Silicon Valley to San Francisco, have been attacked on the freeway, smashing windows with rocks and BB guns.

Notably, there are no signifiers on the vehicles for the average passerby to really know for what and who they are used, but CHP Officer Art Montiel, who is investigating the matter with other law enforcement officials, says “it appears that they’re going after the unmarked tech buses,” according to SFGate.

As NBC Bay Area reports, some of the buses were headed north, others were headed south, but they all were hit on I-280 between highways 84 and 85, a section of roadway that spans San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.

“We’re not certain what caused the damage at this time, but we’re not ruling anything out,” CHP Officer Art Montiel said.

There’s a chance, though, that the buses were shot.

“It could have been a pellet gun, but what we do know is it was not a high-powered rifle or anything like that,” Montiel said.

Nearby Greyhound bus services have not reported similar incidents.

“If someone was targeting the buses I’m sure they are going to find them anywhere they go. It’s not like they are hidden,” Montiel told The Guardian.

Speaking to FOX KTVU, Montiel said that this is a serious concern “if this happened to distract the driver – the driver could collide and we could have a multiple vehicle crash at the same time it could cause major injuries to the passengers of the bus and other drivers.”

Due to the potential targeting, the two tech giants decided to alter the usual routes, causing “an additional 30-45 minutes of commute time in each direction,” according to an email from “The Apple Commute Team” obtained by Mashable.

Tech firms operate free shuttle services between San Francisco and their offices in the Silicon Valley. The service, which is available only to the employees, has long been seen as a symbol of division between the tech workers and everyone else.

Has that division reached a boiling point?