Funny BART Conductor Makes Commute More Tolerable With Catchy Station Announcements
(CBS SF) -- It's definitely not going to be an ordinary BART ride home when the doors hiss closed and the train operator comes on crooning, "Kick back, relax, and enjoy Captain Jack's tour of the Bay as we set sail for West Oakland."
The trains all sound the same, but not all the train operators.
Bob Malito runs the evening trains on the Pittsburg/Bay Point line, making his memorable announcements at almost every stop.
"We're off on an early evening cruise aboard the sooooouuuuul train, heading over to Rockridge," Malito calls as the train pulls out from MacArthur.
HEAR MALITO IN KCBS' MIKE SURGERMAN'S ABOUT THE BAY REPORT
"Making like a herd of turtles as we race off for 19th street," Malito croons to the Oakland-bound travelers.
Malito got started at the Santa Fe railroad, in what he admits to calling "the real trains," hauling freight up and down the Central Valley, but he never found the happiness on the open rails that he's found working with commuters, and in ten years "captaining" BART trains, he's seen the very best and the very worst of commuters.
"Everybody has problems in their life and you can let it ruin your life or you can step out of it," Malito said, talking about those who come on the train with attitudes, or alcohol.
"I could become what people expect me to be, or I can be what I know is better," explained Malito.
His goal is to make the ride just a bit more fun, maybe put a smile on a tired commuter's face.
"People get off the train, they smile at me, and wave goodbye. That makes me feel pretty good."
Not everyone smiled though.
Malito admitted, once, a passenger complained to management, and BART asked Malito to just stick to the script, saying the station names. He did that for most of the trip, but after he passed MacArthur and it was just his regulars on board, he made an announcement about the announcements.
When his regulars heard he had been asked to stop the colorful station calls, passengers overwhelmed managers with feedback. Captain Jack was back immediately.
He says the longer announcements serve a purpose too. By speaking a bit before the important part -- the name of the station -- people pay attention and hear the key information, making the trip a bit easier.
"It helps my day go by, and I noticed people kinda liked it."
And Malito likes to laugh along with his passengers.
"That's what life's all about."
Passengers said they appreciate his work, but they could be louder. Sometimes the speakers aren't all working as well as they could be. But the man behind the controls is working just fine for BART.
