Lansdale native Jesse Bernstein asks the question commuters across the Philadelphia area want to know: “Who’s the man behind the voice of SEPTA?” Michelle Myers covers the story for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Bernstein has ridden the SEPTA rails for years. As a child, he took the R5 home. Today, Bernstein is 46 and the R5 is now the Lansdale/Doylestown line. But the one thing that hasn’t changed is the voice announcing arrivals, changes and delays along SEPTA’s regional rails.

Bernstein finds comfort in the cadence of the familiar voice. “Even when he’s announcing trains are being delayed, there is something comforting about the way he speaks,” said Bernstein. 

Philly Curious, the Inquirer’s forum, tracked down the man behind the voice to answer a few questions. His name: Alvin Elliott.

Elliott is a 73-year-old fellow commuter who has been with SEPTA since 1985. While much of what people hear is a recording of his voice, such as train arrivals, Elliott still works through the day, monitoring the rails from behind a desk, and alerting riders to delays and emergencies.

And yes, he gets recognized for his voice all the time. “People compliment me about it often,” he said. Elliott has been known to record special voicemail greetings for those who ask.

Read more about the man behind SEPTA’s familiar voice at The Philadelphia Inquirer.