The Driver On The Bus Goes Croon, Croon, Croon

I suppose being the singing bus driver is not such a big deal what with naked cowboys and all, but still you have to wonder what riders thought the first time he tried doing it:

Queens bus driver Gerald Seabrooks likes to make his passengers feel right at home, serenading them on their birthdays, anniversaries and announcing stops on his Flushing-to-Bayside runs.

In his seven years as an MTA bus operator, he has won over 30 commendations for his safe driving record and commitment to customer service. But what sets him apart from his fellow drivers is his singing. “I sing to help my passengers feel comfortable,” he said, as he drove a Q13 bus last Saturday afternoon.

. . .

As his bus approached the corner of Northern and Parsons Boulevards, Seabrooks reached for the black phone hanging near the fare box and crooned in his smooth baritone over the public address system: “Parsons Boulevard. Parsons Boulevard. Parsons Boulevard.”

He sang happy birthday at regular intervals along his route as well. “Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear March. Happy birthday to you.”

To soothe short-tempered feelings or arguments, Seabrooks says that he has used a popular Burt Bacharach/Hal David song made famous by Dionne Warwick. “What the world needs now is love, sweet love,” he sang. “It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.”

And (of course!) there are CDs to sell:

Support from his passengers also inspired Seabrooks to produce his own collection of music. “It gave me the courage to put my voice on a CD,” he said. Seabrooks produces his own music, where it is available for sale through the Web site www.cdbaby.com.