The MBTA Has a Hip-Hop Music Video About Safety

The T has come up with a clever new way to remind people to be safe when riding on trains and buses—in the form of a hip-hop video.

The “Safety Bounce,” a three-minute mash-up of  bongos and bass, featuring employees, riders, and even the MBTA’s mascot, Charlie, dancing along in unison to the beat of the song, is packed with catchy one-liners like “do the bounce,” and advice on how to avoid tripping over the curb when waiting for the bus.

The video was filmed in May in various train stations, including the Red Line’s Harvard stop, and cost roughly $10,000 to make. But T officials told the Boston Globe that the video was paid for by their advertising partner, Titan. 

The “Safety Bounce,” which uses rap lyrics and some background singing to get the point across, warns riders not to touch transit employees, not to ride wheelchairs on the escalator, and to remove bags from empty seats so that other people can sit down—it basically covers all the common problems riders gripe about on the buses and trains.

The transit agency said in a press release that the campaign is geared towards a younger audience, and was released in conjunction with the start of the new school year. “This creative campaign’s strategy is pairs important messages and images and easy-to-remember phrases, making these critical lessons both memorable and enjoyable,” according to the T’s General Manager, Beverly Scott.

The video, posted Wednesday to the T’s website, was accompanied not only by some choreographed dance moves, featuring MBTA drivers, and even Scott, but also a list of other safety tips and information. “The T works hard everyday to ensure the safety and security of our riders and employees,” according to a statement from officials.

The video will be shown hourly in a few key T stations on Wednesday on the large digital TV screens.