Department of Transportation

I think the title of the entity pretty much explains itself, but maybe not how voiceover is used within it.

Just like any government entity, the Department of Transportation has educational, eLearning and training videos made. Many of those require VO. They also fund the production of PSAs like this one I did as part of a large series of PSAs for the Colorado Department of Transportation.

Aircraft

Bitchin’ Betty, Barkin’ Bob, Sexy Sally, Hank the Yank and Nagging Nora are what pilots from across the world have called the voice warning systems in airplane cockpits. Yes, airplanes had voices long before cars did, starting with military aircraft in the 1960s.

Nowadays, many avionics devices give pilots the choice of male, female or no voice. For about seven years, I’ve been the Bitchin’ Betty of Garmin Avionics systems. While the fact his navigationally-challenged wife is ordering around airplane pilots terrifies him, my husband does think it’s one of the coolest projects I’ve ever done. I have to agree. While I have never heard my voice in action in the air, I appreciate the pilots who have chosen the “Female Voice” option for their Garmin Avionics devices and kept me in their videos on YouTube.

Trains

Perhaps the most famous train recording is “Mind the gap” heard on the London Underground for almost 50 years. Originally, it was recorded by voice actor Oswald Laurence whose widow would visit the train station just to hear his voice. Now, different lines of the London Underground use different voices.

One of my first “big gigs” was getting tapped to voice the Amtrak Acela trains. I’ve been the on-board voice of the high-speed train for more than 10 years. Only recently did I get to hear my voice in the wild when my husband and I took the Amtrak Acela from New York City to Boston to meet our oldest there for a little vacation. Not only did I get to hear my voice, the sweet conductor let me push the buttons to play it at subsequent stops! Here’s a little User Generated Content (UGC) video I created of that moment.

Recreational Vehicles (RVs)

While some may consider RVs part of automotive, I don’t. It’s a completely different target audience. While RVers certainly buy cars, not all car buyers purchase an RV.

During the pandemic, my husband and I joined the thousands of people who bought a camper. While he could take it or leave it, I absolutely love our little camper and the adventures we get to have in it. Finally, I’ve convinced him to upgrade to a motorhome, and we’re currently on the hunt. It’s fun when I get to voice for a motorhome dealer or manufacturer as the VO I deliver is that of an authentic fan of RV life. This ad I did for Reckon Branding’s client LazyDays RV is one of my favorites.

The first virtual reality project I voiced was for Freightliner to introduce buyers to their Frieghtliner driving experience at RV shows across the country.

Public Transit

Voiceover for Public transit comes in many forms from commercials and PSA’s to training videos and explainers for prospective riders. I’ve voiced mass transit projects for companies like Xerox as well as state government agencies like the Connecticut Department of Transportation.

Motorcycles, Dirtbikes and ATVs

As a kid, I grew up on snowmobiles, but there’s no snow where I live now. In my area of rural Georgia, a lot of people have ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles) also called “Four Wheelers.” Since I drive a 4×4 Jeep Wrangler, I don’t need one of those, but I think they look like a lot of fun.

Thanks to my client, Boutwell Studios, I’ve been able to keep up with the latest and greatest in motorcycles, dirt bikes and ATVs by voicing television, radio and social media ads for their recreational vehicle dealer client.

Trucking

Now, I’m probably dating myself here, but do you remember the show BJ & the Bear about a truck driver and his pet monkey? I loved that show and decided after the first episode that I wanted to grow up to be a truck driver. That childhood career choice never came to fruition, but I still envy a trucker’s travel lifestyle. It was an honor to be selected to voice this radio ad thanking truck drivers from a trucking industry provider.

Military Aircraft and Land Vehicles

One of the most badass projects I’ve done for a foreign client was a series of videos I did for EDGE in the UAE. They produce high-tech systems and vehicles for military buyers and countries.

Automotive Adjacent

Another crossover area of the transportation industry’s use of VO would be automotive adjacent projects for companies that provide services and/or products to the automotive industry. Because they are so niche, it’s not often they will do any advertising to the general public. Most of the automotive adjacent voice work I’ve done is for B2B purposes with the exception of tire companies and oil changes.

It was awesome to voice this B2B project marketing their technology for electric vehicles both consumer and trucking. Like many automotive adjacent projects, this one is full of industry-jargon which I always find a fun challenge.

Watercraft

I saved one of my favorite transportation clients/projects for last: Yamaha Watercraft. Years ago, I walked into what was then Company3, now Beast, in Atlanta and met Bryan Seti, Leslie Zlotnick, and their creative team at Edleman. They were so much fun! They know how to get things done well and efficiently while also having a great time.

Over the years, I’ve voiced off and on for them from national ads for Yamaha Boats and Yamaha Waverunners to videos highlighting new technology and event introductions to dealer videos. Without fail, each session with them is a blast!

My first session after moving to a lake community was a national ad for Yamaha Boats. During the session, I only half-jokingly said we could work a trade now that I lived on the water. Sure enough, Bryan and his fiance live one cove over from us on the same lake! Bryan has taken my husband and I along with friends cruising in his gorgeous Yamaha 27FT Series boat. Well, we’ve been sold and are currently searching for one just like it.