š Ā It is not news that automobile traffic producesĀ air pollution and chokes urban areas. On top of that, it wastes time. Mass transit might be one of the best options forĀ change, in that it is more rapid and less polluting.
Indeed, many people would ride mass transit if it was readily available, and many moreĀ would be inclined to ride if commuter trains, as well as underground trains, were equipped with Wi-Fi systems for providing Internet access to passengers in an efficient way.
Being disconnected on board the trains during daily commuting was the norm and Wi-Fi connectivity was considered an unnecessary feature for commuter rail and undergrounds.
š Ā Indeed, many people would ride mass transit if it was readily available, and many moreĀ would be inclined to ride if commuter trains, as well as underground trains, were equipped with Wi-Fi systems for providing Internet access to passengers in an efficient way.
Being disconnected on board the trains during daily commuting was the norm and Wi-Fi connectivity was considered an unnecessary feature for commuter rail and undergrounds.
Spending such time by browsing the Internet while comfortably sitting in a train is certainly appealing compared to sitting in a traffic jam while driving and looking at traffic lights for hours.
However, that is not the only valid reason for having Wi-Fi connectivity on board the trains. Passengers and commuters want to be productive and work, have access to emails,Ā messagesĀ and app notifications in order to finalise some plans or finish their work.
Nowadays, several mass transit agencies and commuter rail operators have been working on the design of Wi-Fi systems for providing broadband seamless connectivity on board the trains and at the stations.
Most transit agencies have been realising that the integration of Wi-FI seems to increase ridership. As a matter of fact, a preliminary research on the topic provides significant data showing that it is likely that Wi-Fi on transitĀ will help increase ridership.
Amtrak launched free Wi-Fi internet service (āAmtrakConnectā) on all trains of the California Capitol Corridor route (CC) on November 28, 2011. In March 2012, an onboard survey was conducted to evaluate the impact of the Wi-Fi service on ridership. The journalĀ TransportationĀ has a report thatĀ estimates that āthe expected number of trips on CC trains for 2012 is 2.7 % higher than it would have been without free Wi-Fi.
š In particular, new riders expect to make 8.6 % more trips than if Wi-Fi were not available, while the expected number of trips made by lower-frequency continuing riders (those using CC less than once a week in 2011) and higher-frequency continuing riders (those using CC once a week or more in 2011) increase by 6.2 and 1.0 %, respectively.ā
By the way, it is not only about ticket revenues. Large urban areas are struggling with air pollution and mass transit takes cars off the road. Along with air quality, quality of life is improved.
On top of that, having a smartphone might help people find routes home and check transit times through real-time crowdsourcing apps in such a way that planning a simple, spontaneous trip becomes an easier experience.
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