Wi-Fi on trains, boats, in stations, and terminals is changing the way long-distance commuters travel to and from work.

Staying Connected

Wireless internet technology, more commonly known as Wi-Fi, has become a staple in bookstores, coffee shops, and even airports around the globe. People can log onto wireless connections at various “hot spots” and have immediate access to the online world. These connections have worked well at fixed locations, but what about accessibility on a moving train? It may be more common than you think.

In 2003, a train en route from Sweden to Denmark became the first to provide Wi-Fi service.  London, Dallas, and San Jose, Calif. are among cities testing and implementing Wi-Fi variations on their commuter train routes. Most systems charge an hourly, daily, or monthly rate, and Boston is the first in the U.S. to provide the service for free.

Wi-Fi on rail has several benefits. Aside from providing a more productive and pleasurable environment for long-distance travelers, being connected to the Internet on commuter routes is an incentive that helps agencies attract new riders to transit.  The Boston T spent $1.38 million to implement the service on all of its commuter rail lines, but saw the service as a solid investment to attract and keep riders for the future.  Officials estimate that if only 300 new riders purchase monthly passes for a year, the service will have paid for itself. And, as more people choose to ride the train instead of drive, the effect is reduced congestion and pollution from declining car traffic.

To reduce congestion, air pollution and wasted time and fuel, transit needs to provide a reliable and comfortable service so people leave their cars at home. The productivity, accessibility and convenience of a Wi-Fi network on  transit helps to make transit an even more attractive choice.

 

Photo Courtesy of Vicky Chalmers

For Additional Information:

• Business Plan Update Capitol Corridor Intercity Passenger Rail – Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Board
• Jumping Aboard the Commuter WiFi Train - Daily Wireless NEWS

Local News

CTA: Fare hikes, service cuts unlikely in '09 – Chicago Tribune “CTA fare increases or service cuts are highly unlikely this year thanks to infusions of federal and state funding, as well as internal belt-tightening, transit officials said Tuesday.”

Illinois 53: Lake County voters overwhelmingly support extending highway – Chicago Tribune “Voters in Lake County on Tuesday overwhelmingly endorsed extending Illinois Highway 53, a $1 billion-plus project that would push the road about 15 miles through the heart of the county.”

Quinn, Daley elated over new statewide construction program – Chicago Tribune “The state bill restored $40 million for Chicago’s streets. Besides the road money, Chicago area mass transit is slated to receive $900 million from the state.”

RTA aims for 1 fare card for all transit—Chicago Tribune “The idea is to create a ‘seamless’ regional transit system that would coordinate fare collection, service and technology among the CTA, Metra and Pace, officials said.”

Taking the bus: Chicago commuters find public transit pays off – Chicago Tribune “Patrick Wilmot, a spokesman for Pace, said the suburban bus agency served 40.5 million riders in 2008, its second-highest total ever.”

City plans $15.5B in downtown projects – Chicago Sun-Times “A draft of Chicago's plans for the city's central area through 2020 calls for $15.5 billion in public works, mostly for transportation improvements, and asserts the projects are attainable with or without the 2016 Olympics.”

Federal Stimulus Money Flowing To O'Hare – CBS2Chicago “Officials say more than $5 million will be used to replace runway pavement and almost $7 million will be used to widen a taxiway.”

World News

Slower than a speeding bullet – The Economist  “Multiple road crossings require trains to move more slowly than in Europe. Adding to the problem, most passenger trains run on track owned by freight railways. Congestion makes service less reliable.”

Nano! The World's Cheapest Car – Forbes.com “Nano's impact on the world is not about what it can't do, but what it can. It can enable suburbanization, auto-dependency and sprawl on a scale that the world has never seen.”

Lessons on How to Guzzle Less Gas, From Europe and Japan – New York Times “Public transportation in those countries, including high-speed bullet trains, outshines anything found in most American cities. Cars are lighter and smaller.”

More than $3 billion in highway stimulus already granted—Reuters “In the past four weeks, 35 states have submitted and received approval for nearly 1,000 highway maintenance projects totaling $3.4 billion, which represents 10 percent of the total highway allotment in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.”

Buses Of The Future – The Infrastructurist “Far from the sturdy but utilitarian mainstay with little of the romance of streetcars or the luxury of private automobiles, several new bus models are some of the most fascinating and technologically advanced vehicles in the world right now.”

Lack of light rail risks city's success:expert – Sydney Morning Herald “A member of the group charged with rebuilding the country's infrastructure has warned that Sydney's failure to build a light rail system and improve pedestrian access is risking the city's economic future.”

Clash of Subways and Car Culture in Chinese Cities – New York Times “The question is whether the subway can outrace China’s growing love affair with the automobile — car sales have soared ninefold since 2000.”

Billions for high-speed rail; anyone aboard?—MSNBC “this country has never built a high-speed "bullet" train rivaling the successful systems of Europe and Asia, where passenger railcars have blurred by at top speeds nearing 200 mph for decades.”

Resources

• Supporting Integrated Planning and Decision Making by Joining-Up Housing and Transportation – Congressional Testimony of Robert Puentes, Brookings Institution
• Transportation Cost and Benefit Analysis: Techniques, Estimates and Implications (2nd Edition) - Victoria Transport Policy Institute

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Contact Information

For comments, suggestions or submissions, please contact Emily Tapia Lopez, Associate, at etapia@metroplanning.org or 312-863-6047.