San Antonio hopes free Wi-Fi service will entice more bus riders

Starts one-month pilot program

Vilas Bhuchar, Nov 20, 09.

San Antonio launched a month-long pilot program offering free Wi-Fi access to riders on some VIA Metropolitan Transit express bus routes, according to an article on Smart Growth Online.

According to the story, VIA initiated the free wireless internet service on November 1st in hopes of luring “a more diverse group of riders, namely ‘choice riders,’ or those who aren’t dependent on the bus system.”

VIA President Keith Parker is quoted as saying:

What we’re trying to figure out with the pilot program is how much interest there is out there. We think there may be a considerable amount. And if there is, we plan to roll it out on a much larger level.”

In addition to Wi-Fi, an iPhone application that provides VIA riders with real-time bus information and trip-planning capability is under development. Furthermore, Google Maps implements information from VIA into its trip planning tools.

Finally, the story notes that Capital Metro buses in Austin started offering Wi-Fi to riders in January 2007, and “similar service will be available on Capital Metro’s rail line perhaps as early as 2010.”

(Photo Credit: Nemo’s great uncle)