Advertisement

Metro Transit tests Wi-Fi on some routes

August 26, 2015 at 1:23AM

Following the lead of other local transit agencies, Metro Transit is bringing free Wi-Fi service to selected express routes and some urban and local routes.

The pilot program is being phased in this month and will be used on 57 motor coach express buses on routes serving Blaine, Columbus, Coon Rapids, East Bethel, Fridley, Forest Lake, Ham Lake, Lakeville, Minneapolis and St. Paul.

The service also will be tested on 10 urban routes, which will rotate throughout the metro area.

"Our riders have been asking for it," said spokesman Howie Padilla. "We'll see how the riders embrace it."

Buses with Wi-Fi will be marked with a sign above the windshield and near the front door, Padilla said. Riders simply need to connect their mobile devices to TransitWi-Fi, agree to the terms and begin browsing. Streaming won't be available, however.

Metro Transit has offered free Wi-Fi on the Northstar commuter rail line since September 2013.

In adding Wi-Fi to some of its buses, Metro Transit joins the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority and SouthWest Transit and Plymouth Metrolink in offering the service.

Tim Harlow • 612-673-7768

Advertisement
Advertisement
about the writer

about the writer

Tim Harlow

Reporter

Tim Harlow covers traffic and transportation issues in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, and likes to get out of the office, even during rush hour. He also covers the suburbs in northern Hennepin and all of Anoka counties, plus breaking news and weather.

See Moreicon

More from Minnesota Star Tribune

See More
In this photo taken Monday, March 6, 2017, in San Francisco, released confidential files by The University of California of a sexual misconduct case, like this one against UC Santa Cruz Latin Studies professor Hector Perla is shown. Perla was accused of raping a student during a wine-tasting outing in June 2015. Some of the files are so heavily redacted that on many pages no words are visible. Perla is one of 113 UC employees found to have violated the system's sexual misconduct policies in rece

We respect the desire of some tipsters to remain anonymous, and have put in place ways to contact reporters and editors to ensure the communication will be private and secure.

Advertisement
Advertisement

To leave a comment, .

Advertisement