BART Finalizes 20-Year WiFi Agreement

If you have access to the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) in CA, here’s another reason why you should take the train instead of drive. BART has finalized an agreement with WiFi Rail to install and provide WiFi connectivity on all BART commuter trains. Now you can cut out early and stay connected while commuting home to San Jose, Mr. 2-hour-train-ride.

Service on BART is scheduled to begin on selected segments during 2009. Four downtown San Francisco stations and some segments of the tunnels are already fully functional, and have been providing premium service free to subscribers for the past year… The WiFi Rail deployment in the BART system will become the largest high bandwidth mobile Internet LAN in the United States. Completion of network construction is planned for the end of 2010.

A complimentary BART policeman will give you a complimentary bullet to the head to improve reception.

The last time I looked CA, including the Bay Area was in desperate need of bail out money. But, we can all feel good about solid WI-FI on the train.

Originally Posted by BillR

The last time I looked CA, including the Bay Area was in desperate need of bail out money. But, we can all feel good about solid WI-FI on the train.

If it causes more people to commute by train, they'll get more funding no?

BART is a cluster-fuck of an agency. I mean seriously, BART needs a fucking police force?

But in general yes, more people means more funding, means cheaper, look at NYCs subway it doesn't cost even close to BART's cost. But then again the cars are luxurious compared to NYCs too, years of perma-pee are not there

Cool I will be using this on a daily basis on my way to school.

The local bus company here had a wifi trial on their buses a while ago. If I remembered, it was before the wifi enabled iPods and wifi enabled cell phones were expensive so we were only able to use laptops, which was difficult to balance on our laps (go figure).

I wish they implemented it on a permanent basis - then I'd take it when I go downtown.

BART is a money pit. What a horrible waste of taxpayer money. Worthless.

Mr.2-hour-train ride ? Bart never takes anymore than 1hr 30 mins even if you go from the extremes of it's coverage.

Originally Posted by Methadras

BART is a money pit. What a horrible waste of taxpayer money. Worthless.

Please explain this. I use BART, my brother, my girlfriend, my classmates, my teachers, and my friends. I just don't see how it’s a waste of money. It's highly convenient and reasonably fast.

This may not be saying much, but BART is by far the most efficient public transit in northern California.

Just to let you know, you can't get to San Jose using BART.

The trains are the same ones they've been running into the ground for 40 years.
The facilities are in shambles, and its over priced to use.

Oh, and they want to charge $30/month to use.
If I had to go to the city every day, I'd take BART, but only because driving and parking in Sin City is worse than BART, not because BART is a preferable choice.

Thank God I only use BART to get to SFO (rarely).

-Steven

Originally Posted by S. Wong

Just to let you know, you can't get to San Jose using BART.

Not yet, but it's currently being planned.

Originally Posted by S. Wong

Oh, and they want to charge $30/month to use.

Sorry, I meant to say that BART wants to charge $30/month for the Wireless usage, not for an unlimited ticket of any kind.

Now you can surf the net while you get shot.

This is useless for me. Tell me when they get Wi-Fi on the MUNI buses.