Starting April 9, Cincinnati Metro will begin providing customers with free Wi-Fi service as a pilot program on buses and Access vehicles as part of continued efforts to improve the customer experience with enhanced amenities.
During the pilot, Wi-Fi will be available on 59 buses and five Access vehicles covering various Metro routes and throughout the Access service area. Vehicles offering Wi-Fi will feature special decals near the outside door, as well as signage onboard alerting passengers of the new feature.
The pilot program will allow Metro to evaluate customer’s data usage and demand as Metro continues to look for innovative ways to attract new riders by making public transportation even easier and more convenient to use.
Customers will now be able to check email, use social media, surf the internet and stream audio on sites such as Pandora, Spotify and Apple Music during their ride on tablets, laptops and smartphones.
Wi-Fi onboard will also provide an extra level of security for riders as first responders would now be able to access live video remotely in the event of an emergency.
“It’s about offering convenience and productivity for our customers during their daily commute. Providing Wi-Fi will allow them to regain time doing what they otherwise couldn’t behind the wheel of a car,” said Dwight A. Ferrell, Metro’s CEO & general manager. “We’re excited to test out this new amenity with the hope of possibly offering it across our entire fleet in the near future as we continue to work to Reinvent Metro.”
The pilot program is partially funded by an FTA grant for security-related projects.
