FEB 26

One of the best things about public transportation is that you can utilize your time more effectively (and safely) than when you're driving. Read a book, listen to podcasts, do your makeup, eat your breakfast...all no problem on the bus. All possible, but possibly deadly, in a car.

But with me, the only thing I want to be doing on a bus is browsing the Internet. And without a cellular card and an extra $100 bucks a month to Verizon, that's been impossible. But now San Francisco is starting to upgrade its buses to be mobile WiFi hotspots. The buses will give free Internet access to riders and will also let folks check up on a variety of bus-related statistics.

See real-time updated bus schedules that let you know if your connecting bus will be late, or check out the total carbon emissions offset by folks riding on the San Francisco Muni that day. Pretty awesome, I'd say, though it also seems like it's the kind of thing that might have trouble breaking free of San Francisco any time soon.

The good news is, as WiMax and 3G get cheaper and more widespread, WiFi hotspots look like they're headed toward obsolesence anyhow. Video after the jump.

Via WhatImSeeing.com

Comments (4)

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written by dan, February 26, 2008

One cool thing about Boston's transit system (mbta.com) is that they are in the process of adding wireless to all of the commuter rail lines which is quite exciting.

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Why not make buses free?
written by Terence, February 28, 2008

If the upped the schedules, added new buses and introduced wifi on all the buses in all major town and cities globally, it would not only be great, but it would go along way towards reducing emissions now.

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written by Mark R., February 28, 2008

That wifi would be particularly helpful around Austin for people that if they chose to take the bus it would add an hour to their commute vs. driving their car. how do I know? I use to be one that couldn't take the bus because it didn't and still doesn't work in Austin. But thats Ok for me now because I'm 9mi away and ride my bike more than I drive.

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written by sintered metal, November 17, 2009

it would not only be great, but it would go along way towards reducing emissions now.

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