Free Wi-Fi now available on The Bus
Free Wi-Fi is now available on The Bus, Merced’s Regional Transit Authority announced today.
According to officials, “state-of-the-art 4G network” has been installed on nearly all buses servicing Merced County.
“In the past year, we’ve made a number of enhancements to the service to improve our riders’ experience,” Transit Manager Rich Green said in a statement. “The addition of Wi-Fi on all buses will allow passengers the convenience of staying connected during their commute.
“Not only will these service improvements make riding The Bus more convenient for current riders, but we also hope it will encourage non-riders to consider using The Bus as an alternative means of transportation,” he added.
Rebecca Bertholf, a regular passenger who was waiting for The Bus on Wednesday on 16th Street, said access to Wi-Fi on public transportation is “cool” but not necessary for everyone.
“It can come in handy for some people, but I think most have internet as part of their cell service,” she said.
“If people really need Wi-Fi there are small businesses that offer it, too,” she added, noting that her bus ride to Merced College is only about 10 minutes and doesn’t see herself taking out her laptop during her commute. Those with longer commutes might, she said.
The addition of a high speed internet is the latest in a series of changes the service has added during the last year. New stops were recenlty added, weekend service hours extended and security monitors have been installed to all buses.
The Bus has also added routes from Los Banos to Merced and Los Banos to Turlock within the last year.
Passengers can also access real time maps, arrival times, fare information and news alerts via thebuslive.com.
This story was originally published September 16, 2015 at 12:33 PM with the headline "Free Wi-Fi now available on The Bus."