Want free Wi-Fi on Metra? Look for the right sign
The hottest seat in town this week isn't in a stadium or concert hall. Instead, for Metra riders, it's going to be aboard one of 11 railcars with free Wi-Fi hot spots the agency is rolling out for a six-month trial period.
But because Metra has more than 1,000 railcars, snagging one with Wi-Fi isn't a sure bet. There will be one car per Metra line, typically at the end car farthest away from the locomotive and designated with an orange sign showing a Wi-Fi icon.
Trains carrying Wi-Fi cars will circulate between three and 10 times a day, depending on the line.
The $35,000 pilot project will "let us know two things - will it fit the needs of our customers and not be a disappointment, and what is the financial feasibility?" Executive Director Don Orseno said Monday, after announcing hot spots had been installed on the 11 cars.
Don't expect to be downloading YouTube videos or watching shows, which would escalate costs. The hot spots are restricted to a 1-megabyte-per-second download speed per rider, intended for emails and Internet searches, officials said, adding that dead zones are possible along the way.
"What we're trying to do is to provide basic business functions," Orseno said. "We wanted to make it available for our customers to extend their workdays."
At the end of the six months, "if we get feedback and everyone thinks it's great, with the full understanding we can't do everything for everybody ... we'll look for additional sources of funding or sponsorships to take it to the next level," he said.
If you find a designated car, choose "Metra Wi-Fi Onboard" from your smartphone, tablet or laptop and agree to the terms and conditions.
Metra is asking commuters to give feedback on the experience at metrarail.com/wifisurvey.
The change comes after urging from riders and prodding from state lawmakers. Metra has spent years trying to find a low-cost or no-cost Wi-Fi solution but kept running into technical and cost roadblocks. At one time, the projected costs came to $72 million.