Transportation

To Win Riders, Mass Transit Should Get Wired

According to a new study, free Wi-Fi makes travelers more likely to opt not to drive
Flickr/Christiano Betta

Forget about better bus routes or plusher subway cars. The best way to get people to ride mass transit might simply be to offer free wireless.

According to a just-released DePaul University study, riders are more likely than ever to spend their commute plugged in, whether they're traveling by plane, train or bus. All told, more than 90 percent of passengers use a digital device at some point during their trip. And more often than not, it's a device with a screen, rather than a cell phone or iPod.