16 Jan 2016, 10:52 am
#354
(16 Jan 2016, 10:38 am)Diamond One I notice Nexus doesn't bother with wifi I requested for wifi on the metros and totally ignore others myself included
It would be down to the bus operator to purchase the equipment, Bazza.
Nexus is responsible for subsidising socially necessary, but unprofitable, bus services. I'd suggest that most of the passengers which use services subsidised by Nexus are likely to be of the older generation, and as such aren't likely to make use of free passenger Wi-Fi. I therefore can't see the advantage of fitting Wi-Fi to the vehicles which are allocated to Nexus-secured services.
Despite this, Nexus could in future specify in the tender agreement that the vehicle allocated to the service must feature free Wi-Fi. The equipment costs in excess of £2000 per vehicle, plus the recurring monthly data charge (like your mobile phone package). Bus operators would account for this cost within their bid for the work, which, in my opinion, the local authorities presumably couldn't afford (in this age of funding cuts).
In my opinion, we're more likely to see services which are operated by bus companies on a commercial basis gain free passenger Wi-Fi first. Services which run in competition are likely to be the first priority to upgrade, as this feature would provide a competitive advantage. The 'Behind the scenes' section of
this article in the trade press also discusses some of the operational benefits to the bus company of fitting Wi-Fi to vehicles, with quotes provided from the company's Chief Engineer.
