Did Free Wi-Fi Make a Difference to Amtrak’s Capitol Corridor Service? An Evaluation of the Impact on Riders and Ridership

Patricia Mokhtarian, Amanda J. Neufeld, Zhi Dong and Giovanni Circella

Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series from Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis

Abstract: In November 2011, Amtrak launched free Wi-Fi service on all trains traveling the California Capitol Corridor route. Surveys of passengers found that wi-fi access has a positive impact on the expected travel frequency, especially for new riders. A discrete choice model was used to predict the choice to use the free wi-fi service; results identified demographic characteristics and other factors that indicate which passengers are more likely to use the service. Prior to installation, the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority indicated that a 1-2% increase in ridership would justify the free wi-fi. That result appears to have been met and most likely exceeded.

Keywords: Engineering (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013-02-01
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/8vz6m3tc.pdf;origin=repeccitec (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt8vz6m3tc

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series from Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Lisa Schiff ().