GO Transit is edging closer to allowing you listen to the radio, send emails an scroll through Facebook using free Wi-Fi on their trains and buses.
The transit agency will launch a two-month pilot of free Wi-Fi on six of their vehicles starting in early April.
Metrolinx CEO Phil Verster says two trains that don't run any particular line or service will be equipped with Wi-Fi. So will four GO buses. The buses will service routes with a lot of university student riders.
Verster says all the test vehicles will have decals on their exteriors with clear instructions inside for how to connect.
For the pilot period, GO will make half a gigabyte of data available per device for month. Two companies will evenly split the work over the test run and Metrolinx will make a choice among the two proponents afterward based on feedback.
While there is no timeline, the plan to eventually have free Wi-Fi on every GO bus and train.
"The more attractive our services are, the more appealing it is to travel and to use transit. And that's just good for transit overall," Verster said Wednesday.
Asked why Metrolinx is lagging behind other major transit providers who have already been offering free Wi-Fi for years, Verster pointed to high costs.
He did not offer a projected price tag to connect all of GO's fleet, but the cost of the pilot project is $1.5 million.
GO Transit will also link a new, more mobile-friendly website in March.