News Article from CCJPA - Capitol Corridor get funding for Wireless Network
Event Date: 11 April 2011
The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) finally has funding for a wireless network on our corridor!
By the end of 2011, the CCJPA will be able to provide our passengers’ number one requested amenity: free wireless internet access on our trains. The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) wireless project is funded thanks to a recent decision by the California Transportation Commission (CTC). At its January meeting the CTC approved to allow $3.75 million in cost savings from one Capitol Corridor project to be used to fund an on-board wireless system.
Given today’s challenges in securing public financing, the CCJPA appreciates the CTC’s decision to use these cost savings to install our long-awaited wireless program. Business model forecasts indicate that offering free wireless internet service on our trains will attract more riders, thereby increasing system ridership and revenue. This is a winning scenario for the communities they serve because more people on trains mean fewer cars on the road and cleaner air.
Partnering with Amtrak Resolves Past Challenges
This triumph took the efforts of not just the CCJPA, but Amtrak and Caltrans as well. Looking back, our long-standing procurement issues were solved when they joined forces with Amtrak on our national wireless network procurement. We were pleased to be part of its procurement team and collectively went through a rigorous process to select a qualified vendor who could understand the needs of Amtrak and its operating partners. Many of the specifications Amtrak used were built upon CCJPA’s prior procurement work. After Amtrak’s very positive experience on their Acela wireless network deployment, we were positioned to move ahead to obtain a vendor who would, in essence, set a common standard across the nation on routes where Amtrak operates. The Capitol Corridor and San Joaquin both stood to benefit once funding was acquired since their rolling stock fleet is shared. And on a related note, the Pacific Surfliner service, which is administered by Caltrans, was already funded from another source. As timing has it, working with Caltrans and Amtrak, they are now able to implement wireless networks on all of California’s State Intercity Passenger Rail services in nearly the same time frame. CCJPA, Caltrans and Amtrak are enthusiastically looking forward to working with the contractor to purse an aggressive schedule in order to provide our customers with free, wireless internet service by the end of 2011.
Thank you for your patience!
After such a long process from the early days of testing, to the maturation of business models and technology, to the seemingly endless search for capital funding, we, like many of you, wondered when we’d see WiFi on board Capitol Corridor trains. The CTC’s action is a tremendous boost to this project and brings us closer to this vision. So many of our customers have asked for “WiFi on the trains” and we wanted very badly to say “here it is.” Thanks to the CTC, we are a giant step closer. By this time next year, we expect that not only will you see it and believe it - you'll be using it too! We appreciate your patience.
