Minister Barr: CBRfree Wi-Fi trial on ACTION buses
- Written by ACT Government
Released 18/12/2015
Joint media release: Chief Minister Andrew Barr and Shane Rattenbury MLA
From Monday free wi-fi will be available to passengers on five ACTION buses as part of a 12 month trial.
To manage Canberra’s growth, reduce congestion and protect our liveability, we need to improve our public transport system. Buses provide an essential community service, but they need to be improved for more people to use them more often.As part of our commitment to improve our public transport system and provide a more pleasant passenger experience ACTION has installed CBRfree Wi-Fi on five buses.
The buses selected for this trial will be clearly identified with signage placed both outside and inside the bus. The buses aren’t restricted to particular routes or services, so passengers across Canberra are likely to ride one of the wi-fi buses at some point during the trial – helping ensure we get a good range of feedback.
We live in an age where increasing numbers of people have smartphones and portable devices and they expect to be able to access the internet when out in public. Passengers will be able to not only enjoy the cost savings and stress free nature of bus travel, but they will be able to be connected to the internet while travelling. Many of ACTION’s passengers are students so it will help them to study, while for others it will help them stay connected with family, friends or the workplace.
The success of the trial will be evaluated on usage, customer and driver feedback and value for money. This will help inform whether wi-fi will be rolled out to the rest of the ACTION bus network.
Minister for Territory and Municipal Services, Shane Rattenbury, said the ACT Government’s significant transport reform agenda, as demonstrated by the announcement of Transport Canberra, will further drive innovation in public transport.
“There are many ways we plan to use technology to improve the passenger experience including implementing next generation ticketing systems and extending the provision of real-time information,” Minister Rattenbury said.
“The ACT Government’s Transport Plan will improve our public transport system so it becomes more convenient, efficient, affordable and reliable – a genuine alternative to driving. The provision of CBRfree Wi-Fi on public transport will help make the switch from cars even more attractive.
“The trial of CBRfree on buses is part of extending the highly successful rollout of the Wi-Fi network across Canberra,.” Minister Rattenbury said.
CBRfree is live across Civic East and Civic West, Belconnen, Dickson and Manuka with Tuggeranong and Kingston expected to be online in the first quarter of 2016. Woden, Weston Creek and Gungahlin will be completed by mid 2016. CBRfree is also available at Exhibition Park, Tuggeranong Basketball Stadium, the Criterium Cycling Stadium at Stromlo Forest Park and even at events like Floriade. It has proved very popular, with 30 000 unique users a week and numbers using CBRfree increasing all the time.
- Statement ends -
Section: Andrew Barr, MLA | Media Releases
