Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Why doesn’t Metra have wireless internet on its trains yet? Mostly because it would be enormously expensive and a technological challenge, too. But should they?
By Darren McRoy Should Metra get Wi-Fi? Even if it’s expensive and hard to implement and maintain? The commuter-rail network is considering the possibility, the Chicago Tribune and other news agencies report, but price and technology continue to be two major barriers, despite that a DePaul University report shows 48 percent of Metra riders use personal electronic devices during their commutes. According to the paper, it could cost over $70 million to install wireless internet on all 11 Metra lines over five years—though some of that could perhaps be recouped by paid plans or sponsorships—and there’s a fear that the technology might quickly become obsolete or go unused by customers who prefer other connectivity, like smart-phone hotspots …
Monday, August 13, 2012
An Orland Park woman recently took her final Metra ride home after four decades of spending time on the rails.
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
- Bob Bong
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Monday, August 13, 2012
Cathy Lia was just an Oak Lawn teenager when she started taking Metra to her job in downtown Chicago in 1972. The Orland Park resident stepped off a Metra train at the 80th Avenue station in Tinley Park for the last time last Wednesday. She was greeted by her husband, three shouting daughters and a handful of other relatives with flowers and posters as she ended her 40-year career as a commuter. Daughter Christine Pieper came in from Wayne, Ill., to greet her mom one last time, as did daughter Erin Johnson, who only had to come from Manhattan, Ill. “This was my last ride,” she said after getting hugs all around by her loving family. Lia is trading her job of 28 years at a Loop law firm for a position as baby sitter for her granddaughter …
Friday, January 21, 2011
The Chicago area's traffic delays are the worst in the nation, a new report says. But let's see how bad bad is.
As recently reported in Patch, Chicago's congestion is tied with Washington, D.C., for worst in the nation, according to a new report by the Texas Transportation Institute. According to the report, D.C. and Chicago tied for most clotted, with each individual commuter around those cities spending 70 hours a year stuck in traffic in 2009. The L.A. and New York areas lost more time to traffic jams, but they have much larger populations. Per person, an L.A. commuter spent 63 hours stuck in traffic (third in the nation) and a New Yorker spent 42 hours (13th). Tinley Park commuter, you spent 70 hours of 2009 stuck in traffic. That's not the amount of time you were driving. That's the extra time on top of how long your commute should take. But …
SHUSSBAR
10:55 am on Friday, May 17, 2013
from Homewood to downtown, my smartphone works at least on 90 % on the ride. I have also use connected to my laptop to connect it to the web. Bit slow but not bad. So Wifi on board for what? for who? what kind of use? Using laptops onboard is tough, not enough space when seated. I am not convince with that idea. more ›