Passenger Wi-Fi

The Evolving Landscape of Passenger Routines

There is little doubt that the transport industry’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic will be propelled by new and improved passenger services such as Wi-Fi.

A significant percentage of the population has transitioned to hybrid home and office working. With employers becoming more open to employees working from any location, many passengers are keener than ever to take advantage of their commute to carry out work-related tasks and stay productive. For business commuters, the increased availability and reliability of Wi-Fi on trains and buses can support the flexibility in work hours and locations that the “work from home” transition has introduced, allowing them to send emails, research information for work-related tasks, and make conference calls. In a recent survey, passenger transport was listed as one of the most popular means by which people chose to participate in Zoom conference calls, with 11% of Zoom users joining a call while traveling on board^[1].

For leisure travellers, passenger Wi-Fi offers an immersive experience; when passengers are engaged, the perceived journey time is reduced, and this has a positive impact on propensity to travel. Passengers can communicate with friends and family via social media, shop online, catch up with the latest news, or even learn a new language. Many travellers also use their commute to carry out digital chores such as paying bills, renewing insurance policies, and searching for new properties or jobs.

If an individual’s journey can contribute towards their day, and not disrupt it, then passenger transport will become the obvious and most effective modal choice.

Wi-Fi That Works

To deliver on its productivity promise, it’s vital that the Wi-Fi offered on vehicles not only works, but works well; indeed, a quality, reliable Wi-Fi connection can prove as important as seat availability or punctuality in enhancing the passenger experience.

This consideration is especially important if operators are to be more successful in attracting ‘Generation Z’ – digital natives born since the mid-1990s – to travel by passenger transport, rather than using the next modes of personal transport (e.g. ride-hailing services and autonomous vehicles). Less likely to drive cars, and more acutely aware of issues around the climate emergency, this demographic group could be key in helping drive the return to passenger transport post-pandemic. However, Generation Z are also the most discerning group of consumers to cater for, raised in a world of near-instant delivery of services and with very high expectations of quality and reliability.

The pressure is on transport operators to meet these new standards of service. Fortunately, the investment in Passenger Wi-Fi has been shown to pay off time and again. Studies have found the introduction of free Wi-Fi on trains increases frequency of travel for both new and existing passengers^[2], and that mobile Internet access has improved the value of travel time on trains to the point where it can reduce car dependency for commuters^[3].