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Metra charging stations and Wii-Fi hotspots at downtown stations


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#1 CNJRoss

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Posted 19 August 2015 - 07:09 AM

Metra news release:

 

Metra installing free charging stations

 

Electrical outlets will be available at four of Metra’s downtown stations

 

(Aug. 18, 2015) – Metra announced today that it is installing charging stations at Millennium Station, Van Buren Street Station, LaSalle Street Station and the Ogilvie Transportation Center to provide its customers with a convenient and free place to recharge electronic mobile devices including smartphones, tablets and laptops. Charging stations at Millennium Station were installed last week and all four stations are expected to be complete by September. Metra also anticipates installing charging stations in the coming months in its ticketing area at Chicago Union Station.

 

“We’ve heard from our customers that charging stations would be a useful amenity for people waiting for trains and we stepped up to the plate and got it done,” Orseno said. “Our goal is to convince more drivers that Metra offers a safe, efficient travel option that enables commuters to access the technology they want and deserve.”

 

A recent study by the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development at DePaul University indicated more than three times as many Metra riders are performing electronic tasks such as texting and reading emails on phones today compared to five years ago. Fewer than 14 percent of passengers were performing such tasks in 2010, compared to 44 percent this year. 

 

The study also indicated that commuter dependence on electronic devices may be boosting Metra ridership, which has grown despite fare increases that have boosted the cost of travel. This suggests that other factors – including the value passengers place on using electronic devices while traveling – may be offsetting some of the effects of rising fares.

 

“Making the right capital investments so that riders have access to technology is a good business decision for Metra,” said Metra Executive Director/CEO Don Orseno. “It helps us attract and retain the riders we need to keep ticket revenues up and fare increases down.”

 

Metra has taken other notable steps to cater to passengers who use technology by installing power outlets in railcars and pursuing the mobile ticketing app, expected to launch this fall.

 

The charging stations were fabricated using manpower and resources available at Metra’s rail yard shops at an estimated cost of between $6,000 to $7,000 for all four station installations. The agency is also working to explore ways to provide free Wi-Fi service in waiting areas at its downtown stations.

 



#2 CNJRoss

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Posted 19 August 2015 - 08:28 AM

Chicago Tribune,8/17:
 

 

Metra: First charging area installed at Millennium Station

 

For Metra customers who need a quick charge for their phones or laptops, relief is on the way.

 

In response to a Tribune story last month, the commuter rail agency has installed a free charging area at Millennium Station and plans to do the same soon at its four other downtown transportation centers.

 

"We always want to listen to our customers and get them to use our trains," Metra Executive Director Don Orseno said. "As technology changes and the needs of our customers change, we will do the same."

 

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#3 CNJRoss

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Posted 06 October 2015 - 01:05 PM

Metra news release:

 

Metra completes installation of charging stations

Outlets now available to public at four of Metra’s downtown stations

 

(Oct. 5, 2015) – Metra announced today that it has completed installation of charging stations at four of its downtown stations.

Charging stations are now available in the waiting areas at Millennium Station, Van Buren Street Station, LaSalle Street Station and the Ogilvie Transportation Center, and in the lower suburban concourse at Ogilvie near the Metra Market, providing Metra customers with a convenient and free place to recharge electronic mobile devices including smartphones, tablets and laptops. Metra also anticipates installing a charging station in the coming months in its ticketing area at Chicago Union.

 

“Making the right capital investments so that riders have access to technology is a good business decision for Metra. Our riders have told us that access to their electronic devices is important and we were able to respond to their needs by adding this amenity to our downtown stations,” Metra Executive Director/CEO Don Orseno said. “Listening to our customers and responding whenever feasible helps us attract and retain the riders we need to keep ticket revenues up and fare increases down.”

 

The charging stations were fabricated using manpower and resources from Metra’s rail yard shops at an estimated cost of $6,000 to $7,000 for all station installations.

 

To further enhance the agency’s customer connectivity options, Metra will also be installing free Wi-Fi in the waiting areas of downtown stations within 45 days, and it recently announced plans to test Wi-Fi on 11 cars systemwide before January 2016.

 

A recent study by the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development at DePaul University indicated more than three times as many Metra riders are performing electronic tasks such as texting and reading emails on phones today compared to five years ago. Fewer than 14 percent of passengers were performing such tasks in 2010, compared to 44 percent this year.



#4 CNJRoss

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Posted 11 December 2015 - 12:04 PM

 


To further enhance the agency’s customer connectivity options, Metra will also be installing free Wi-Fi in the waiting areas of downtown stations within 45 days, and it recently announced plans to test Wi-Fi on 11 cars systemwide before January 2016.

 

 

Metra News Release:

Wi-Fi now available in all downtown Metra stations

Free charging stations also offered at all five facilities

 

(Dec. 10, 2015) – Metra today announced that all five of its downtown stations now offer free Wi-Fi hotspots and free electric charging outlets.

 

“We understand that our customers rely on their digital devices and expect to be able to use Wi-Fi and power up while waiting for their trains,” said Metra Executive Director/CEO Don Orseno. “We are pleased to be able to offer these free amenities so our customers can stay connected and charged.”

 

The Wi-Fi units installed at all five stations cost Metra about $12,000 and monthly service fees for all locations cost $1,050.

 

The amenities are offered at the following locations:

  • At Union Station, the hotspot and charging station are located near the Metra ticketing area between the north and south concourses.
  • At Millennium, the Wi-Fi hotspot covers the passenger waiting area in the center of the station, where the charging stations were installed.
  • At Van Buren, the hotspot reaches both the north and south portions of the waiting area and both charging stations.
  • At Ogilvie, Wi-Fi is available in the platform-level waiting area as well as around the charging stations on the ground floor in the passenger concourse.
  • And at LaSalle Street, the hotspot covers the outdoor concourse and the indoor waiting area.

In each case, the Wi-Fi is discoverable under the name “Metra Wi-Fi.” No password is required.

 

Metra also is installing Wi-Fi hotspots on 11 railcars (one for each line) as part of a new test program to provide free, onboard Wi-Fi to customers. These railcars will be retrofitted with cellular hot spots before January 2016 to determine whether the technology can provide free and dependable Internet access to customers onboard Metra trains.

 

The six-month pilot program is expected to cost approximately $35,000. Once the technology is installed, Metra plans to alert customers about the test program and how to identify which railcars will have “hot spots.” The agency will also notify them that there may be dead zones along the route and advise them that streaming video onboard will likely impair service. The agency will also post information on its website about how to provide feedback on the quality of Wi-Fi service.






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