Market Urbanism

Liberalizing cities | From the bottom up

“Market Urbanism” refers to the synthesis of classical liberal economics and ethics (market), with an appreciation of the urban way of life and its benefits to society (urbanism). We advocate for the emergence of bottom up solutions to urban issues, as opposed to ones imposed from the top down.

Amtrak’s utter incompetence

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by Stephen Smith

There’s a lot to be said for Amtrak’s mismanagement, but a lot of it is technical and inaccessible to the layman. This, however, is unconscionable: Amtrak still does not offer wireless internet – either free or paid – on any of its trains. Megabus and Bolt Bus (whose tickets between DC and NYC are about $20), however, have had wireless for about two years, and I’m pretty sure some Chinatown buses have had it for longer. Amtrak’s normal tickets on the Northeast Corridor are about four times the cost of tickets on Bolt Bus and Megabus. Tickets on the Acela are about eight times the cost of bus tickets, and the service is heavily marketed towards business travelers who put a high price on their time. But no internet. It’s apparently coming to Acela in about six months and the rest of the Northeast Corridor by the end of 2010. Had intercity buses and airlines not introduced wireless internet, I seriously doubt Amtrak would have ever had the business sense to do it.

Originally posted on my blog.

Comments

  3. Stephen,
    Love your blog, and usually think you're on target. However, I think the price comparison portion of your argument is invalid because of the amount of subsidies going towards highways while our train infrastructure has received comparatively little subsidy.

    Yet, it is still ridiculous that this hasn't happened earlier (Delta and American Airlines are outfitting their planes for wi-fi, so Amtrak should have been able to easily do this on its trains). The fixed cost to add this to a train has to be negligible.

  4. It is not unconscionable – the lack of wifi on the NEC trains so far is a function of the fact they travel under power wires, called catenary, that carry over 10,000 volts and generate enormous amounts of electromagnetic interference.

    While many passengers have some success with broadband cards and cell tethering, these solutions suffer from spotty coverage and rely on a technology not tuned for 100 mph+ hand-offs from one cell to another. Amtrak has worked with a number of first-tier vendors who have taken, literally, years to develop a solution that is economic to field.

    Current Amtrak plans suggest the test systems on a few of the 20 Acela trains will be available fleet-wide by March 2010.

    The viability of wifi on these trains is not a function of the cost of a ticket. One can buy a used car, and a Verizon Mifi, and have mobile internet, but that does not create a useful solution for trains carrying more than 300 passengers.

  5. Are you sure they don't offer it? I was under the impression that they have begun to offer it on many trains. I was told that ours will have it soon.

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