Riders on 102 Markham bus route will have access to Wi-Fi starting today
For the first time ever, riders travelling on the TTC’s 102 Markham Road bus route will now be able to use free onboard Wi-Fi.
The expansion of Wi-Fi on city buses is part of the TTC’s six-month pilot program to expand internet access on its vehicles. The first to be serviced was the 35 Jane bus route.
The transit agency has provided commuters with free internet access at all of its subway stations since 2018, but now it hopes to eventually roll out the service to its entire bus and streetcar network.
“I'm proud to see the free onboard public Wi-Fi rollout expand to the 102 Markham Road bus in Scarborough,” Toronto Mayor John Tory said in a news release on Monday.
“Just last month, we launched the Wi-Fi pilot on the 35 Jane bus and we are already seeing its popularity growing with riders … All of the results from this pilot will help as the TTC prepares to have a Wi-Fi Network on buses and streetcars across the city."
The TTC said that since the launch of Wi-Fi services on the 35 Jane bus route, which started on May 31, its staff have seen its popularity grow. In the first week, passengers on the route spent over 2,100 hours on the internet during their commutes, the transit agency said.
“The success of this program in just the last two weeks only emphasizes how much our customers want to see modernization on the system,” TTC CEO Rick Leary said in a statement.
“We know that especially now, connectivity is essential, even on-the-go, and we’re both proud and excited to be improving our customers’ commutes one route at a time.”
The transit agency says the information gathered during the pilot will help to inform a request for proposal for a “fully-managed customer Wi-Fi network on buses and streetcars to be issued later this year.”
“Providing Wi-Fi on our buses is one of many initiatives underway at the TTC to modernize our system and provide a better experience for transit riders,” TTC Chair Jaye Robinson said in the news release.
“I am looking forward to seeing more routes equipped with Wi-Fi moving forward.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.