Signal 4: LinkNYC within trains
Each and every one of us must have gotten frustrated when we have important work to do but we can’t because there is no internet inside the MTA trains, especially during long commutes. There is Wi-Fi at the stations, but it is even more annoying when you get the signals for just 10–15 seconds every 3–4 minutes.
LinkNYC is a formidable infrastructure project which has brought free wireless internet to millions of people across NYC by converting unused payphones into kiosks(Links). If this is implemented properly for the trains, it can solve this internet access problem for good.
Also, after addressing privacy concerns by doing some kind of encryption which removes the personal identifiers, the data can also be collected about the commute of people. Currently, people have to just swipe-in at the stations but there is no swipe-out. So, we can find the entry point of commuters, but exact conclusions about their transfers, direction of travel or final destinations can’t be drawn. By this installation, exact information about these can be obtained by the station when they connected to the link and when they disconnected from the link.
So, the proposal and implementation of these links will increase the productivity of the subway rides for the people as well as the NYC government.
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