Posted on 06/09/2004 6:45:42 AM PDT by harpu
AUSTIN – Weary highway travelers may soon be able to surf the Internet while they stretch their legs or grab a soda at Texas rest areas.
The Texas Department of Transportation is taking offers from companies willing to provide free wireless Internet access at the state's 84 rest areas and 12 travel information centers.
TxDOT began experimenting with Wi-Fi hotspots in the Panhandle last fall, installing them at a rest area along U.S. Highway 287 in Donley County and two rest stops on U.S. 287 in Hardemann County.
Texas is the first state to provide such free access at rest areas, TxDOT said.
"The feedback we've received so far has been very positive," said Andy Keith, manager of TxDOT's maintenance division. "Texas' highways are seeing an increasing number of business travelers, truckers and RVers and access to e-mail is important to them."
Keith said there are also plans to install special kiosks where motorists can swipe a credit card and use Internet-enabled computers in 15-minute increments. A price hasn't been set.
Keith said safety was the driving factor behind the free wireless.
The hope is that it will encourage drivers to make more frequent breaks, thereby limiting fatigue-related accidents, Keith said.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 1,500 people die annually in fatigue-related crashes in United States, and another 77,000 are injured.
Keith said TxDOT is accepting bids on the system until June 25, with a provider being chosen in July.
The free Wi-Fi is part of TxDOT's program renovate the state's aging rest areas, many of which haven't been updated in 40 to 50 years, project manager Byron Hicks said.
One day I will finally buy a laptop.
Kinda makes that vacation drive run on forever, what with a stop to freep every ninety miles. ;O)
In 10 years, Internet service will be almost free, with revenues being generated by penis enlargement ads.
Why di I get the impression that this will make the rest stops even more weird to stop at?
And here I thought having Republicans in power in Texas would mean less government spending on unnecessary projects..
This can't be good.
I just wish TXDOT would fix the roads...the road I drive to work on was repaved last summer has already failed. I wonder who's getting paid off to look the other way on shotty workmanship. Now tax payers are having to pay to have it fixed.
Lets get it done! I travel lots and would love to have reliable access from the roadways around our beautiful country. I could then keep up with FR. So many positives, and very few negatives -- if any at all.
Then wait a few months for Verizon to offer broadband over their private cell phone towers.
This cyber connection of the rest stops will only add to the scumminess of the rest areas - plus there is no need for the government to offer a service that the private sector WILL provide.
Oops.
That's what I get for read-speeding thru an article.
Maybe it's my cyncism, but at some point it will cost the taxpayers money. It'll be time spent by TxDoT officials going through all of this, setting up the processes, etc. etc.
Cingular already provides a $19.99 unlimited internet package... if you have an EDGE enabled phone and are in an EDGE market you can already get broadband data rates. Otherwise with any of their standard phones or in a non-Edge market you get around 40-50 kbps.
That's absolute bureaucratic bullsh!t:
I challenge you to find a rest area anywhere in this state that hasn't been updated in 50 years - just one!
What ever gave you that idea?
Once in power, there's no difference between Dims and Pubbies, not here in Texas!
I'm already using Verizon 1XRTT on my rail cars. Each car is outfitted with a Kyocera 200 telemetry module. The "national access" 1XRTT network is advertised to give 153 Kbps. Reality is a useful 64 Kbps. The new 1XEV-DO modulation type available in San Diego and Washington, D.C. kicks the useful level to 384 Kbps. The radio that services the 1XEV-DO will fall back to 1XRTT outside areas that support 1XEV-DO.
The Sierra Wireless 5220 PCMCIA card is the current approved 1XEV-DO device marketed for use on Verizon Wireless. A tech at the Verizon Wireless Data Center indicated that Verizon intended to roll out 1XEV-DO nationwide this summer. The service is tariffed at $79.95 for unlimited use. That price applies at either 1XRTT or 1XEV-DO network rates.
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