Virginia Railway Express is backing off a plan to add wireless Internet service to its trains, after promising to add it last year.
Dale Zehner, chief executive of the commuter train service, told riders in an online chat Wednesday that WiFi has slipped as a priority for 2012.
This time last year, VRE officials had planned to roll out wireless to some railcars by late spring 2011.
But the plans kept changing and changing.
Now, Zehner said, “funding has become an issue.” The agency is also proposing a fare increase this year, even as the federal transit benefits that many riders rely on have dropped from $230 per month to $125.
Wireless service is becoming an increasingly common perk for transportation agencies to offer. Amtrak has been adding WiFi to its trains, while airports have been adding it as a free service, as well. Intercity buses such as Megabus also use it to lure riders from competitors.
