Connected bus gives you WiFi on the go

One of the best things about public transportation is that you can use your time more effectively (and safely) than when you're driving. Read a book, listen to podcasts, do your makeup, eat your breakfast ... all no problem on the bus. All possible, but possibly deadly, in a car.

But with me, the only thing I want to be doing on a bus is browsing the Internet. And without a cellular card and an extra $100 bucks a month to Verizon, that's been impossible.

Now San Francisco is starting to upgrade its buses to be mobile WiFi hotspots. The buses will give free Internet access to riders and will also let folks check up on a variety of bus-related statistics.

See real-time updated bus schedules that let you know if your connecting bus will be late, or check out the total carbon emissions offset by folks riding on the San Francisco Muni that day.

Pretty awesome, I'd say, though it also seems like it's the kind of thing that might have trouble breaking free of San Francisco any time soon.

The good news is, as WiMax and 3G get cheaper and more widespread, WiFi hotspots look like they're headed toward obsolescence anyhow. Video after the jump.

Via WhatImSeeing.com