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Capitol Corridor and Amtrak recently completed upgrading a free, on-train Wi-Fi system known as AmtrakConnect by replacing some of the 3G technology for faster 4G cards, the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) announced yesterday.

The recent upgrade makes Wi-Fi speed three times faster than before on Capitol Corridor trains. The authority is offering the amenity in an effort to attract more riders to Capitol Corridor trains, CCJPA officials said in a press release.

A recent study conducted by the University of California-Davis to determine if Capitol Corridor's free Wi-Fi model would be sustainable demonstrated that it would motivate riders to use the service.

"Our analysis shows that providing free Wi-Fi increased Capitol Corridor trips by 2.7 percent," said UC-Davis Professor Patricia Mokhtariain.

The business model has implications for transit operators worldwide, especially in passenger-rail travel, said CCJPA Chairman Jim Spering.