SAN ANTONIO -- VIA Metropolitan Transit is pilot-testing free Wi-Fi service that allows bus riders to pop open their laptops or smart phones and connect to the Internet.

The pilot project kicked off Monday on Express Route 6.

"We're testing it on our express routes, the longer routes," said VIA spokeswoman Priscilla Ingle. "That gives people an opportunity while traveling on the VIA bus to be able to do their work, check email and log onto daily news sites, and really take better advantage of their time on the bus."

If the test results are favorable, Ingle said VIA will explore launching a free Wi-Fi service systemwide.

Riders waiting for their bus near San Antonio College reacted positively to the possibility.

"That would be great," said rider Jacob Cabido. "Actually, it would make my homework better and cut into that middle time where I do nothing on the bus except listen to my iPod."

For the pilot program, VIA has equipped two buses with Wi-Fi capability. Those buses will run on Express Route 6 through Friday and rotate to routes 17, 48, 64, 93 and 94 over the next month. Because the test project is using the small Verizon MiFi, only five devices on a bus at a time will be able to access the Internet.

KSAT 12 News checked out the free Wi-Fi service, but was not able to connect on one of the buses, where earlier passengers had been able to access the Internet. On the second bus, however, the connection was available immediately. VIA said the computer apparently just needed rebooting, attributing the glitch to first-day kinks.