Madison Metro patrons can help University of Wisconsin researchers by going online while riding the bus, UW officials announced Friday.

Two Madison Metro buses, numbers 007 and 942, now come equipped with a special type of WiFi, according to UW computer science professor Suman Banerjee. Banerjee was the director of the project to install WiFi on the buses.

The system, known as WiRover, connects to multiple networks at the same time. When a rider uses their cell phone provider’s network and the bus travels through an area with poor coverage, another provider’s network can take over, avoiding any loss of service to the rider, Banerjee said.

Currently, Banerjee said the research group is measuring how well the system functions in practice, since it has only been in use for one month.

Since bus routes are assigned daily, the two buses will not be limited to particular routes, giving the researchers more insight to the system’s performance in different areas of the city.

While it has only been a month, Banerjee said there have been no major problems with the system.

He added Madison Metro seems interested in expanding the system to more buses, but Banerjee said a clear timeline has yet to be decided.

Banerjee said the team first started talks with Madison Metro about the system two years ago, and more recently Van Galder has also spoken with the team.

One Van Galder bus is equipped with the system as of right now, Banerjee said, which should provide insight to the system’s performance with more than 20 users.

The ultimate goal with the technology, according to Banerjee, is to develop efficient Internet access for vehicles. The Internet will provide many advantages to drivers, such as safety information and updates on road conditions and traffic.

The system itself has already sparked the interest of technology companies, including Cisco Systems, which increases the reputation UW already has as a world-class research institution, Banerjee said.

“We have had some conversations with Cisco, they think it’s interesting technology…and may be interested for future developments,” Banerjee said. “In many ways [the system] obviously increases the prestige of the university.”

City of Madison Transportation Board Planning member Al Matano said he supports anything that will motivate more people to ride the bus.

“If people like it and are more likely to use the bus system, great,” he said.