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Difficulty: MediumEvaluating Plans, Strategies, and Useful Information

To combat declining commuter usage of its central passenger rail system, a metropolitan transit authority plans to introduce free high-speed Wi-Fi service on all trains. Municipal officials reason that providing internet access will allow passengers to work productively during travel, thereby persuading individuals who currently drive to work to switch to commuting by train. Which of the following would be most useful to determine in evaluating the likelihood that the transit authority's plan will succeed?

  1. Whether a substantial proportion of automobile commuters refrain from using the rail system primarily because they cannot work while commuting.Answer
  2. B
    Whether the municipal transit authority will need to raise passenger fares slightly to offset the installation costs of the Wi-Fi equipment.
  3. C
    Whether automobile commuters in the metropolitan area routinely commute during peak traffic hours.
  4. D
    Whether installing Wi-Fi service on trains will cause current rail passengers to lengthen their overall daily travel time.
  5. E
    Whether private intercity coach services operating outside the metropolitan area offer free Wi-Fi to their passengers.

Answer

Determining whether a substantial proportion of automobile commuters refrain from using the rail system primarily because they cannot work while commuting is most useful for evaluating the plan.
The correct answer evaluates the primary mechanism of the plan. The transit authority's goal is to convert automobile commuters into train passengers by allowing them to work on board. For this plan to succeed, the inability to work while traveling must be a key reason drivers currently choose cars over trains. Evaluating this factor directly tests the validity of the authority's core strategy.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the plan and its stated goal.
Plan: Install free high-speed Wi-Fi on trains. Goal: Persuade automobile commuters to switch to rail transit by enabling them to work during their commute.
Evaluating a plan requires understanding the causal link between the proposed action and the intended outcome.
2
Identify the key unstated assumption connecting the plan to the goal.
The plan assumes that a lack of Wi-Fi / inability to work during travel is a primary reason drivers currently avoid taking the train.
If the targeted audience does not value working during travel or drives for unrelated reasons, the incentive will fail to change their behavior.
3
Apply the Variance Test to the correct option.
If YES (drivers avoid trains due to inability to work), the plan removes the main barrier and succeeds. If NO (drivers avoid trains due to schedules, cost, or location), Wi-Fi will not persuade them and the plan fails.
Answering this question in opposite directions yields opposite conclusions regarding the plan's success, confirming its utility.

Key Concept

Evaluating Plans and Useful Information
Estimated Time:1m 45s
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Topics

Evaluating Plans, Strategies, and Useful Information

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