SacRT has teamed up with the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) and the City of Sacramento to equip buses with free wireless hotspots in communities with limited high-speed internet access.
The first three hotspots went live on Monday, May 4. Seven additional buses will be deployed to other “digital desert” communities across Sacramento beginning the week of May 11 to promote more opportunities for distance learning, telework and telehealth.
The 10 “WiFi Buses” are outfitted with combinations of equipment provided free of charge by project partners: Aruba, AT&T, Cradlepoint, Sierra Wireless, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless to offer free high-speed connectivity with a range of up to 1,800 feet. Each bus will provide 3.5 hours of wireless broadband service at two locations each day, for a total of 140 locations each week.
High-need locations are selected with input from local school districts, community organizations and digital divide research, as well as the ability for users to maintain physical distancing and follow public health guidelines. The Sacramento Public Library are providing bus parking at its branches and robust online resources for students to access when connected to the WiFi Bus network.