Photo: Mass Transit
VIA’s multi-agency collaboration bridging digital divide for local students
Mass Transit
April 16, 2020
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VIA Metropolitan Transit (VIA) is collaborating with other local agencies to provide free access to Wi-Fi for students without reliable internet access while the city of San Antonio, Texas, observes the “Stay Home, Work Safe” order.
VIA, the city of San Antonio, Opportunity Home San Antonio (Opportunity Home), San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) and Northside Independent School District (NISD) are partnering to provide mobile Wi-Fi service to students by using VIAtrans vans equipped with high-speed Wi-Fi networks. The vans are dispatched to various locations identified by the city, Opportunity Home and the partnering school districts, based on assessment of various factors, including student population in the area, other available resources and logistics that make vehicle access feasible.