Related: Wi-Fi Equipped School Buses to Prepare Students for Homeschooling
Ala. District Equips Buses With Wi-Fi for Virtual Learning
Leeds City Schools is turning its 20 buses into mobile hot spots to help students in need in case the COVID-19 pandemic makes remote learning necessary when schools reopen in the fall.
by Staff
July 16, 20201 min to read
LEEDS, Ala. — A school district here is turning its bus fleet into mobile hot spots to help students in need in the event that virtual learning is needed due to the COVID-19 pandemic when schools reopen in the fall, WBRC reports.
Leeds City Schools is equipping 15 of its 20 buses with onboard Wi-Fi devices (five are already set up for connectivity), according to the news source. The initial goal in connecting the first handful of school buses was to provide online access for students traveling to athletic events or on their way to and from school. However, because it is still unknown how the pandemic will impact the beginning of the school year, the district is expediting the installation of the equipment. Leeds City Schools is offering in person and virtual learning for the fall, WBRC reports.
Lee Gibson, the district’s transportation director, told the news source that principals will send a survey to parents to find out how many students are likely to participate in virtual learning, and that will help determine where to park some of the buses.
The district is using CARES Act funds to pay for the Wi-Fi equipment installation, according to WBRC.
More Management
5 Questions: How CharterUP Brought a Marketplace to Student Transportation
What does it take to bring a transportation marketplace into K-12? Hear firsthand what CharterUP has learned about the unique needs of schools and bus operators.
Read More →
EverDriven Expands TripCentral Transportation Management Platform to All Partner Districts
The platform provides school districts with real-time trip tracking, student transportation scheduling tools, and pickup and drop-off management capabilities.
Read More →
6 School Transportation Trends to Watch: 2026 District Survey Results
School bus buying is up, fuel choices are shifting, and driver shortages persist. This and more in the latest K-12 public school survey, plus the largest fleets in the U.S.
Read More →
The 100 Largest School Bus Fleets in America: 2026 Rankings
Which public K-12 school districts are the largest in the nation in terms of bus fleet size? Here are the new standings of the top 100 district fleets.
Read More →
EverDriven Launches Route Consolidation Calculator to Estimate Diesel Savings
As diesel prices hit record highs, the largest alternative transportation provider says a 10% route consolidation could save a 120-route district more than $78,000 a year in fuel alone.
Read More →
Zum Secures Continued Financing Support for School Bus Expansion
Generate Private Credit has financed approximately $75 million in school bus deployments across three states, supporting more than 500 buses as Zum expands across the county.
Read More →
Beyond Discipline: A Different Approach to Student Behavior on the Bus
After implementing a dean of students program in Oregon, North Clackamas is seeing positive improvements. Here’s how it worked. The Route is brought to you by IC Bus.
Read More →
A Dean of Transportation's Different Approach to Student Behavior on the School Bus
After implementing a dean of students program in Oregon, North Clackamas is seeing positive improvements on the bus. Here’s how it worked.
Read More →
Inside NAPT ACTS 2026: Highlights from Louisville
From federal updates and student behavior strategies to new school bus technology and industry awards, see highlights from NAPT ACTS 2026 in Louisville.
Read More →
Meet the 2026 School Bus Driver Hero Winner: Annette Brown
We caught up with Wa-Nee Community Schools' Annette Brown on site at SBFX, where she was named the 2026 School Bus Driver Hero Award winner. Hear about her reaction, what she loves most about being a school bus driver, and more!
Read More →