25 e-buses join Baltimore school fleet

Newsletter for February 5, 2024

Does anyone else know, "Electric Boogie," the 1982 dance song by Jamaican singer Marcia Griffiths? I did the electric slide this weekend at BAFM, andI thought it would be a fitting reference for some new e-buses that have been rolled out in Baltimore City — get all the details below. Also below: The federal program offering millions of low-income families free or subsidized internet could expire this spring due to funding exhaustion.

PS, Remote work friends in Baltimore, there's a new cafe to work out of. It's especially close for folks in Mount Vernon, Remington, and Charles Village. There are outlets and lil' snacks just like at these spots.

— Alanah, Technical.ly lead reporter for Baltimore

Baltimore City Public Schools has introduced 25 electric buses as part of a federal initiative involving a $1 billion injection into the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program. The funding, part of the second phase totaling nearly $2 billion, aims to support around 5,000 electric and low-emission school buses nationwide. Highland Fleets CEO Duncan McIntyre reflects on the move towards sustainable and eco-friendly school transit, highlighting the significance of electric vehicles in the initiative.

➡️ Find out more about this story in my full report here.

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a $14.2 billion federal initiative providing internet subsidies to low-income families, is at risk of ending this spring due to funding exhaustion. Digital equity advocates are urging Congress to pass the bipartisan ACP Extension Act, allocating $7 billion to extend the program until the end of 2024. While there is a possibility of Congress extending the program, it is considered a temporary fix. The potential expiration of the ACP poses a threat to digital equity, affecting millions of households. A long-term solution may need to be discussed to avoid the need for yearly extension bills.

➡️ Find out more about this story in Sarah's full report here.

• If you're down with listening to a super technical podcast, you might take a listen to this Elixir podcast from SmartLogic. It's mostly conversations with software developers from around the world on the Elixir language and other modern web technologies. [SmartLogic]

• Open Works' Executive Director Will Holman went to DC to advocate for right-to-repair rules at the Federal Trade Commission. He and his partners presented 56,000 signatures and highlighted the significance of this regulation for both consumers and makerspaces. [LinkedIn]

• CNN Underscored highlighted Baltimore-area startup WhitePaws RunMitts as a Black-owned business to check out during Black History Month. [CNN]

• Tech entrepreneurs, fill out the Baltimore tech-entrepreneur survey. It is a collaborative effort between Yolanda Christophe, a Ph.D. Candidate at Morgan State University, and UpSurge Baltimore. [Morgan State University]

• Latimer House has kicked off a 60-day Rightscaling Program in Baltimore for early-stage entrepreneurs. [Latimer Ventures]

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