Fresno Unified has officially awarded a five-year transportation contract to Zum, a leader in modern student transportation.
Under the terms of this contract, Fresno Unified will begin using Zum’s technology platform in August to manage and monitor all district-operated general education bus routes for the 2025-26 school year. More on the same would reveal how Zum will begin providing transportation services for all special education routes, including Zum’s technology platform.
Not just that, the company will also provide higher wages and expanded benefits for drivers; a new fleet of buses with advanced equipment, including air conditioning; as well as continuous training and support for drivers and staff.
“Zum’s partnership with Fresno Unified School District signals a growing national movement for modern, safe and equitable student transportation,” said Ritu Narayan, founder and CEO at Zum. “Drivers are at the heart of our operation, and we take pride in having the best in the industry. We look forward to working with this outstanding school community.”
Talk about the benefits of this collaboration on a slightly deeper level, we begin from the potential for safe, reliable rides, and industry-leading technology.
This translates to how Zum’s end-to-end platform should prove useful in optimizing routes, reducing student ride times, and facilitating transparent, data-driven decisions for student transportation. You see, thanks to the Zum app, parents can now expect to receive real-time data and notifications in the context of their child’s school bus location, along with their child’s pickup and drop-off status.
On the other hand, school administrators can also access Zum’s school portal and admin mobile app for real-time ride details. Joining that would be an ability to manage, monitor, and optimize transportation.
Next up, there is the availability of well-trained and certified drivers. Leveraging Zum’s proprietary safety technology driver training and certification program called SafeGuard, all the participating exceed all state and federal requirements. Not just that, they will also have the necessary training to comply with specific protocols when picking up or dropping off students, or when driving.
Another detail worth a mention relates to the promise of state-of-the-art buses and facilities. These facilities include air-conditioned buses, as well as top-of-the-line equipment and technology, capable of enhancing their safety and comfort, while simultaneously making drivers’ day-to-day jobs easier and more enjoyable.
Making this development even more significant would be Zum’s own stature, which stems from providing turnkey modern transportation solutions to school districts in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Utah, and Virginia.
The company’s excellence in what it does can also be understood once you consider it has been, thus far, featured among Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas, CNBC Disruptor 50, CNBC Changemakers, World Economic Forum, and Financial Times’ list of Fastest Growing Companies.
“Zum has a proven track record with recruiting and retaining high-quality drivers, implementing best-in-class equipment and technology and a commitment to safety and customer service,” said Misty Her, Superintendent at Fresno Unified. “We are excited by this new partnership and share Zum’s mission to ensure safe, reliable rides for every student in our district.”
