ZUM USHERS IN NEW ERA OF STUDENT TRANSPORTATION FOR SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Zum selected to bring safe, sustainable, student-centered transportation to Seattle communities

SEATTLE, July 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Seattle Public Schools has awarded Zum a contract valued at $68 million over three years to modernize school-bus services for thousands of Seattle Public School (SPS) families. With expanded service beginning this fall, Zum represents the first new major school bus provider in Seattle in over 30 years, and a welcomed new option for student transportation in Washington State.

Seattle joins a growing movement of over 4,000 schools and major school districts including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Oakland who have all transitioned to Zum and its modern approach to student transportation.

"Zum's technology and student-centered service offer greater safety, transparency, and efficiency for students, families, and communities," said Ritu Narayan, founder and CEO of Zum. "With this decision, SPS demonstrates its commitment to a future where student transportation is no longer a barrier to education, but rather advances equity and enhances community."

Zum's new state-of-the-art hub and bus yard is situated in Seattle's Rainier Beach community, where the company is creating hundreds of union jobs and beginning the process of transforming Seattle's student transportation system.

"We're excited to see Zum create 200 high-paying, green economy jobs for school bus drivers," said Abraham Taylor, Senior Business Agent for Teamsters Local Union 174. "I couldn't be more impressed with how quickly Zum is scaling in Seattle with its technology and commitment to community that will make bus drivers' jobs easier and more rewarding."

School bus drivers are expected to be expert navigators, problem solvers and child-care professionals—all while keeping their eyes on the road. And yet they rarely get the respect they deserve. Zum's record in every city it operates reflects a deep admiration for drivers and a commitment to fight for their rights, promote their success, and equip them with cutting-edge technology to make their jobs easier.

Parents across the SPS community have long expressed concern about service and safety problems with the district's longtime busing vendor. Zum's entire system and custom technology, on the other hand, are built with students and parents squarely in mind. Families and school staff will have access to track pickups and dropoffs in real time, receive alerts and updates on their smartphones, and track children's progress along the routes. These advanced safety features, offered only by Zum, are game-changers for working families. 

"As both CEO and a mother, there is nothing more important than keeping our children safe, on time, and accounted for," said Narayan, "Parents have enough to worry about in those chaotic hours before and after school. The least we can do is give families a little peace of mind and access to modern tools from a trusted partner."

For more information on Zum job opportunities in Seattle or how Zum is modernizing student transportation for more than 4,000 schools across the U.S., visit: www.ridezum.com.

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Zum has reimagined student transportation, the nation's largest mass transit system. Our end-to-end cloud-based platform provides a modern service for school districts purpose-built around the needs of kids and the expectations of their families. Zum provides a seamless, real-time app for parents and an interface for drivers, school administrators, and operators ensuring children are transported safely with increased visibility and personalized care. Our multi-sized vehicle approach includes an electric vehicle-first commitment, reduces student commute times by up to 20%, and coupled with our marketplace, delivers added fleet efficiency and optimization. We have been driving the industry forward more than 8 million miles since 2015. We have been recognized for leading a new era of safe, reliable, and sustainable transportation. Zum has been listed as CNBC's Disruptor 50, Fast Company's World Changing Ideas and a Gold Stevie winner for The 20th Annual American Business Awards. Learn more at www.ridezum.com.

SOURCE Zūm