Connecticut’s Branford Public Schools (BPS) has awarded a $60 million, 10-year transportation contract to Zūm to deliver efficient and modern transportation to families. Additionally, within five years, Zum will transition Branford to a 100% electric school bus fleet, the first in Connecticut.
“Zum is leading the charge for safe, efficient, equitable and sustainable student transportation nationwide, and we are proud to be partnering with Branford’s school community,” says Ritu Narayan, founder and CEO of Zum. “We look forward to working with them starting in the 2024-25 school year and improving the lives of children, families, drivers and school administrators.”
“Student safety is a top priority, and safe school transportation is among Zum’s hallmarks of excellence,” adds BPS Superintendent Christopher Tranberg. “We are excited to shape the path for our students and community by reducing our carbon footprint as we transition to an electric bus fleet with enhanced communication and technology. This contract is a win-win-win: Not only will our students and families benefit from Zum’s service, our drivers will receive higher wages, work in state-of-the-art facilities and drive brand-new school buses.”
BPS is the first school district in Connecticut to partner with Zum, which already manages and operates student transportation in Massachusetts, Maryland, California, Washington, Texas, Illinois and Tennessee. In 2024, significant Zum operations will launch in Missouri, Nebraska, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Through the Zum app, parents will be able to view a profile of their child’s bus driver, along with real-time tracking and notifications about their school bus location and child’s pick-up or drop-off status. Zum also allows administrators to optimize routes and provides staff with real-time data and performance reports. Through its Net Zero Initiative, the company is leading in electric school bus conversion.
Zum offers higher wages and modern benefits for all bus drivers and staff, as well as top-of-the-line buses, equipment and technology to enhance safety and comfort for students and drivers. The firm supports its drivers and staff with advanced training and certification programs to ensure they not only meet or exceed all state and federal requirements, but also receive extensive ongoing training in customer service and transporting students with diverse needs and disabilities.
