Zum successfully launched its school bus transportation contract of 255 buses, delivering safe, reliable, efficient, and effective transportation services for Omaha Public Schools’ (OPS) general education routes in July 2024. This launch solved the longstanding driver shortages that previous contractors struggled to solve.

Expanding the Partnership

OPS is now expanding its contract with Zum to allow their technology platform to benefit the special education students who receive transportation services on OPS’s 285 buses. With this expansion, Zum’s technology will be available for all K-12 families and schools across all of OPS’s 540 buses.

The school district awarded a five-year transportation contract to Zum. The expansion enables families of special education students to use the Zum app to receive real-time notifications, track school bus locations, and view driver and vehicle information, and cancel same-day rides.

"We are thrilled that Omaha Public Schools has extended its contract so that every student and parent will experience Zum's state-of-the-art technology, designed to improve safety, communication, efficiency and equity," said Ritu Narayan, founder and CEO at Zum. "It is a game-changer to know where your child's bus is and whether they arrived at school safely and on time–especially if you are the parent of a child with special needs. Our transportation solutions benefit students' safety and well-being, and they give parents peace of mind."

District and school administrators and operators with appropriate permissions will be able to track school buses coming to and from their campus on a live map from start to finish. ETAs will be adjusted in real-time to account for absent or delayed students as well as traffic issues.

The tech platform, including the Zum app, will be available to all families starting January 2025.

OPS is among the growing number of school districts that have partnered with Zum. Boston Public Schools (MA), Los Angeles Unified (CA), Salt Lake City School District (UT), Poudre School District (CO), and Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VA) announced partnerships with Zum earlier this year.

About Zum 

Zum’s end-to-end technology platform is designed specifically for the needs of K-12 student transportation and connects parents, drivers, schools, and administrators in real-time to manage, monitor and optimize student transportation.

Zum is leading the charge to make student transportation more equitable. Children from low-income households and those with special needs are more likely to depend on yellow buses for transportation and often have especially long commutes.

For the 4,000+ U.S. schools partnered with Zum, on-time arrivals have increased to 98% and commute times have been reduced by up to 20%.

Zum currently serves districts across 14 states nationwide and is rapidly growing its footprint.