SchoolBus logo in red and orange
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Zum Expands Footprint on West Coast

Spokane Public Schools awarded a new five-year contract to Zum. The district first leveraged Zum's technology last fall by serving the district's special education students, McKinney Vento, and HEART program.

Zum Expands Footprint on West Coast

Starting in August 2023, Zum will expand its transportation services for Spokane Public Schools to provide safe, modern, reliable and efficient student transportation, to include a brand new fleet of school buses and a technology platform designed to manage, monitor and optimize transportation while providing superior safety, communication and customer service for students, families and schools.

Photo: Zum

2 min to read


Zum, an end-to-end student transportation solution, landed another contract with a school district on the west coast. Spokane Public Schools awarded a five-year transportation contract, valued at up to $71 million, to Zum. The decision signals the Washington school district's commitment to a cleaner, safer, and more equitable transportation solution, Zum wrote in a press release.

Spokane Public Schools serves roughly 30,000 students across more than 50 school campuses. Starting in August 2023, Zum will expand its transportation services for Spokane Public Schools to provide safe, modern, reliable and efficient student transportation, to include a brand new fleet of school buses and a technology platform designed to manage, monitor and optimize transportation while providing superior safety, communication and customer service for students, families and schools.

Ad Loading...

The company's technology and reliability were first leveraged by Spokane Public Schools when Zum began serving the district's special education students, McKinney-Vento students, and HEART program, last fall.

"Zum is at the forefront of offering a more modern, equitable transportation model to school districts and families," Transportation Supervisor, Spokane Public Schools Transportation Supervisor Corey Arkle said. "Partnering with Zum allows us to provide a higher level of service with technology that enables parents and district officials to track buses more easily, a new fleet of vehicles, and the latest in safety and reliability."

Spokane ranks among a rapidly growing number of innovative school districts across the U.S. that have partnered with Zum, including Seattle Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified School District, San Francisco Unified School District, Oakland Unified School District, and San Bernardino City Unified School District.

"Zum is leading a revolution in the nation's largest mass transit system, and we are privileged to grow our partnership with Spokane Public Schools for student transportation services," Zum Founder and CEO Ritu Narayan said. "We are committed to creating a future where student transportation is more equitable, sustainable and reliable, and we're proud to work with the families and administrators in Spokane to support this mission."

More Safety

Fatal School Bus Accident in New York graphic dated Jan. 29, 2026, showing a close-up of a yellow school bus with cracked-glass overlay and School Bus Fleet logo.
Safetyby StaffFebruary 3, 2026

New York 5-Year-Old Killed by School Bus, Investigation Ongoing

A Rockland County child was struck by their school bus late last week. Here's what we know so far about this and other fatalities and injuries in the area over the years.

Read More →
A red, orange and yellow graphic with anti-pinch door sensor products and text reading "Maine's New Mandate: Anti-Pinch-Sensors & Bus Safety."
Safetyby Elora HaynesJanuary 29, 2026

Prevent School Bus Dragging Incidents: Anti-Pinch Door Sensors and Maine’s New Mandate

As Maine becomes one of the first states to require anti-pinch door sensors on new school buses, manufacturers like Mayser offer a look at how the technology works and why it's a critical fail-safe.

Read More →
SponsoredJanuary 29, 2026

8 Ways To Simplify and Streamline School Bus Fleet Operations

What if your fleet technology actually worked together? Learn eight practical strategies to integrate multiple systems into one platform, unlocking clearer insights, stronger safety standards, and smoother daily operations.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
an illustration of a survey on a mobile phone with a hand on it, and the words Survey Says on it
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseJanuary 28, 2026

Survey: Most Parents Want Automated Enforcement on School Buses

A recent Verra Mobility survey reports that 82% of parents support safety cameras to penalize stop-arm violators and 70% favor automated enforcement in school zones.

Read More →
Image of an extended stop-arm with text reading "School Bus Safety: Funding Provides Bus Upgrades Across Ohio."
Safetyby StaffJanuary 27, 2026

State Grant Program Advances School Bus Safety Upgrades Across Ohio

$10 million in state grants will fund safety upgrades and new features on school buses serving students across the Buckeye State.

Read More →
A white Waymo vehicle waits at a crosswalk as a family crosses.
Safetyby StaffJanuary 26, 2026

Waymo Scrutiny Intensifies as NTSB Launches Investigation

After complications in multiple cities when self-driving taxis failed to stop for school buses, the NTSB joins NHTSA in a probe to determine what's behind the tech and related safety concerns.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Transportant stop arm camera shown on an orange “new product” graphic with School Bus Fleet branding.
SafetyJanuary 20, 2026

Transportant Debuts First Full-Color Stop Arm Camera for School Buses

Transportant introduced a next-generation stop arm camera designed to improve image quality and reliability for documenting illegal school bus passings.

Read More →
SponsoredJanuary 19, 2026

3 New Ways Fleet Software Pays: ROI opportunities for modern fleet managers

Keeping buses safe, reliable, and on schedule requires more than manual processes. This eBook explores how modern fleet software supports school transportation teams with automated maintenance scheduling, smarter video safety tools, and integrated data systems. Discover practical ways fleets are reducing breakdowns, improving safety, and saving valuable staff time.

Read More →
An image of a student with a backpack walking with text reading "Walking School Bus: Grant Fuels Safer Pedestrian Routes to School in New Mexico."
Safetyby Elora HaynesJanuary 15, 2026

New Mexico District Receives $2.7M Grant to Expand Walking School Bus Programs

See how a federal grant will help Albuquerque Public Schools expand supervised walking routes and improve student safety.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Illustration showing a school bus with a standard stop arm and a deployed retractable safety barrier extending across the roadway to block passing vehicles.
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseJanuary 13, 2026

Florida Inventor Creates Retractable 10-Foot Stop-Arm

A newly developed school bus safety device introduces a retractable barrier designed to deter illegal passing during student loading and unloading.

Read More →