Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) has awarded a transportation contract of up to $8.8 million over five years to Zum, a tech-driven student transportation provider. Through this partnership, the district expects to deliver superior service and meet the transportation needs of AUSD students who receive special-education services, as well as the families, teachers, administrators and drivers committed to creating the best educational experience for children.

About 10% of AUSD's 8,500 students receive special-education services, and close to 150 receive transportation support. Zum will deliver a multi-sized fleet of vehicles to maximize operational efficiency and deliver safety and transparency for every ride for those students.

Zum is helping thousands of schools nationwide move away from a one-size-fits-all approach. Other school districts that have partnered with Zum include Los Angeles Unified School District, San Francisco Unified School District, Seattle Unified School District, Oakland Unified School District and Metro Nashville Public Schools. Just last week, the company announced a contract with the San Bernardino City Unified School District. This latest decision underscores AUSD's commitment to a cleaner, safer and more equitable solution for the students and families of Alameda.

"The Alameda Unified School District shares Zum's commitment to equitable, accessible and sustainable student transportation services for all," said Ritu Narayan, founder and CEO at Zum. "We are proud to partner with them to deliver a safe, modern and reliable experience to the Alameda community."

"We look forward to partnering with Zum to provide safe, reliable, sustainable transportation to our students who receive special education services," says Shariq Khan, AUSD's assistant superintendent of business services. "We believe this new expanded contract will benefit students and families alike."