Back to School with Zum: The Most Important Commute in America Begins Again

From new launches to longtime partnerships, Zum teams across the country kick off the 2026–27 school year

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Aug. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Zūm, a leader in student mobility, is kicking off the 2026–27 school year across the country as teams, drivers and district partners come together for Zūm's favorite time of year: back to school.

Across Zum yards nationwide, training, driver celebrations and final route preparations culminate in the moment the first buses roll. From returning partnerships in Omaha, St. Louis and Santa Barbara to new launches in Fresno and Shawnee Mission and the deployment of Zum's technology across Los Angeles Unified School District's in-house fleet, teams are united to provide students safe, reliable access to education.

"There is nothing quite like the first day of school at Zum," said Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO of Zum. "You see drivers arriving before sunrise, teams making final preparations and buses rolling out of yards across the country—all united around one purpose: getting students safely and reliably to school. For millions of students, access to education begins with the journey to school. That is why we call it the most important commute in America."

Back to School Across the Country

In Omaha, Zum began its third school year with teams at its Central and Locust yards. St. Louis kicked off year two with a packed celebration, while Santa Barbara entered its third year following a successful training and bid day.

In Fresno, California, just two weeks after moving into a new yard, the Zum team sent 168 buses onto the road as Fresno Unified School District officially joined Zum's nationwide student mobility network.

In Shawnee Mission, Kansas, district leaders, drivers, monitors, school staff and the Zum team came together to celebrate the start of a new partnership. Superintendent Dr. Michael Schumacher welcomed Zum and shared his enthusiasm for the district's move toward a more modern, technology-driven approach to student mobility.

In Los Angeles, Zum CMX™ was deployed across Los Angeles Unified School District's in-house fleet, bringing visibility, intelligent routing, operational coordination and family communications to district-operated buses to all students in the Los Angeles market.

The People Behind the Most Important Commute

At the center of every launch are Zum's drivers, who greet students each morning and help make access to education possible every day.

"Back to school is when months of preparation come to life," said Liz Sanchez, Executive Vice President of Student Mobility at Zum. "Our teams spend months hiring and training drivers, validating routes and working alongside our district partners to prepare. Then you see the drivers arrive and the buses roll on that first morning. They understand the responsibility they carry and the difference they make for students and families."

Powering a New Era of Student Mobility

Behind Zum's operations is Zum CMX, the unified, AI-powered operating system purpose-built for student mobility. CMX connects routing, dispatch, drivers, schools, families, safety and operations in real time, helping districts improve reliability, optimize resources and provide families with greater visibility.

Today, Zum supports more than 6,500 schools across 19 states, helping districts modernize one of the largest and most essential mobility systems in the country.

To learn more about how Zum is leading the nation in redefining student mobility, visit www.ridezum.com.

About Zum

Zum is redefining mass mobility with Zum CMX, which connects and coordinates people, vehicles, and operations in real time. In the student mobility market, Zum is addressing a daily source of anxiety and disruption by providing a reliable, transparent, and efficient mobility experience for students and families. Learn more at www.ridezum.com. Today, more than 6,500 schools in 19 states have relied on the Zum CMX™ system.

Media Contact
Jenny Mayfield
VP, Communications, Zum
[email protected] 

SOURCE Zūm