Reimagining the Yellow School Bus: Zūm Launches in Six New States to Provide Modern Ride Service for Children

REDWOOD SHORES, Calif., Aug. 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Zūm (www.ridezūm.com) today announced its ride service for children is expanding beyond Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area and is now available in eight new markets. Employing a modern approach to transporting students, Zūm is now helping schools in Sacramento, San Diego, Miami, Phoenix, Dallas, Chicago, Seattle and the Washington DC Metro area safely and reliably get to and from school as well as to field trips and other activities. With this market expansion, Zūm is now serving over 250 school districts and 4,000 schools across seven states.

School Districts using buses alone to meet student transportation needs have experienced widespread challenges in recent years. In addition to the struggle to coordinate routes to meet morning and afternoon bell schedules, they've faced issues with driver retention, bus storage and maintenance and the inefficiency and cost-prohibitive nature of peak-only and one-off service. Plus, 80 percent of the time, buses are sitting unused, making it a very expensive and underutilized asset. The use of Zūm's technology reduces school overhead by utilizing smaller, more eco-friendly and efficient vehicles, while also streamlining route planning and providing real-time tracking of rides. 

"Until now, schools have not had vehicle options outside of the 'big yellow bus,' and have relied on processes that are economically, environmentally and technologically outdated," says Ritu Narayan, co-founder and CEO of Zūm. "Just as a school would never utilize just 20 percent of its classrooms, administrators are recognizing that the bus is not always the best solution to get children where they need to go. Zūm offers schools efficient vehicle options that match specific needs. This positively impacts the bottom line, gives real-time visibility into rider location and cuts time a child spends commuting, signaling to families that school administrators have their child's best interest in mind."

"When seeking an alternative transportation option for our district, our number one focus was to find a better experience for our students - shorter commutes and real-time insight into the student's location," says Grace Garner, Chief Business Officer with the Garvey School District. "We transport more than 90 special education students a day, and the majority of them went from being on the bus more than 45 minutes, to under 15 minutes with the added bonus of just their Garvey peers on board. On top of this efficiency, the district saved over a half a million dollars in our first year using Zūm instead of buses. Zūm presents a unique opportunity for school districts to be innovative and experience huge savings, all with the added convenience and peace of mind for families." 

All Zūm rides are provided by drivers that have at least three years or more of childcare experience. Drivers undergo rigorous background checks and SafeSchool training courses through its partnership with Vector Solutions. In addition, Zūm is also partnered with KidsAndCars.org, the leading child safety organization for non-traffic related car safety initiatives, to advise Zūm and further bolster their procedural and safety protocols. 

For more information please visit www.rideZūm.com.

About Zūm
Zūm addresses transportation challenges facing schools and families by providing a modern ride service for children. The use of Zum's technology significantly reduces school overhead by providing the right vehicle for every trip while also providing real-time tracking of rides so parents know where their student is at all times. Zum drivers have clean driving records, several years of childcare experience and earn the highest hourly rate in the industry. Zum, founded in 2015, is based in Silicon Valley, is backed by notable investors including Sequoia Capital, Spark Capital, and BMW iVentures. www.ridezum.com  

SOURCE Zūm

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