Zūm Expands Partnership with Seattle Public Schools
Zūm, a leader in modern student mobility, has officially extended its collaboration with Seattle Public Schools (SPS) for the next school year 2026–2027. This partnership marks a significant growth as Zūm adds more than 130 new routes, boosting its total to over 280 routes dedicated to serving students in the district. The expansion reflects Zūm’s commitment to improving student transportation experiences while addressing the pressing need for reliable school mobility solutions.
Growth and Recruitment Efforts
To facilitate this notable increase in service, Zūm plans to hire 150 additional drivers and will establish a new base of operations. This will support the expanded fleet of over 130 school buses that will be operational soon. Ritu Narayan, CEO of Zūm, expressed enthusiasm for the growth, stating,
“We are delighted to expand our operations in Seattle and improve the mobility experience for more students and families in the upcoming school year.”
Zūm's Connected Mobility Experience (CMX) technology plays a pivotal role in this expansion, enhancing transportation options through an integrated platform that includes real-time tracking, routing, and efficient communication. It allows parents, students, and schools to stay updated, ultimately reducing transportation-related anxiety for families.
The company has consistently addressed driver shortages by actively recruiting seasoned drivers while also training and certifying new applicants. Since the inception of the partnership with SPS in 2022, Zūm has prioritized offering competitive salary packages, professional training, and comprehensive benefits to both drivers and monitors. This has been a crucial strategy to ensure uninterrupted service coverage and reliability throughout the school year.
Safety and Satisfaction Ratings
Over the past years, Zūm has maintained a high standard of operational excellence, providing advanced visibility and safety protocols that foster peace of mind for parents. Notable achievements include an impressive average on-time performance rate of 98%. Families using Zūm's service have rated their satisfaction at a remarkable 4.9 out of 5 stars, across a substantial pool of over 128,559 ratings by SPS families.
Furthermore, the organization has been proactive in promoting upcoming hiring events to recruit certified drivers, scheduled for June 3 and 4 at the Hampton Inn & Suites in Seattle. The event will welcome all interested applicants, including those new to the career path, with training offered for those who need certification.
Paul Ahn, Senior General Manager of Zūm in Seattle, commented,
“Since partnering with Seattle Public Schools, our dedicated drivers and staff have built something truly special. We are excited to expand our operations ahead of the new school year.”
Innovative Solutions for Modern Transportation
Cómo Zūm's CMX functions as a fully integrated system that connects various transport elements—people, vehicles, and infrastructure—providing real-time data access to all parties involved. It aims to streamline operations and enhance safety, transparency, and efficiency, which are deeply valued by parents, students, and educators alike.
With successful implementations across 17 states and over 4,500 schools, Zūm’s approach has not gone unnoticed globally. The organization has earned accolades from Fast Company and CNBC for its innovative solutions in the student mobility sector.
The coming school year promises to enhance the lives of many Seattle families as Zūm scales its operations and continuously strives to provide the highest level of service to the education community. For more information on Zūm and its contributions to modern student transportation, visit their website at
www.ridezum.com.
With ambitious plans and a proven track record, Zūm is indeed set to transform how students get to school, alleviating the stresses associated with traditional school transportation.