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Zūm Celebrates 100 Years of the School Bus

As schools prepare to open for the 2025-26 academic year, Zūm, a pioneer in modern student transportation, takes a moment to celebrate a significant milestone: the 100th anniversary of the school bus. Founded on the principles of safety and efficiency, Zūm is proud to lead the charge in transforming how students get to and from school.

A Look Back at School Bus History

The journey of the school bus began in 1925 when Albert Luce from Georgia attached a wooden body to a truck, effectively creating the first school bus. Prior to this innovation, children relied on horse-drawn wagons to reach their educational institutions. Initially, school buses came in various colors like green, red, and blue. However, a national safety standard established in 1939 mandated the adoption of yellow as the signature color we recognize today.

Key facts about school buses:

• - The first state to mandate seat belts on school buses was New York in 1987.
• - Today, around 500,000 school buses transport 27 million students daily in the U.S., making it the largest mass transit system in the country.

Zūm's Commitment to Modernization

Ritu Narayan, the founder and CEO of Zūm, emphasizes the company’s mission to incorporate advanced technology into the school bus transportation system. With the launch of the 2025-26 school year, Zūm aims to highlight how far the school bus has come by integrating technology and electrification into its operations, significantly enhancing safety, reliability, and efficiency for students, families, and educational institutions.

Five Innovative Features of Zūm’s School Buses:

1. AI-Driven Technology: Zūm employs cutting-edge AI technology to optimize bus routes, ensuring that tracking children’s arrival and departure times is seamless. The Zūm app allows parents to monitor real-time vehicle locations, driver profiles, and pickup/dropoff statuses, boosting parental peace of mind.

2. Fully Electrified Fleet: In 2024, Zūm launched the nation’s first fully electrified school bus fleet, based in Oakland, CA. These environmentally-conscious buses utilize vehicle-to-grid technology, contributing energy back to the grid and enhancing energy resilience during peak times.

3. Advanced Driver Training: Zūm sets a high standard with its comprehensive driver training curriculum that surpasses county and state requirements, ensuring the utmost safety for all students, particularly those with disabilities. The company’s focus on driver satisfaction has helped partner districts address the nationwide driver shortage effectively.

4. Impressive Outcomes: With 98% of Zūm's buses arriving on time, school districts have experienced a reduction of up to 20% in bus fleet size, with students spending 25% fewer hours commuting. This efficiency allows schools to cut transportation costs by up to 40%, freeing up funds for reinvestment in educational programs.

5. Trusted Partnerships: Zūm has developed strong relationships with over 4,000 schools across 14 states, including major school districts in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Boston.

Celebrating the Milestone

This year, Zūm is not just marking the history of the school bus; they are also celebrating the innovations that have brought it into the modern era. Events and initiatives highlighting the centennial of the school bus will unfold throughout the school year, reinforcing Zūm’s commitment to improving the student transportation landscape.

To learn more about Zūm’s transformation of student transportation and its ambitious goals for the future, visit Zūm’s website.

About Zūm

Zūm is dedicated to revolutionizing student transportation, serving as the largest mass transit system in the United States. The company operates in many states, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, and beyond, and has been recognized as an innovator in the transportation sector. Through its strategic initiatives and alliances, Zūm is paving the way for a more efficient and safer transportation system for students nationwide.