Back to School 2025: Oakland, CA

We are thrilled to kick off another school year in Oakland, Calif., where Zūm drivers and staff are eager to deliver safe, reliable rides — in the nation’s first school district with 100% electric school buses.

The 2025-26 school year will be the second year where students in Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) ride in EV buses equipped with bidirectional charging. Through groundbreaking vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, the Oakland buses return energy to the local grid when they’re not in use.

“This is a special school community, and we are delighted to get back on the roads delivering safe and efficient rides for these students,” said Sebastien Marx, Location Manager at Zum. “Our buses and technology are in top shape, and we have spent the summer preparing for another year of best-in-class service. Our entire team at Zum loves what they do and appreciates the role we play in families’ lives.” 

Drivers and staff celebrated the launch with kickoff events at the Zum bus yard.

“We have a highly trained team and are excited to be kicking off another school year in Oakland,” said Liz Sanchez, Executive Vice President of Student Transportation at Zum. “At Zum, we are proud to be delivering safe, reliable and equitable rides to and from school each day — and improving local grid resilience when the school buses are sitting in the yard.”

Zum delivers safe, reliable and equitable student transportation in 14 states nationwide. 

We’re looking forward to a great year in Oakland and appreciate our hard-working and dedicated teams!