From school buses to skates, this Zum attendant spends most of her time on wheels

For the last decade, Glenda Young has worked as a school bus attendant in Kansas City, MO — long enough to see some students go from tots to teens. 

“You’re watching these kids grow like your own,” says Young, who works with elementary, middle, and high school students. “I’ll be like, ‘Oh, I remember when you were in first grade. Now look at you, you’ve grown up so much!’”

This is Young’s second school year working with Zūm, which partnered with Kansas City Public Schools in 2024. When she isn’t helping students on the bus, she reviews bus video footage when necessary or requested by the district.

And while she treasures the relationships she forms with students, Young says her favorite thing about her job is that her schedule allows her to spend time with her own three kids, who range in age from 13 to 17.

“I like that I can still make it to basketball games, track meets, and stuff like that,” she says. “With my daughter, she has senior night next month, then prom, then graduation. … So we’re trying to make this a successful senior year for her.” 

On the weekends, Young can often be found on a different set of wheels: roller skates.

“Skating is my hobby,” she says. “Also, here in Kansas City, we have something called the KC Two-Step. I love music and I love to dance, so roller skating and two-stepping — those are my things.” 

“Glenda brings over a decade of experience in the school bus industry, and her impact goes far beyond her role as a bus attendant with Zum,” says Vikas Gupta, General Manager at Zum in Kansas City. “In addition to the exceptional care she provides to students, she is tech-savvy, supports video review when needed, and is someone we consistently rely on to step in and assist with dispatch operations. Her reliability, professionalism, and commitment make her a truly valued member of our team here at Kansas City and a trusted partner for Kansas City Public Schools.”

Young says she enjoys being part of the Zūm team and ensuring students have a safe, reliable ride to and from school each day. 

“With this company, I feel like you have the opportunity to grow and learn a lot of things,” she says.