Los Angeles Zum drivers prepare for electric school bus transition

This week Zūm drivers and technicians for the Los Angeles Unified School District – the second-largest school district in the nation – gathered to learn more about the benefits and safety features of electric school buses as the district transitions its vehicles from diesel to electric.

This event was part of community and stakeholder engagements that Zum does to prepare its staff for the transition to an all electric fleet. It included an overview of electric school bus technology and safety features, as well as a tour and ride on an electric bus. This event also provided an opportunity to receive input from drivers and mechanics.

“Zum is committed to carbon-neutral transportation and transitioning our entire fleet of school buses to electric vehicles,” said Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO at Zum. “This transition will positively impact the health and wellbeing of thousands of students and families in the Los Angeles Unified School District as well as their schools and communities.”

More than 27 million kids in the U.S. travel to and from school each day on school buses, most of which run on diesel. This makes school buses both the nation’s largest mass transit system and an environmental hazard on wheels, emitting 8.4 million metric tons of greenhouse gases annually. Toxic fumes from diesel buses have been linked to increasing rates of asthma, which unfairly impacts students in marginalized neighborhoods with longer commutes.

Zum is the first and only student transportation company to operate a 100% carbon neutral fleet in the U.S. We’re proud to have the best drivers and technicians in the industry. Thanks to everyone who attended this event and helped Zum deliver safe, reliable and sustainable student transportation every day to millions of families nationwide!