Zum Launches Its First Fully Electric School Bus Yard on the East Coast
Some exciting news: Today Zūm announced that it will deploy a fully electric school bus fleet for Branford Public Schools beginning in the 2026–27 school year. This will make the Connecticut district the largest fully electric school district with vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities in the Northeast.
All electric buses will be supported by modern charging infrastructure, with built-in bidirectional V2G capabilities. The electric fleet is designed with the future capability to strengthen grid resilience by enabling school bus batteries to return energy to the local grid at scale when not in use. This vehicle-to-grid capacity transforms what has traditionally been an underutilized asset into a strategic energy resource — improving reliability, maximizing the value of district infrastructure, and supporting long-term sustainability.
Zum also provides Branford students and parents with enhanced safety and reliability, reflected by the provider’s 98% national on-time performance and its use of apps that allow parents to know exactly where their children are during their rides to and from school each day.
Zum and Branford Public Schools announced the initiative today at Zum’s Branford student transportation yard during an event attended by local and state leaders, including Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz.
Photo caption: Left to right: Sarah Skinner, Zum; Liz Sanchez, Zum; Chairman Peter Berdon;
Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz; Superintendent Tranberg, Branford Public Schools; Blaize Levitan,
COO, Branford Public Schools; Jim Finch, Town of Branford; and Charlotte Charbono, Zum.
“This marks a major milestone in Zum’s continued national electrification expansion and an exciting moment for student transportation,” said Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO of Zum. “As we expand our electrification efforts to the East Coast and launch our first fully electric school bus fleet in the region, Branford is helping set a new national standard. With Zum’s technology platform and this state-of-the-art EV fleet, we are reimagining what’s possible — building a modern transportation system rooted in operational excellence and a relentless focus on safety that improves the experience for students, families, and drivers, sets kids up for success in the classroom, strengthens grid reliability and resiliency, and delivers lasting benefits to the entire community.”
“Branford Public Schools, in partnership with Zum, is committed to delivering a first-class transportation system that prioritizes students and families while setting a new standard for safety, reliability, and sustainability,” said Superintendent Christopher Tranberg. “Electric school buses with bidirectional charging capabilities create cleaner transportation today and have the potential to support grid resilience by returning energy from bus batteries back to the grid in the future.”
“Branford is proving that clean, reliable student transportation is possible today,” said Lt. Gov.Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz. “By deploying the largest fully electric school bus fleet in the Northeast, we are delivering cleaner air for kids, smarter infrastructure for communities, and a model for the nation.”
Photo caption: Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz delivers remarks at Zum’s Branford school bus yard.
In 2024, Branford Public Schools awarded Zum a 10-year student transportation contract with the goal of transitioning the district to a 100% electric school bus fleet within five years. Through its partnership with Zum, Branford Public Schools is now on track to achieve this transition within the first two years of the contract—three years ahead of schedule.
Today, Zum partners with school districts across 15 states, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Omaha, Boston and Kansas City. In the 2024–25 school year, Zum made history by deploying the nation’s first fully electric school bus fleet in Oakland Unified School District in California.
We are honored to partner with Branford Public Schools and grateful to this school community for supporting Zum’s mission to deliver safe, reliable, and sustainable student transportation!