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Zum Celebrates New Philadelphia Operations Site and Hosts Driver Hiring Event

By: STN

7 August 2026 at 17:02

PHILADELPHIA, Pa.- Zūm, a leader in modern student mobility, today announced it will celebrate the opening of its new Philadelphia operations center with a driver and family celebration and hiring event on Thursday, August 6, marking the next milestone in Zum’s continued investment in local drivers and its partnership with the School District of Philadelphia.

The event is designed for current and prospective school bus drivers, especially those with a commercial driver’s license (CDL) and their families. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet Zum’s local leadership team, hear from experienced drivers about their careers, tour the new school bus yard, participate in onsite interviews, and learn more about joining the Zum team. Families will enjoy free food, Kona Ice, bounce houses, face painting, and raffle prizes throughout the day.

The celebration marks the opening of Zum’s new Philadelphia operations center, a modern home base designed to support drivers with state-of-the-art facilities, training, and technology as the company prepares for the 2026–27 school year. It also represents the next chapter of Zūm’s previously announced investment in Philadelphia.

“When we announced our investment in Philadelphia, we made a commitment to local drivers, their families, and the School District of Philadelphia that we were here for the long term,” said Missy Lash, General Manager, Philadelphia at Zum. “Thursday’s celebration is about delivering on that promise. We are excited to welcome current and prospective drivers and their families to our new home, celebrate the people who make student mobility possible every day, and continue building a world-class team that will serve Philadelphia students for years to come.”

The new operations center reflects Zum’s driver-first approach to student mobility. Drivers benefit from modern facilities, digital tools, real-time communication, and technology that simplifies daily operations, reducing administrative burden and allowing them to focus on what matters most: serving students safely and reliably.

Every school day, thousands of Philadelphia students depend on reliable student mobility to access education. By combining technology, operational excellence, and investments in people, Zum is helping create a more reliable experience for students, families, school districts, and the drivers who serve them.

“Our drivers are the heart of everything we do,” said Liz Sanchez, Executive Vice President of Student Mobility at Zum. “They are the first and last face many students see each school day, providing families with peace of mind and making access to education possible. As we grow in Philadelphia, we are investing in our drivers because they are the foundation of a stronger student mobility system.”

The driver and family celebration also serves as a hiring event for school bus drivers and monitors interested in joining the Zum team. Current drivers will share their experiences working at Zūm and discuss the company’s culture, growth opportunities, and technology-enabled approach to student mobility. Hiring managers will be available throughout the event to assist prospective employees with applications, interviews, and offer letters.

Zum now serves more than 6,500 schools across 18 states, helping school districts improve reliability, strengthen communication with families, and transform one of the nation’s largest public mobility systems through its AI-powered Connected Mobility Experience (CMX) platform.

Event Details

Zum Philadelphia Driver & Family Celebration and Hiring Event

Thursday, August 6, 2026
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Zum Philadelphia Operations Center
2502 Wheatsheaf Lane
Philadelphia, PA 19137

Current and prospective school bus drivers—especially those with a CDL—are encouraged to attend. Families are welcome.

Event Highlights

Grand opening of Zūm’s new Philadelphia operations center

Inside tours of the state of the art Zum buses

Meet the Zūm Philadelphia leadership team

Hear from veteran Zūm drivers about their experience, career growth, and what makes Zūm different

School bus driver and monitor hiring event with onsite interviews and applications

Free food and Kona Ice

Bounce houses and face painting for children

Raffle prizes for drivers and their families throughout the day

About Zum
Zum is modernizing mass mobility with its Connected Mobility Experience (CMX) that connects and coordinates people, vehicles, and operations in real time. In the student mobility market, Zum is addressing a daily source of anxiety and disruption by providing a reliable, transparent, and efficient mobility experience for students and families. Learn more at www.ridezum.com. Today, more than 6,500 schools in 18 states have relied on the Zum CMX system.

The post Zum Celebrates New Philadelphia Operations Site and Hosts Driver Hiring Event appeared first on School Transportation News.

Reasonable Suspicion Training Sharpens Supervisors’ Eye for Impaired School Bus Drivers

School Transportation News

By: Ryan Gray

11 July 2026 at 15:02

RENO, Nev. — With federal safety regulators pressing for alcohol-detection technology on school buses and reports of impaired drivers ticking upward, the last line of defense against a drug- or alcohol-affected driver pulling out of the yard remains one person: The supervisor.

A two-hour certification class at STN EXPO West conference handed those supervisors a legally grounded, step-by-step playbook for recognizing impairment, ordering a test and documenting every move.

The Friday afternoon session, “Supervisory Reasonable Suspicion Training,” satisfies U.S. Department of Transportation regulations and was led by Tonica Lathrop, president of Reno-based Sinnett Consulting Services. She is a 30-year veteran of drug and alcohol compliance work who now advises roughly 1,400 clients across Nevada, California and beyond.

Her central warning: Reasonable suspicion is the single most common point at which an employer gets sued over its drug and alcohol program because ordering a test means accusing someone of impairment. Employers lose those cases, she said, for one of two reasons. They fail to follow their own policy or apply it inconsistently.

“You don’t want to put your head in the sand,” Lathrop said, describing the human temptation to explain away warning signs in an employee, a child or a friend.

Ignoring the indicators, she added, exposes both the district and the individual supervisor to liability if an impaired driver later crashes.

The Reasonable Suspicion Protocol

Lathrop stressed that the supervisor is rarely the first to notice a problem. Tips usually come from another employee or a member of the public. Whatever the source, she said, the report demands the supervisor’s own investigation. She advised never basing a test solely on hearsay. Instead, supervisors should gather their own documentable evidence before acting.

When indicators are present, she laid out a sequence. First, remove the driver from duty.

“I always stop duty, period,” she said, regardless of the task.

Second, bring in a second observer, a step not required by regulation but one she strongly recommends. Crucially, that second supervisor should not be told what to look for, so their observations stand on their own. Testing should not be delayed while waiting for the observer, she cautioned, because most substances other than marijuana clear the body quickly.

The resulting conversation with the employee must be confidential, not held in a break room or a parking lot. The cause could be explained by a prescription or a medical condition, and a reasonable suspicion test, unlike a random or post-accident test, is not something coworkers should witness.

A refusal of a test by the employee, she noted, is treated as a positive.

Transporting the employee to the collection site carries its own risks. Lathrop recounted two trips in which impaired employees grabbed her steering wheel — once on Interstate 15 in Las Vegas. She warned supervisors never to drive an erratic employee alone or in a personal vehicle, where liability falls on the supervisor and their personal insurance.

She recommended a second person be present during the ride for volatile drivers. Employers should opt to use a mobile collection unit, where available, and arrange a safe ride home. If an employee refuses and drives off, she advised calling 911 and framing the call strictly around safety and facts. And she urged always running both a drug and an alcohol test because impaired drivers frequently have more than one substance in their system.

Above all, document. Court challenges arrive not two weeks later but 18 months later, Lathrop said, when memories have faded. Supervisors should record what was said, who reported it, the employee’s responses, the specific indicators, and the timeline, even if the employer ultimately decides not to test.

She also noted that school districts and companies need to have in their drug and alcohol policies how they will handle an employees who ultimately test to a 0.04 percent blood-alcohol content, the federal threshold for CDL holders to be considered driving while intoxicated. But what if the driver tests below 0.04? They are not fit to drive.

The organization will need to have a policy for how to address the employee, if they are to be reassigned for the rest of the day, they are suspended with or without pay, or they are simply sent home.

A Shifting Drug Landscape

Much of the class addressed how impairment now hides in plain sight. Marijuana, Lathrop said, has been transformed by legalization. The average potency of THC in marijuana has climbed from 2- to 4 percent before legalization to roughly 30 percent when bought from dispensaries. The percentage can be even higher in edibles.
She linked broader legalization to about a 30-percent rise in workplace vehicle accidents and an 8-percent increase in OSHA-reportable injuries.

Lathrop noted that flavored vapes make marijuana far harder to detect by smell. Its telltale sign on the job, she
said, is time distortion such as missed deadlines, tardiness and late pickups worth documenting.

She walked through the rest of the DOT five-panel test — including cocaine, methamphetamine, opioids and PCP in addition to marijuana — then flagged a longer list of threats that do not appear on it, including synthetic drugs,
ketamine, alcohol-spiked energy drinks, and “krokodil.”

The gravest, she said, is fentanyl, now widely used to lace other street drugs. She cited local tragedies, including Reno high school students who died after taking counterfeit pills, and a group near South Lake Tahoe who died in 2024 after using cocaine cut with fentanyl.

What to Watch For and What Not To

For all the pharmacology, Lathrop kept returning to observation. The indicator list supervisors receive is drawn from court cases, she said, but no single sign is proof. Weariness or a blank stare could mean nothing on its own. Alcohol can justify a test on smell alone but drugs require a pattern.

“You have to build a case,” she said.

Her top physical tell is pupil size. In an average-lit room, a pupil should fill about half the iris and should respond to changes in lighting. A pupil that stays fixed, or an employee who abruptly puts on sunglasses, is a red flag. She also pointed to behavior, speech and body odor, distinguishing fresh alcohol from the “stale” smell that can still fail a next-morning breath test.

And she cautioned supervisors against overplaying the role. “Don’t be a creeper,” she said, waving off binoculars and stakeouts.

Everything a supervisor needs, she said, comes from a straightforward and well-documented conversation.

This article written with the assistance of AI from a session transcript.

The post Reasonable Suspicion Training Sharpens Supervisors’ Eye for Impaired School Bus Drivers appeared first on School Transportation News.

70 Bus Drivers Needed in Florida District Ahead of New School Year

School Transportation News

By: Merari Acevedo

29 June 2026 at 15:41

Polk County Public Schools is working to fill about 70 bus driver positions before students return to class this fall, as the district continues to face a nationwide shortage of qualified drivers, reported Spectrum News.

Transportation Operations Director George Millar said recruiting additional drivers is a top priority ahead of the upcoming school year.

Millar, who has worked in public school transportation for more than 30 years, began his career as a school bus driver before moving into a leadership role. He said driving a school bus offers an opportunity to make a lasting impact on students throughout their academic careers. “It’s very rewarding and you could be a very large success,” Millar told local news reporters.

He said drivers often build relationships with students over many years, from their first days of school through graduation. “All the way from when they’re 5-years-old or even younger sometimes, all the way through seeing them walk across that stage at graduation. It is so rewarding,” he said.

Millar said some prospective applicants may be discouraged by the commercial driver’s license, or CDL, testing process. However, he said via the report that the district provides training materials and support to help candidates prepare for and pass the required written exam.

“For the individuals applying with us, we’ll help them get through that process,” Millar told reporters. “We will give them the training materials to help them study for that test and to be successful.” After completing the exam, new hires continue receiving hands-on training before driving routes independently, he said.

Increasing Pay to Fill Bus Driver Positions

To attract more applicants to fill the 70 bus driver positions, the district recently increased base pay for bus drivers by 2 percent, bringing hourly wages to just over $19. Drivers are also eligible to work seven-hour shifts with opportunities for additional earnings.

Millar said some drivers may have the option to park their buses at home, depending on where they live, reducing commute times and adding convenience. “In some areas you might even be able to park your school bus at home just to make it more convenient for you,” he said.

Millar said the district remains focused on supporting employees while ensuring reliable transportation for students. Applications for bus driver and bus attendant intern positions are available through the Polk County Public Schools website.

Written with the assistance of AI.

The post 70 Bus Drivers Needed in Florida District Ahead of New School Year appeared first on School Transportation News.

Beloved Missouri School Bus Driver Retires After 27 Years, More Than 1 Million Miles

School Transportation News

By: Merari Acevedo

16 June 2026 at 20:02

Students at Spoede Elementary School gave longtime school bus driver Carolyn Taylor a hero’s farewell on the last day of school, celebrating her retirement after 27 years behind the wheel and more than 1 million miles safely driven, reported KSDK News.

Lining the school walkway with pom-poms in hand, students cheered and chanted “Ms. Taylor! Ms. Taylor!” as she made her final walk-through campus, stopping to give high-fives to children she had transported for generations.

“She greets us with the warmest smile every time,” said student Avya Kumar to local news reporters.

Taylor began working for the Ladue School District in 1997 as a school bus monitor. She became a driver after realizing she could earn more with a commercial license. “I’m like, ‘No, no. Come on Carolyn. It’s time to get your license,’” she recalled with a laugh.

She spent the next 27 years driving the same Route L-10, becoming a familiar presence for countless families in the neighborhood. “Ms. Taylor is like part of our family,” said Lisa Ross, whose four children rode Taylor’s bus over the years. “She’s the best and she knows every kid, every parent, every everything.”

Ross reportedly loved Taylor so much that 19 years ago, she started an annual tradition called the “Bus Stop Bash,” a celebration for everyone at her bus stop held on one of the last day of school. The event features donuts and chocolate milk for students and families. What began as a small gathering at Ross’ home gradually spread down Grazer Road, growing into a neighborhood tradition that became as much a part of the school year as the first day of class.

Taylor reportedly made it a point to know far more than the names on her route roster. She learned students’ siblings, remembered family stories and kept in touch with generations of riders. Holiday cards from families decorated her bus each year, and she often asked parents about former students who had long since graduated and were now adults.

At Christmas, Taylor handed out candy canes to riders and made sure younger siblings at home received one, too.

Former rider Riley Deutsch, now a second-grade teacher at Spoede, said Taylor built trust with students through kindness and consistency. “The kids love and trust her, and they want to do well for her,” Deutsch said via the article.

Transportation Director Joe Griffin described Taylor as “the grandmother of the Ladue School District Transportation Department,” praising both her compassion and reliability. “She is so sweet and so loving and would do anything for any of the kids,” Griffin said to reporters.

District officials estimate Taylor drove more than 1 million miles during her career, enough to circle the Earth roughly 46 times. Though she considered retiring several years ago, Taylor said students persuaded her to stay. “The kids kept saying, ‘Ms. Taylor, please don’t go,’” she said.

Now approaching her 70th birthday, Taylor plans to undergo knee replacement surgery, visit her grandchildren in Arizona, and take a long-awaited trip to Dubai.

When asked what she will miss most, Taylor pointed to the students. “I may come to work feeling bad, but those kids say something and that pain goes away,” she said.

Written with assistance from AI.

The post Beloved Missouri School Bus Driver Retires After 27 Years, More Than 1 Million Miles appeared first on School Transportation News.

Retirements Spur Summer Hiring Push to Address School Bus Driver Shortages

School Transportation News

By: Merari Acevedo

16 June 2026 at 19:10

School districts across the country are preparing for a wave of summer retirements of school bus drivers, adding pressure to an already strained student transportation workforce.

To address the growing shortage, school districts are ramping up recruitment efforts through hiring events, sign-on bonuses, paid training programs, referral incentives, and retention initiatives aimed at attracting and keeping qualified drivers.

One district taking a hands-on approach is Branson Public Schools in Missouri. The district’s transportation department hosted its first annual “Take the Wheel” Driving Event on June 13, giving community members the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a school bus, meet transportation staff and learn more about available career opportunities.

The event was designed to provide prospective applicants with a firsthand summer-time look at what it is like to serve as a school bus driver while highlighting the benefits of the profession, including flexible schedules and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on students’ daily lives. Participants visited multiple event locations throughout the community, while bus test drives were available at Buchanan Elementary. Branson’s initiative reflects a growing trend among school districts looking beyond traditional job postings to recruit new drivers, especially to address retirements.

In Alabama, Tuscaloosa City Schools recently hosted a Bus Driver Hiring Fair, where prospective applicants could receive assistance with the application process, schedule fingerprinting appointments and participate in on-the-spot interviews. The school district is also offering a $2,000 signing bonus for new drivers, starting pay of $23.80 per hour, and paid commercial driver’s license (CDL) training, helping remove barriers for individuals interested in entering the profession.

Retirements Spur Need for More School Bus Driver Hiring

The urgency behind these recruitment efforts is driven not only by ongoing nationwide school bus driver shortages, but also by the retirements of a number of longtime drivers retiring this summer who have spent decades serving their communities.

In Georgia, Fayette County school bus driver Diane Vaughn recently retired at age 82 after an extraordinary 50-year career. According to local news reports, Vaughn began driving in 1976 to secure health insurance for her child’s cancer treatment and quickly developed a passion for the profession. Over the past five decades, she safely transported thousands of students and became a familiar face to generations of families. The Fayette County School Board honored her service with a specially made 50-year service pin and a standing ovation, recognizing a career that exemplifies the dedication many veteran drivers have brought to student transportation.

In Tennessee, retiring Wilson County Schools bus driver Frances Theiring is also marking the end of a remarkable career. According to local news reports, Theiring, who spent nearly 50 years driving a special education bus and teaching in a special education classroom in Mt. Juliet, will become the first woman from Wilson County inducted into the Tennessee School Bus Driver Hall of Fame. Honored recently by fellow drivers and district staff at the transportation department’s year-end cookout, Theiring said she felt “overwhelmed but grateful” as she reflected on a career dedicated to serving students and families.

Theiring’s induction recognizes not only her longevity but also her commitment to safe and reliable transportation. According to the Tennessee School Bus Driver Hall of Fame, inductees must have at least 45 years of uninterrupted service as a daily route driver and demonstrate exceptional dedication, integrity and service to students. Wilson County Schools officials praised Theiring’s impact on the community, with school board chair Joe Padilla noting that her influence on generations of students and families cannot be measured.

Retirements like those of Vaughn and Theiring underscore the challenge facing school transportation departments nationwide. According to recent reports, Tuscaloosa City Schools continues to seek hiring additional drivers this summer for the upcoming school year, while school systems across the country are investing in recruitment and training programs to strengthen their transportation workforce.

From interactive experiences like Branson’s “Take the Wheel” event to hiring fairs, signing bonuses, competitive wages, and paid CDL training, districts are employing a variety of strategies to attract new drivers before students return to classrooms this fall. As veteran drivers leave the workforce after decades of service, transportation leaders are increasingly focused on finding innovative ways to ensure students have safe and reliable transportation for the school year ahead.

The post Retirements Spur Summer Hiring Push to Address School Bus Driver Shortages appeared first on School Transportation News.

Reasonable Suspicion Training on Driver Alcohol, Drug Use Comes to Reno

School Transportation News

By: Ruth Ashmore

1 June 2026 at 18:00

News headlines feature incidents of school bus drivers getting behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, which often leads to disastrous consequences.

Even if there are no student injuries, trust can be lost between the district and community when cases like this occur. A new training opportunity at the STN EXPO West conference will give student transportation leaders a thorough course in reasonable suspicion training of CDL employees.

Tonica Lathrop will be leading the “Supervisory Reasonable Suspicion Training” on Friday, July 10. Lathrop is the president of Reno, Nevada-based Sinnett Consulting Services. The company has over 25 years of experience in drug and alcohol policies, regulations, procedures and testing requirements. She has extensive experience in managing alcohol and drug compliance programs and developing drug-free workplace policies.

During the two-hour class, Lathrop will cover how supervisors can recognize the physical, behavioral, speech and performance indicators of probable employee alcohol or other controlled substances abuse. This portion of the training will also cover the misuse/abuse of over-the-counter medications, power drinks and energy formulas.

She will also discuss the legal aspects/concerns of reasonable cause and suspicion when conducting CDL drug and alcohol testing and corrective interviews. Attendees will also learn how to document performance problems associated with alcohol and drug abuse and how to discuss corrections with employees.

The class meets U.S. Department of Transportation training requirements and participants receive a certificate upon completion.

The Early Bird Deadline ends on June 5, register now to save $100 on main conference registration. STN EXPO West will be held July 9-15 at the Peppermill Resort in Reno, Nevada. The conference will feature hands-on training classes, educational sessions, a dynamic keynote presentation, and networking opportunities. Register now at stnexpo.com/west.

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