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Zum Celebrates New Philadelphia Operations Site and Hosts Driver Hiring Event

By: STN

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.

Washoe County School District in Nevada Launches New Bus Tracking System

The Washoe County School District in northwest Nevada is introducing a new system that will allow families to track school buses and receive real-time transportation updates, reported KOLO 8 News.

According to the article, the district is partnering with Zum to provide families with information about the location of their child’s bus and whether it is expected to arrive on schedule. Families and students may download mobile apps to view bus schedules and access the tracking system.

Washoe County School District Chief Operating Officer Adam Searcy said the district transports about 20,000 students to and from school each day. He said the system is designed to improve communication among students, families, and the district during those trips.

“It will also be useful for families whose children are traveling to and from extracurricular activities like games and field trips, helping them keep track of where their children are and when they will be returning to the school,” Searcy said via the report.

Access to Zum notifications and transportation information will reportedly be limited to individuals listed as a student’s guardian in the district’s Infinite Campus system. The district is asking families to review their accounts and ensure their contact information is current so they can access the service and receive updates.

Elementary school students will reportedly receive a physical bus pass during the first week of school. Parents and guardians will be instructed to attach the pass to the student’s backpack. Middle and high school students with smartphones will use the Zum-Riders app as their bus pass. Students who do not have a smartphone will receive a physical pass instead.

If students forget their physical or digital pass or cannot access it when boarding, the bus driver will be able to scan them into the system. The process is intended to ensure students may still board their assigned buses while maintaining an accurate transportation record.

Written with the assistance of AI.


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Transfinder Sweeps 2026 STN EXPO West Innovation Choice Awards

By: Ryan Gray

RENO, Nev. — Transfinder swept the 2026 STN EXPO Innovation Choice Awards, taking first place in each of four product categories after main conference attendees cast ballots July 13 and 14 during the STN EXPO West trade show.

The program, in its fifth consecutive year, recognized a winner and two finalists in the categories of Best Green Technology, Best Hardware, Best Safety Technology and Best Software/AI Solutions. A tie in the safety category expanded that group, with three products sharing third place. The results reflected attendees’ evaluations of technology presented on the show floor for use in school transportation operations.

Only STN EXPO West main conference attendees who are employees of school districts, bus contractors or consultants were eligible to vote.

Best Green Technology

Transfinder won Best Green Technology for Ride Impact Metrics, or RIM. The tool helps school districts and families quantify the broader effects of yellow school bus service by estimating avoided carbon emissions, household driving time saved and transportation savings. Attendee Sandy Dillman, this year’s winner of the Peter J. Grandolfo Memorial Award of Excellence, praised Transfinder’s “great products” and “even better customer service.”

RIDE earned second-place honors for its Blade Battery, a lithium-iron phosphate battery designed for electric vehicles with an emphasis on safety, energy density and cycle life. Attendee Denise George said, “Our best EV is from RIDE.”

Thomas Built Buses was the third-place finalist for the Saf-T-Liner eHDX2 Wattson, a Type D electric school bus that combines an 800-volt powertrain, integrated eAxle, flexible charging and vehicle-to-grid capability.

Best Hardware

STN EXPO West trade show attendees voted the Wayfinder Hardware Suite from Transfinder as Best Hardware. The integrated suite combines RFID reading, barcode and QR scanning, push-to-talk communication and PIN-based student identification, giving drivers more options to identify students and communicate with dispatch through one platform.

Zum Services took second place for its Connected Mobility Experience, or Zum CMX, which integrates routing, dispatch, workforce management, safety systems, communications and operational dashboards. Stone Mountain Ltd. received third-place honors for the UVox USB C Push to Talk Speaker Mic, which connects to Android, iOS and Windows devices over push-to-talk cellular networks and includes a dedicated emergency button.

Best Safety Technology

Transfinder’s Live Share won Best Safety Technology. The real-time mapping and incident-response tool allows transportation teams to share interactive maps, drawings and operational information with trusted recipients through secure text-based access. The company said the tool is designed to support coordination during emergencies, events and daily transportation planning.

Zonar’s Bus Suite was the second-place finalist. The platform brings routing, fleet management, GPS tracking, student ridership verification, driver workflows, dispatch, vehicle inspections and parent communication into one operational view intended to improve visibility and response time.

A three-way tie for third place honored Q’Straint, IC Bus and Geotab. Q’Straint ONE simplifies wheelchair securement through an all-in-one platform with visual and audible locking indicators. Attendee Christine Campoli-Silva called the Q’Straint system “very impressive.”

IC Bus was recognized for Fusion 3.0, which integrates radar, cameras, driver alerts and automated braking assistance. Geotab earned its place with Vitality, a program that uses telematics data, positive reinforcement and rewards to encourage safer driving behavior.


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 Best Software/AI Solutions

Transfinder completed its four-category sweep with Atlas & Intelligent Tools. The platform applies AI-assisted search and automation to routing, planning and operational data, including the use of actual bus speeds and stop times to improve maps and schedules. Attendee Jose Cruz cited its potential to provide “help with routing.”

Tyler Technologies earned second place for Rider AI Assistant, a chat interface within Tyler’s Student Transportation solution that answers operational questions and builds reports from plain-language prompts. IC Bus received third-place honors for My International, a connected platform that provides mixed-fleet vehicle monitoring, maintenance alerts, service management and dealer communication in one dashboard.

By placing the decision with eligible main conference attendees on the trade show floor, the Innovation Choice Awards highlighted the products that resonated most with the school transportation professionals who could evaluate them in person. Recognizing the top finishers in each category also broadened the spotlight on the range of new technology supporting safer, cleaner and more connected student transportation.

Article written with the assistance of AI.

The post Transfinder Sweeps 2026 STN EXPO West Innovation Choice Awards appeared first on School Transportation News.

Tech Talk with Zūm: Reimagining Student Mobility

RENO, Nev. – During a Monday session at STN EXPO West, Vivek Garg, COO of Zūm who previously spent 11 years as an army officer, spoke on his drive “to make transportation a better experience for our students.” He appraised the school bus industry’s traditional prioritization of on-time performance, sharing the story of Priya, a student whose pre-test anxiety was rooted in bus uncertainty, to illustrate why Zūm now prioritizes the “ready to learn” metric.

This is read by an automated voice.

Drawing on a study by NORC at the University of Chicago, he revealed that 54 percent of students experience transportation-related anxiety, resulting in 55 billion lost instructional minutes and $15 billion in annual losses – despite school buses moving 26 million students daily, making it the nation’s largest mass transit system and the second-largest ticket item in district budgets.

Zūm’s Connected Mobility Experience (CMX™), deployed in 18 states and supporting 139 million bus rides, unifies students, families, drivers, dispatchers, operations managers, board members and superintendents. The platform democratizes bus ride feedback, enabling parents to rate rides even if they don’t speak English – amassing 1.7 million ratings with a 4.9-star average – and achieves over 98 percent on-time performance.

In Kansas City Public Schools, Zūm CMX drove an 86 percent decrease in transportation-related absenteeism, a 2.5 percent increase in attendance, a 150 percent rise in athletics and field trip participation, improved graduation rates, and a leap in daily ridership from 4,900 to 9,100 out of 10,000 students.

“When your transportation becomes reliable, when a family knows that this bus ride is going to happen or that they can plan when there is an issue, these are the outcomes,” Garg explained.

He took attendees on a virtual tour through the Zūm CMX platform, showing how it empowers dispatchers and operations managers with color-coded dashboards that highlight delayed buses, automates standby driver assignment and suggests the best drivers for split routes. Outdated processes involving binders of paper route sheets and text messages to drivers are replaced by real-time driver tablet notifications, including street views of new stops and navigation along familiar routes. Drivers start getting paid when they check-in, and schools receive real-time drop-off updates. The system instantly notifies parents of driver changes, complete with the substitute’s name and years of experience for transparency and reassurance.

Zūm CMX is not a far-off promise but a live, robust solution, used by Boston Public Schools and in complex urban environments like San Francisco, where over 200 school buses run three daily routes back-to-back. By centering the “ready to learn” metric, unifying all stakeholders, and leveraging technology, Zūm eliminates anxiety and transforms transportation into a reliable, connected experience that fosters student success.

“Are you ready to reimagine school transportation systems for your school district?” Garg asked attendees.

Written with the assistance of AI from a live transcript.


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The post Tech Talk with Zūm: Reimagining Student Mobility appeared first on School Transportation News.

LA Metro Has Contracted with Zum for Transportation During FIFA World Cup 2026 Tournament in Los Angeles

By: STN

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has partnered with Zūm, a leader in modern student mobility, to be an official transportation provider during the FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament in Los Angeles.

From June 12 – July 10, Zum will deliver shuttle service at L.A.’s SoFi Stadium for Zones 1, 2 and 3 for athletes, teams and ticket holders during eight World Cup matches, including the U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) opening match. This decision reinforces Zum’s reputation as a trusted mobility provider and its growing momentum across the country.

“At Zum, we take great pride in providing safe, reliable and equitable mobility for thousands of schools nationwide,” said Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO of Zum. “FIFA World Cup 2026 will give millions of fans all over the world a chance to connect and celebrate, and, through this partnership with LA Metro, we are honored to be part of it. We look forward to serving athletes and fans at this historic event in Los Angeles.”

Zum is a national leader in modern student mobility. Adopted in 17 states, serving over 4,500 schools in some of the largest districts in the country, including Los Angeles Unified, Boston Public Schools, San Francisco Unified, Omaha Public Schools, and Kansas City Public Schools. It is revolutionizing mass mobility with Zum CMX, a fully integrated system that coordinates people, vehicles and operations in real time.

In addition to student mobility, Zum’s charter services provide bus and van rentals for school trips, sports travel, vacations and other events. Zum’s state-of-the-art vehicles are fully updated with the latest technology and are priced fairly.

Benefits of Zum include highly trained drivers that meet all state and federal requirements along with the Zum CMX system that optimizes routes, reduces ride times and increases transparency and communication between families, drivers and schools.

To learn more about how Zum is leading the nation in safe and reliable student mobility, visit www.ridezum.com.

About Metro

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is building the most ambitious transportation infrastructure program in the United States and is working to greatly improve mobility through its Vision 2028 Plan. Metro is the lead transportation planning and funding agency for L.A. County and carries nearly 1 million boardings daily on a fleet of 2,200 low-emission buses and six rail lines. The latest October 2025 customer experience survey showed that customer satisfaction has risen to 87%. Stay informed by following Metro on The Source and El Pasajero at metro.net, facebook.com/losangelesmetro, x.com/metrolosangeles, x.com/metroLAalerts and instagram.com/metrolosangeles.

About Zum

Zum is revolutionizing mass mobility with its Connected Mobility Experience (Zum CMX™) system that connects and coordinates people, vehicles, and operations in real time. In the $50 billion student mobility market – the largest segment of the mass mobility industry – Zum CMX is transforming a daily source of anxiety and disruption into a reliable, transparent, and efficient mobility experience for students and families. Today, more than 4,500 schools rely on Zum CMX. Recognized globally for its innovative approach and operational execution, Zum has been named to Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies, CNBC Disruptor 50 and Changemakers, the World Economic Forum, and the Financial Times’ Fastest Growing Companies lists. Zum is backed by leading investors including Sequoia Capital, GIC, SoftBank, and TPG. Zum, Zum CMX, and associated logos are trademarks of Zum Services, Inc. All rights reserved. Learn more at www.ridezum.com.

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Introducing Zum Connected Mobility Experience (CMX™): Revolutionizing Student Mobility

By: STN

Zūm’s AI-Powered System Is Addressing Pain Points and Driving Measurable Results for School Districts Nationwide

According to new research conducted by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago, 54% of parents report their child has expressed worry or concern about using school transportation. This anxiety – caused by uncertainty, delays, and disruption in getting to and from school – doesn’t end when students arrive; it shows up in the classroom and makes learning harder. It ripples through families and school communities every single day. Based on missed school days and late bus arrivals alone, legacy systems create approximately 55 billion lost instructional minutes per year, or roughly $15 billion in wasted educational spending.

The research identifies a widespread but under-recognized problem, which Zum calls the “Transportation Anxiety Crisis.” This anxiety can show up in the classroom, making it harder for students to learn in the classroom.

Zum is transforming student mobility nationwide — and easing transportation anxiety — through its fully integrated Connected Mobility Experience (CMX™) system that connects people, vehicles, and operations in real time, creating reliable, transparent and efficient transportation for families and schools.

“Before Zum, we had no real-time visibility,” says Kim Raney, Executive Director of Transportation, Procurement, & Warehouse – Business Operations for Oakland Unified School District (CA). “Parents would call asking where the bus was, and by the time we got an answer, the child was already home. Now everyone sees the same information and the anxiety just disappears.”

Addressing Transportation Anxiety

Zum CMX™ is a first-of-its-kind, AI-powered system that is enabling transportation operations to move from disconnection and anxiety to measurable improvements in reliability, transparency, and efficiency for students and districts nationwide.

Adopted in 17 states, Zūm CMX now provides a unified, connected system across more than 4,500 schools, enhancing the overall student experience for each stakeholder — students, parents, school, districts, drivers and operators.

Making a Difference in School Districts Coast-to-Coast

Zūm CMX is being adopted by major districts from coast-to-coast, including Omaha Public Schools, Boston Public Schools, Kansas City Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified, and San Francisco Unified.

Unlike traditional systems that rely on disconnected vendors and manual processes, Zūm CMX is an AI-driven system that integrates apps and dashboards, platform capabilities, operations, people, and physical infrastructure. Zūm CMX seamlessly orchestrates routing, dispatch, workforce management, safety systems, and stakeholder communications within a single operating model to deliver delightful mobility experiences to all stakeholders.

Improving the Lives of Students and Families – One District at a Time

Zūm CMX is benefitting students, parents, schools, drivers and operators in measurable ways:

The results in Kansas City Public Schools are stunning:

  • One year after being implemented, Zūm CMX has driven an 89% increase in ridership
  • Transportation-related absences went from 25% to 5.6%
  • Student attendance increased by 2.5% and extracurricular competitive access by 150+%
  • Graduation rate hit a decades-high of 88.6%

A Proven Approach to Student Mobility

Zūm CMX is improving access to education while helping districts save money. It is ensuring students arrive at school safely and on time so they are ready to learn — while keeping parents and schools connected at every turn.

Learn more about how Zūm CMX is delivering modern transportation solutions to thousands of schools nationwide at www.ridezum.com.

The post Introducing Zum Connected Mobility Experience (CMX™): Revolutionizing Student Mobility appeared first on School Transportation News.

Zum and SFUSD Announce Largest Electric School Bus Deployment in the Nation

By: STN

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — Today Zūm, the leader in modern student mobility, announced the deployment of an all-electric school bus fleet to San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD). Powered by Zum’s Connected Mobility Experience (CMX™) solution, the deployment will combine electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, routing intelligence, real-time operations, and transparency for families into its single integrated transportation system. All electric buses will be supported by modern charging infrastructure with built-in bidirectional vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities, making this bidirectional electric school bus fleet the largest in the United States.

Zum celebrated Phase One of the electrification effort today at a groundbreaking event attended by local and state leaders, including State Senator Scott Wiener; Superintendent Maria Su; San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu; SFUSD Commissioner Gupta and SFUSD Commissioner Ray.

“Today marks a major achievement in Zum’s national electrification efforts as well as an exciting evolution of our successful partnership with San Francisco Unified School District,” said Ritu Narayan, CEO of Zum. “This state-of-the-art electric fleet, combined with Zum’s CMX technology, will improve the mobility experience for students, families, and drivers while strengthening grid reliability and resiliency for the entire community. We are building connected mobility infrastructure that benefits both schools and cities.

In August of 2026, Zum will deploy 104 electric school buses with bidirectional charging infrastructure in San Francisco. These buses will provide quiet, zero-emission transportation to students and will have the capability to return approximately 3 gigawatt-hours of clean energy to the local grid annually during peak hours, providing power to 1.2 million homes for up to 3-4 hours. Plans include adding additional electric buses to complete the 2027-2028 school year to make a total of 238 EVs with bidirectional charging in San Francisco.

This project has been made possible through the strong support of EPA Region 9, the California Energy Commission, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and PG&E through a combination of grants and incentive programs focused on advancing clean transportation, electrification, and grid resilience infrastructure.

“This investment reflects our commitment to improving the daily experience for students and families by providing safer, quieter, cleaner, and more reliable transportation to and from school, while also advancing the district’s long-term operational and sustainability goals,” said Superintendent Dr. Maria Su. “Through the partnership between SFUSD, Zum, our Board of Education, the City of San Francisco, transportation staff, and families, we are building a transportation system designed to better serve students today and support future generations.”

“This milestone represents a historic moment for San Francisco Unified and the city’s broader sustainability goals,” said Senator Scott Wiener. “These electric school buses will deliver cleaner air and a quieter ride for students, giving them the best possible start to the school day. During peak demand hours, the buses will return energy to the local grid, improving affordability and resiliency for the city. Together, Zum and SFUSD are setting a national standard for cleaner, more sustainable transportation.”

A Five-Year Record of Modernization Through Zum CMX™

SFUSD chose Zum to modernize student transportation through Zum’s Connected Mobility Experience (Zum CMX™) -a fully integrated technology and operations system that connects people, vehicles, and infrastructure in real time.

Partnering with Zum, students, families, and schools across the district have experienced:

  • 98% on average on-time performance;
  • 100% route coverage with zero driver shortages;
  • Competitive pay, guaranteed hours, and full benefits for drivers;
  • Approximately $3.5 million in annual transportation cost savings for the District, reducing the transportation budget by 10%;
  • Real-time bus tracking, ETAs, and live communication through the Zum parent app, which has received more than 392,100 five-star ratings from SFUSD families.
  • The Zum CMX™ system orchestrates the entire transportation ecosystem -from routing, dispatch, and fleet operations to driver workflows, parent communication, and energy management – creating a more reliable, transparent, and efficient experience for all stakeholders.

Electrification That Benefits the Entire Community

Zum’s electric fleet in San Francisco will 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 (V2G) capacity transforms what has traditionally been an underutilized transportation asset into a strategic distributed energy resource — improving reliability, maximizing the value of district infrastructure, and supporting long-term sustainability goals.

Integrated through Zum’s CMX™ platform, the electric fleet and charging network will enable real-time intelligent orchestration of transportation operations and energy use, helping optimize fleet performance while supporting grid stability during peak demand periods.

A proven leader in electrification and V2G technology, Zum launched the nation’s first all-electric school bus fleet in 2024 in Oakland. In April, Zum announced the deployment of a fully electric school bus fleet for Branford Public Schools, which will make Branford the largest fully electric school district in the Northeast with V2G capabilities.

Adopted in 17 states across more than 4,500 schools, Zum partners with major districts including Omaha Public Schools, Boston Public Schools, Kansas City Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified, and Seattle Public Schools. Zum’s fully integrated Connected Mobility Experience (Zum CMX™) system is designed to connect people, vehicles, and operations in real time, reducing anxiety and creating reliable, safe, and seamless transportation for families and schools.

To learn more about how Zum is leading the nation in safe, reliable, and connected student mobility, visit Zum.

About Zum

Zum is revolutionizing mass mobility with its Connected Mobility Experience (Zum CMX™) system that connects and coordinates people, vehicles, and operations in real time. In the $50 billion student mobility market – the largest segment of the mass mobility industry – Zum CMX is transforming a daily source of anxiety and disruption into a reliable, transparent, and efficient mobility experience for students and families. Today, more than 4,500 schools rely on Zum CMX. Recognized globally for its innovative approach and operational execution, Zum has been named to Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies, CNBC Disruptor 50 and Changemakers, the World Economic Forum, and the Financial Times’ Fastest Growing Companies lists. Zum is backed by leading investors including Sequoia Capital, GIC, SoftBank, and TPG. Zum, Zum CMX, and associated logos are trademarks of Zum Services, Inc. All rights reserved. Learn more at www.ridezum.com.

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Women Presidents Organization and J.P. Morgan Name Zum to List of 50 Fastest-Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies

By: STN

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., – The Women Presidents Organization (WPO) has named Zūm to its list of the 2026 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies™, supported by J.P. Morgan Commercial Banking.

Zum ranks No. 4 on this year’s list, which highlights the impressive scale, growth, and impact of women-owned or led enterprises around the world. To be eligible, all companies must be privately held, women-owned or led, and must have reached annual revenues of at least $500,000 in each of the last five years.

“Zum is proud to be modernizing mobility systems in more than 4,500 schools nationwide through Zum CMX™, a fully integrated system designed to eliminate the anxiety, uncertainty, and lack of visibility that have plagued student transportation for decades,” said Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO of Zum. “We are honored to be recognized on this prestigious list of the 2026 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies, and appreciate all of our team, customers, investors and partners who support our mission.”

“The women leading the 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies are not only scaling successful businesses, they are navigating change, seizing opportunity, and setting the pace within their industries,” said Camille Burns, CEO of the Women Presidents Organization. “Their collective impact reflects the growing influence of women at the highest levels of business. These companies are redefining what scalable leadership looks like today.”Companies on the 2026 list represent a wide array of industries, including travel and hospitality, digital marketing, manufacturing, consumer packaged goods, human capital solutions, information technology and more. Combined, the 2026 50 Fastest generated $8.5 billion in revenue and employed more than 23,000 people in 2025 alone.

Zum’s technology-led and data-driven approach improves transparency, communication, and efficiency while delivering a safer, more reliable experience for students and families. The company recently announced a $100 million strategic investment from TPG, bringing its total funding to $430 million and valuing Zum at $1.7 billion.

Adopted in 17 states, Zum delivers its unified system across more than 4,500 schools, including Omaha Public Schools, Boston Public Schools, Kansas City Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified, and San Francisco Unified. Zum’s fully integrated Connected Mobility Experience (CMX™) system connects people, vehicles, and operations in real time, reducing anxiety and creating reliable, safe and seamless transportation for families and schools.

The 2026 honorees will be formally recognized during the WPO Entrepreneurial Excellence Forum on May 7 in Hollywood, Florida. See the full list of the 2026 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies™ at women-presidents.com/news-events/50-fastest.

To learn more about how Zum is leading the nation in safe and reliable student mobility, visit www.ridezum.com.

About Women Presidents Organization (WPO)
The Women Presidents Organization (WPO) is a non-profit membership organization where dynamic and diverse women business leaders around the world tap into collective insight with exclusive access to entrepreneurial equals, innovative ideas, and executive education. WPO members have guided their business to generate at least $2 million USD in gross annual sales (or $1 million USD for a service-based business). Each WPO chapter serves as a professionally-facilitated peer advisory group for members where they can harness the momentum of their successes and cultivate new strategies that will take them even farther. Learn more at women-presidents.com.

About J.P. Morgan Commercial Banking
J.P. Morgan Commercial Banking is a business of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM), a leading global financial services firm with assets of $4.4 trillion and operations worldwide. Commercial Banking serves emerging startups to mid-corporate businesses as well as government entities, not-for-profit organizations, and commercial real estate investors, developers and owners. Clients are supported through every stage of growth with specialized industry expertise and tailored financial solutions including digital banking and payments solutions, credit and financing, international banking, advisory services and more. Information about J.P. Morgan Commercial Banking is available at www.jpmorganchase.com/commercial.

About Zum
Zum is revolutionizing mass mobility with its Connected Mobility Experience (Zum CMX™) system that connects and coordinates people, vehicles, and operations in real time. In the $50 billion student mobility market – the largest segment of the mass mobility industry – Zum CMX is transforming a daily source of anxiety and disruption into a reliable, transparent, and efficient mobility experience for students and families. Today, more than 4,500 schools rely on Zum CMX. Recognized globally for its innovative approach and operational execution, Zum has been named to Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies, CNBC Disruptor 50 and Changemakers, the World Economic Forum, and the Financial Times’ Fastest Growing Companies lists. Zum is backed by leading investors including Sequoia Capital, GIC, SoftBank, and TPG. Zum, Zum CMX, and associated logos are trademarks of Zum Services, Inc. All rights reserved. Learn more at www.ridezum.com.

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