Zum Debuts Electric School Buses in Two Calif. Districts

  • By Matt Jones
  • 03/07/22

Modern student transportation solutions company Zum announced recently that it has deployed its first batch of electric school buses. The six LionC electric school buses, manufactured by Lion Electric, are already serving students in the San Francisco Unified School District and the Oakland Unified School District, according to a press release.

Zum has also secured grants for more than 35 EV buses to flesh out OUSD’s electric fleet. It expects to convert 50 percent of the district’s buses to electric models by the end of the 2022–23 academic year.

"This marks an important point in our journey to lead the student transportation industry toward a zero-emission future," said Ritu Narayan, Zum’s CEO and founder. "The U.S. school bus fleet is double the size of all other mass transit combined and is a major contributor to the nation's carbon emissions. Our aim to make Zum's entire fleet electric by 2025 is rooted in creating a safer, healthier and more sustainable planet for all."

The press release reports that out of about 500,000 U.S. school buses, about 90 percent run on diesel and emit about 8.4 million metric tons of greenhouse gas per year. The LionC electric buses can travel as far as 125 miles on a single charge, reduce maintenance costs by 60 percent and reduce energy costs by up to 80 percent. Zum has also installed charging stations at each school that received an electric bus, and the company is working with the local community to flesh out a wider network of charging stations.

"We're proud to have a partner in Zum, who matches the district's commitment of making the environment and communities our students live in cleaner and healthier," said Kimberley Raney, OUSD’s Executive Director of Procurement, Transportation & Warehouse. "With the introduction of the first Zum electric school bus at OUSD and grants secured for over 35 additional electric buses, we are thrilled to begin our school transportation fleet's transition to electric and reach zero emission for half of our district transportation in the coming year."

The press release adds that the buses come equipped with Zum’s platform to provide drivers with route and navigation updates, help districts manage operations and give families full transparency and visibility. The cloud-based, multi-modal platform helps integrate district fleets to meet the needs of students, schools, districts, administrators and operators.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Electrifying Bus Fleets

    Now is an excellent time for K-12 “yellow” school buses, college campus transportation, and public transit systems to transition to zero-emission electric buses instead of traditional gas or diesel-powered models.

  • Case Systems makerspace

    Case Systems Launches Line of K–12 Learning Spaces Installations

    Case Systems recently announced the launch of SALTO, a line of classroom fixtures and installations for K–12 learning spaces like STEM labs, art rooms, and makerspaces, according to a news release. The product line is designed to provide teachers with flexibility and adaptability, enabling them to shift between collaborative and individual learning environments.

  • Massachusetts Charter School Opens New Academic Building

    The Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School (AMSA) in Marlborough, Mass., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new academic building, according to a news release. The 17,000-square-foot space will serve as a classroom and science lab building for the student population of almost a thousand in grades 6–12.

  • zSpace Imagine Learning Solution

    zSpace Introduces Headset-Free AR/VR System

    Immersive learning company zSpace has debuted the zSpace Imagine Learning Solution, a headset-free AR/VR laptop system designed for elementary education. The all-in-one platform integrates hardware, software, and hands-on lessons to create dynamic learning experiences for young students.