Right on Schedule: Zum Gives America’s School Buses a 21st Century Upgrade

Every day, 27 million kids ride 500,000 school buses—the largest transit system in America. And yet, this 80-year-old relic is stuck in the past: buses are late, routes are inefficient, and parents have no clue where the bus is or when it’s coming. Ritu Narayan, founder and CEO of Zum, decided to fix it. All of it.

With real-time tracking, smarter routes, and electric buses, Zum has modernized student transportation for 4,000 schools, including the school districts of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Boston. In Oakland, Zum introduced the nation’s first fully electric school bus fleet, slashing emissions and cutting the number of buses needed nearly in half.

Zum isn’t just about buses—it’s a tech, Human Resources, logistics, and infrastructure company rolled into one. The result? Parents can breathe, kids get to class on time, and school districts finally have a system that works.

Ritu joins Supercool this week to discuss how Zum is making school buses smart, sustainable, and better for everyone.

Show Notes

Guest: Ritu Narayan, founder & CEO

Company: Zum

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What is Supercool?

Discover real-world climate solutions that cut carbon emissions, boost the bottom line, and improve modern life. Each week, climate entrepreneur and author Josh Dorfman pinpoints proven playbooks, business models, and technologies accelerating the low-carbon economy in future-forward towns and cities. Hear from CEOs, Mayors, startup founders, policymakers, and other innovators addressing climate change head-on to shape a smarter, more sustainable future.