Latest news with #RituNarayan
CNBC
2 days ago
- Automotive
- CNBC
36. Zum
Founders: Ritu Narayan (CEO), Vivek Garg, Abhishek GargLaunched: 2015Headquarters: Redwood City, CaliforniaFunding: $340.6 million (PitchBook)Valuation: $1.3 billion (PitchBook)Key Technologies: Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, machine learningIndustry: TransportationPrevious appearances on Disruptor 50 list: 2 (No. 31 in 2024) Parents can say goodbye to the days of their child missing the school bus. Through an EV school bus meets Uber-ride convenience hybrid transportation business model, Zum is using technology to disrupt a student transportation market estimated to be worth as much as $50 billion. With the use of AI and cloud computing, Zum has created a mobile application with live bus maps that allow parents to know when the school bus is coming, when their child has arrived at school and when their child is coming home. This application also serves as a means of communication between parents and drivers regarding route changes, student ride cancellations and snow days. On top of these safety and convenience measures, Zum's EV buses have helped offset 8.4 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually. Yet, what makes Zum's EV model even more appealing to schools is its ability to save money that can be put back toward the classroom, as EVs cut energy costs by 80% and maintenance costs by 60%, according to Zum's data. Last August, Zum launched the first-ever all-electric school bus fleet in the country with the Oakland Unified School District. Through a partnership with Pacific Gas & Electric, Zum's district-wide fleet utilizes V2G (vehicle to grid) bidirectional charging, which allows buses to return energy to electrical grids. While the initial cost of an EV school bus is roughly two to three times the cost of their diesel counterparts, the V2G model enables electric fleets to be more cost-effective for schools in the long run. School districts can expect to gain over $100,000 in lifetime fuel and maintenance savings with an electric bus, according to the Electric School Bus Initiative. Since Zum's launch in 2015, the company has worked with 4,000 schools across 14 states. Narayan's initial vision for Zum reflected that of a fleet of private drivers transporting kids to and from school. Yet, when she went to pitch Zum to schools in the Bay Area, Narayan was met with schools offering to utilize Zum in the form of a privatized school bus fleet. Adjusting her business model to compete against companies like First Student and Student Transportation of America that serve a customer base of more than 25 million U.S. students, Narayan is continuing to chip away at the market opportunity. While the government has been a tailwind in recent years, it may now be an impediment to growth. Zum secured a conditional commitment for a $700 million loan from the U.S. Department of Energy in early January, a program that has been targeted by the Trump administration, especially loans finalized in the waning days of the Biden administration. It also received $58 million from the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean School Bus Program. The Trump administration's budget cuts in renewable energy and attempts to freeze EV charging funds introduce new hurdles.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Financial Times Names Zum to Its 2025 List of The Americas' Fastest Growing Companies
Recognition Marks Third Year in A Row Zum Has Appeared on Prestigious List REDWOOD CITY, Calif., April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Financial Times announced that Zūm has been named to its annual "The Americas' Fastest Growing Companies List," a recognition that supports Zum's position as the leader in modern student transportation. Zum ranks No. 28 on this year's list of the top 300 companies and is the highest-ranking company in the Logistics & Transportation category. This is the third year in a row that Zum has been named to this prestigious list of innovative leaders across North, South, and Latin America. "Zum is leading a national movement to change the status quo in student transportation and transform how we apply critical technological innovation into the largest mass transit system in the country," said Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO at Zum. "We are delighted to be named one of The Americas' Fastest Growing Companies by the Financial Times for the third year in a row, and to be included on a list of some of the most impressive companies across this Hemisphere." Zum unifies parents, students, school administrators and drivers on a single personalized end-to-end technology platform, enabling never-before-achieved levels of visibility and data-backed accountability. Through the Zum app, parents can view a profile of their child's bus driver, along with real-time tracking and notifications about their school bus location and their child's pickup or dropoff status. Zum also allows administrators to optimize routes and provides staff with real-time data and performance reports. Zum currently serves thousands of schools across 14 states, including districts in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland; Boston; Seattle; Spokane; Nashville; Omaha; Kansas City, Mo.; Howard County, Md.; and more. "From new school district partnerships to launching the nation's first all-electric school bus fleet with the ability to power the grid, we have made great strides in the past year in delivering a safe, reliable and equitable student transportation solution," Narayan added. "We are grateful to all of the families, drivers, school districts and communities nationwide that support our mission." Zum made history this year by launching the nation's first fully electrified school bus fleet in Oakland, CA that is equipped with groundbreaking vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology that enables the buses to return 2.1 gigawatt hours of energy to the grid, overall improving grid resilience and reliability during times of peak demand. This technology will soon be deployed at scale. "The Americas' Fastest Growing Companies" is compiled by the Financial Times in partnership with Statista, and features the top 300 companies in the Americas that have achieved the strongest growth in revenues between 2020 and 2023. Data was collected through official sources like publicly available earning presentations, investor relations, websites and annual reports. The complete list of The Americas' Fastest Growing Companies 2025 can be found here. To learn more about how Zum is working with thousands of schools across the nation to deliver safe, reliable and modern student transportation, please visit Zum's website. About ZūmZum is a modern transportation solution transforming school transportation, the largest mass transit system in the U.S. Today, the company provides turnkey modern transportation solutions to school districts in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Utah, and Virginia, and is expanding rapidly nationwide. Recognized globally for its innovative transportation and energy as a service platform, Zum has been featured among Fast Company's World Changing Ideas, CNBC Disruptor 50, CNBC Changemakers, World Economic Forum and Financial Times' Fastest Growing Companies. Learn more about Zum at CONTACT: Jenny Mayfield, Vice President of Communications – press@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Zūm Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Zum to Host School Bus Driver and Attendant Hiring Fair for Saint Louis Public Schools
Existing drivers and new candidates are welcome at March 4-6 event in preparation for 2025-26 school year REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Feb. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Zūm, which has been awarded a three-year student transportation contract with Saint Louis Public Schools (SLPS) beginning in the 2025-26 school year, will host a three-day hiring event for school bus drivers and attendants on Tuesday, March 4; Wednesday, March 5; and Thursday, March 6, 2025; at the Courtyard St. Louis Downtown West (2340 Market St., St. Louis, MO 63103) from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT. (For existing drivers or those who work later afternoon hours, the hiring event will remain open until 6pm to ensure access). Zum is hiring 242 drivers and 55 attendants to cover 220 bus routes and serve the families of Saint Louis Public Schools. Certified drivers and attendants are encouraged to attend, as well as anyone considering a new career as a school bus driver. Zum pays for training and certification for those who are not yet certified. Zum offers competitive wages for school bus drivers ($28.07-$32.54/hour) and attendants ($17-$19.71/hour), guaranteed hours and modern benefits for all drivers, attendants and staff. Additionally, Zum provides top-of-the-line buses, equipment and technology to enhance safety and comfort for students and drivers and make drivers' day-to-day jobs easier and more enjoyable. Advanced training and certification programs include extensive ongoing training in transporting students with diverse needs and disabilities. "Zum shares our commitment to prioritizing the safety of students and drivers, and we encourage current drivers and new candidates to attend next week's hiring event," said Dr. Millicent Borishade, Superintendent of SLPS. "Through Zum, drivers will experience new, air-conditioned buses and state-of-the-art technology as well as other benefits. We look forward to launching this partnership in the 2025-26 school year." "Drivers are at the heart of what we do at Zum, and we are excited to build our team of bus drivers in Saint Louis Public Schools," said Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO at Zum. "At this hiring fair, we are excited to meet existing drivers and attendants as well as anyone looking for a new career. We take great pride in being a choice employer in cities where we have partnerships." Zum is a "Great Places to Work" certified company, committed to providing the safe, reliable, efficient and modern transportation services that SLPS students, families, school and district administrators and drivers deserve. Anyone interested in driving or who knows someone interested that cannot attend one of Zum's hiring events can apply here. Zum manages and operates student transportation in over 4,000 schools across 14 states nationwide. To learn more about how Zum is working with thousands of schools to deliver safe, reliable and modern student transportation, please visit Zum's website. About Zūm Zum is a modern transportation solution transforming school transportation, the largest mass transit system in the U.S. Today, the company provides turnkey modern transportation solutions to school districts in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Utah and Virginia, and is expanding rapidly nationwide. Recognized globally for its innovative transportation and energy as a service platform, Zum has been featured among Fast Company's World Changing Ideas, CNBC Disruptor 50, CNBC Changemakers, World Economic Forum and Financial Times' Fastest Growing Companies. Learn more about Zum at CONTACT:Jenny Mayfield, Vice President of Communications - press@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Zūm
