New bus provider for Fresno Unified special ed students. What about the drivers?
A new transportation provider is taking over busing services for special needs students in the Fresno Unified School District for the upcoming school year — but district officials say most students can expect to ride with the drivers they know.
Fresno Unified’s Special Education transportation program serves approximately 1,700 students with special needs across 168 dedicated routes, district officials said.
Fresno Unified School District said its long-time provider had challenges with being consistently fully staffed — a challenge that has reverberated across the country due to a nationwide bus driver shortage. The district ended its 10-year partnership with First Student Inc. this year and it approved a deal with Zūm Services Inc. to provide transportation services for its students starting August.
“One of Zūm’s strengths is in recruitment and retention, so they’ll be able to provide the full staffing of 168 drivers, plus the additional relief drivers needed,” district spokesperson AJ Kato said in a statement.
First Student drivers who currently serve FUSD routes and are in good standing have been guaranteed a position with Zūm, Kato said.
“This means many students will continue riding with the same drivers they already know, which is an important factor for students with special needs who benefit from consistent, familiar relationships,” Kato said.
First Student Inc., the Ohio-based provider of general and special education student transportation, has issued a WARN notice of permanent layoff to 170 employees in Fresno County effective July 1, one year after the FUSD board of trustee voted to end its longstanding contract.
“First Student is grateful for the opportunity to have served the students at Fresno Unified School District. It has been an honor to support the district, its students, and the broader community, and we extend our best wishes moving forward,” a company spokesperson said, in a statement to The Fresno Bee.
First Student said it still had contracts in Fresno County and would try to retain as many employees as possible or place them at other locations.
Who is Zūm?
Zūm is a transportation company that serves more than 4,500 schools and districts nationwide. The company provides an application and uses AI-technology so parents and teachers can track bus rides in real time.
Fresno Unified awarded Zūm a five-year transportation contract in 2025. The district started using Zūm technology last August to manage all district-operated general education bus routes, and in the 2026-27 school year will add all 168 special education routes.
Zūm said in a July 2025 press release it will provide higher wages and expanded benefits for drivers; a new fleet of buses with advanced equipment, including air conditioning; and continuous training and support for drivers and staff.
“Zūm’s partnership with Fresno Unified School District signals a growing national movement for modern, safe and equitable student transportation,” Ritu Narayan, founder and CEO at Zūm, said in the release. “Drivers are at the heart of our operation, and we take pride in having the best in the industry. We look forward to working with this outstanding school community.”
Union officials representing the affected bus drivers say that the safety and security of their members’ jobs has always been a top priority.
“From publicly raising concerns and demanding accountability from First Student to working directly with district leadership to ensure transportation workers received job opportunities during the transition to Zūm, we have fought every step of the way to protect our members,” said Jeremy Higgins, First Student Chapter President and Bus Driver.
“Our members have dedicated years of service to Fresno students and families, and we will continue pushing for solutions that protect both workers and the essential transportation services our community depends on,” Higgins said.
Fresno Bee reporter Leqi Zhong contributed to this report.
