Listen to article \u2022\u00a00:00 min<\/p>\n
Coming soon to some Philadelphia school bus stops: technology that allows parents and schools to track their kids \u2014 and their buses \u2014 via an app, in real time.<\/p>\n
That represents a sea change for families on up to 200 yellow bus routes throughout the city. <\/p>\n
Most Philadelphia school buses are decidedly analog \u2014 some companies still provide written turn-by-turn directions for drivers, rather than equip buses with GPS. Families generally have no information on when their buses might show up<\/a>. <\/p>\n But the district recently selected Zum Inc., a Silicon Valley-based tech-and-transportation company, as one of its vendors, awarding it part of a massive $483 million contract for yellow bus services through 2031. Zum, which runs routes in 18 states and 6,500 districts nationwide, including Los Angeles Unified, Kansas City, Mo., Howard County, Md., and Boston, will operate at least 200 Philadelphia routes, though exact figures and contract totals have not yet been settled.<\/p>\n With its new, five-year contracts, awarded in April, the district dropped Durham School Services, a longtime vendor that had experienced some service<\/a> and other issues<\/a> amid a national bus-driver shortage. <\/p>\n Students who live more than 1.5 miles from their assigned school are eligible for free transportation from the district.<\/p>\n The school system transports only a fraction of its own elementary school students via district-owned yellow buses; the rest of the routes are serviced by providers that now include Zum. <\/p>\n