When thinking about a school bus, an age-old image comes to mind: rusted, yellow, diesel-fueled bus with peeling, gray vinyl seats that are always suspiciously sticky. And that vinyl smell is unforgettable.
But Santa Barbara Unified’s new 42-strong fleet is in much better shape. The buses still have that nostalgic smell and yellow exterior, but with fresh seats and added safety features — like seat belts. (Back in the day, three kids could cram into one seat and jump whenever the bus hit a speed bump.)
In February, the school district announced its $30 million, five-year contract with Zum to provide this modern student transportation, which also includes an AI platform with real-time location tracking and notifications to let parents know when their child gets on or off the bus.