After a Year of Routine Bus Route Cancellations, KCPS Ditches STA and Announces Zum as New Transportation Provider 

Image of Zum School Bus (School Transportation News/Zum) Background In 2019, Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) parted ways with long time bus contract company First Student and enlisted the services of Student Transportation of America (STA). That following year, a global pandemic shifted the world and many schools across the nation felt the impact of a massive bus driver shortage. Since then, KCPS and STA have struggled to provide students reliable bus transportation. For parents, the 2023-2024 school year was a standout year of STAs shortcomings. Students missed several days of school because of canceled bus routes, and their academics suffered as a resultFor parents, their frustration extended to the lack of transparency from KCPS–all year long parents were asking questions and not getting answers. Parents have been feeling uncertain and concerned about transportation for the upcoming year. And now, KCPS has finally provided a response: Zum, a student transportation service, will now take over the duties of getting students to and from school for the 2024-2025 school year. The KCPS and STA Shortcomings& & Since the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, students at KCPS have grappled with the challenges of unreliable bus transportation. Throughout the year, both KCPS...