Philadelphia Parents to Get Real-Time School Bus Tracking

Philadelphia Parents to Get Real-Time School Bus Tracking as District Launches High-Tech Transportation System

Parents in Philadelphia will soon have a new way to keep tabs on their children’s daily commute to and from school.

Beginning with the 2026-27 school year, families whose students ride buses operated by Zum, one of the School District of Philadelphia’s new transportation providers, will be able to track school buses in real time through a smartphone app.

What is Zum?

The technology offers parents live updates on bus locations, pickup and drop-off times, and notifications when their child boards or exits the bus.

The School District recently awarded Zum Inc., a California-based student transportation company, part of a five-year, $483 million contract for yellow bus services through 2031. Zum is expected to operate at least 200 bus routes serving roughly 330 schools across the city, though final route assignments are still being determined.

Families assigned to Zum-operated routes will be encouraged to download the company’s free mobile app, which provides GPS tracking and instant notifications throughout each school day.

How the Technology Works

The new system is designed to provide parents with real-time visibility into every step of their child’s ride.

Using the app, families can:

• Track the location of their child’s school bus in real time.
• Receive notifications when the bus is approaching.
• Get alerts when their child boards the bus.
• Be notified when their child arrives at school.
• Receive updates when their child is dropped off after school.
• See revised arrival times if traffic or other delays affect the route.

Inside the bus, drivers will use mounted tablets that provide turn-by-turn navigation, student pickup information and, when families choose to share them, student photos to help verify riders.

“We are privileged to partner with The School District of Philadelphia to set a new standard for reliable and efficient transportation across the district,” Zum Founder and CEO Ritu Narayan said in announcing the partnership.

“Through Zum’s advanced technology and operational expertise, families in Philadelphia will have peace of mind knowing every student has a dependable ride to school.”

For families accustomed to wondering whether a bus is running late, the new technology promises greater visibility, improved communication and, perhaps most importantly, added peace of mind as students travel to and from school each day.

Philadelphia Parents to Get Real-Time School Bus Tracking as District Launches High-Tech Transportation System was originally published on rnbphilly.com