Palm Springs Unified solves school bus driver shortage, fully staffed for the school year

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Palm Springs Unified School District (PSUSD) is prepared to get kids to the classroom this year. After years of experiencing a school bus driver shortage, the problem has been resolved. Thanks to a new partnership with student transportation provider Zum Student Services, PSUSD is fully staffed with 80 drivers.

With a fully staffed team of drivers, the district says no student should be on a bus for more than an hour. This is a significant improvement over last year, when some students faced commutes of over 90 minutes.

Earlier this year, the district was short nine drivers, an issue dating back to before the pandemic. Zum addressed the problem by holding multiple hiring events and onboarding experienced drivers from the district’s previous contractor. The company also prioritized thorough vetting and training to ensure every driver meets safety standards.

"We put people through a vetting process and ensure that they are the right fit, have the right background, and we can help them to get certified to become school bus drivers," said Eric Huegerich, the Senior Manager for ZUM Student Transportation . "We did some initial kickoff events at the beginning of the summer and late spring, and we are fortunate to be fully staffed for our drivers, attendance, and all staff members going into the school year. "

Zum is introducing new technology for parents. The mobile app, called 'Zum Student Transportation' allows parents to track their child’s bus in real time.