Schools

Environmentally Friendly, Tech-Enabled School Buses Roll Into Howard County

A California company will provide 250 environmentally friendly, tech-enabled school buses for HCPSS. Local drivers are worried, however.

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Kristin Danley-Greiner, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
Local bus drivers and others have expressed concern about the agreement with Zum, as it submitted a higher-priced proposal for the contract, according to reports.
Local bus drivers and others have expressed concern about the agreement with Zum, as it submitted a higher-priced proposal for the contract, according to reports. (Alexis Tarrazi/Patch)

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Greener school buses will be rolling across Howard County thanks to a partnership between the Howard County Public School System and the California-based company Zum. The five-year contract will allow Zum to operate 250 buses.

However, local bus drivers and others have expressed concern about the agreement with Zum, as it submitted a higher-priced proposal for the contract.

Zum will roll out new, environmentally friendly, tech-enabled buses to the district, aiming to modernize the transportation system while also reducing greenhouse emissions, reports WJZ.

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Local school bus drivers are concerned about what the agreement means for them and their jobs.

"All the drivers are on edge because we don't know what our future holds," said Jackie Scott, a Howard County school bus driver of nine years.

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Read more at WJZ

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