Omaha Public Schools debuts new bus service for students

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - The largest school district in the state is set to start the school year next week.

More than 50,000 students will make their way to OPS schools across the metro. 6 News looks into how some of those students will get a brand new ride to their schools this year.

Chrystal Eason and he children are spending some quality time before the school year begins. Eason’s children are some of the 15,000 students who take the bus to school.

Eason tells us last year, when Student Transpiration of America was doing the driving, there was always some kind of hassle.

“When the bus is late, they don’t contact you,” Eason said. “You have to call them, they don’t answer the phone, it’s like a machine, and it hangs up on you.”

This year, OPS has hired a new bus company.

Zum (pronounced ‘Zoom’) Transportation Service will put brand new buses on the street, and right now, they have enough drivers to get the school year started.

“We currently surpassed the hiring numbers, the hiring goals, and we’re very confident we’re going to be able to fulfill the routes,” Zum Regional Manager Richard Lindell said. “So, our brand new buses are equipped with state-of-the-art technology for full transparency and, most importantly, student safety.”

That new technology will allow parents to track their students’ buses through an app. Eason says the app will gave parents some peace of mind, especially in the winter months.

“Kids standing outside, you don’t know when the bus is coming,” Eason said. “They should have some kind of app to notify you about when the bus is going to be late.”

OPS will once again work with North End Teleservices to provide information and answer parents’ questions.

“We’ve seamlessly integrated Zum into our internal processes as the new transportation provider for OPS” said Chris Phillips, COO for North End Teleservices.

“They have expanded and enhanced their services, they did a ton of training, training our staff this year, so we all align with them and better serve our parents as they’re calling in,” OPS Executive Director of Student Transportation Trevis Sallis said.

Eason has heard all the promises before, and she’s cautiously optimistic about the new OPS bus service.

“I want to see how it works out,” Eason said.

So, for now, Eason and family will enjoy their time together, before her kids trade their fishing poles for book bags.

If parents or guardians of OPS students have questions or issues with the bus service, call the district’s transportation hotline at 531-299-0141, they also tell 6 News that they can provide help hooking up the Zum app for those who need help.

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