Fresno Unified special education buses change providers, drivers may stay

Fresno Unified’s special education bus network is changing providers, but for many families the real question is whether the same driver will still be at the curb when school starts. The district says the shift should preserve continuity for students who depend on routine, especially those with medical or behavioral needs that make a predictable ride part of the school day.

The district’s special education transportation program serves 1,700 students across 168 dedicated routes. A March 2026 company release put the number at 172 special education routes, underscoring how large and closely watched the transition has become for families spread across Fresno County. For parents, the contract change is not abstract. It affects morning timing, trust with drivers, and whether children who rely on familiar faces will have the same support once buses come under a new provider.

Fresno Unified awarded Zūm a five-year transportation contract in July 2025. Under that plan, Zūm began managing and monitoring district-operated general education routes in August 2025, then is set to take over all special education routes in the 2026-27 school year. The district said the arrangement would bring higher wages, expanded benefits, a new fleet of buses with air conditioning, and continuous training for drivers and staff.

The staffing piece is what matters most to many special education families. In labor negotiations tied to the transition, Zūm agreed to offer jobs to all current drivers in good standing, along with an 18% wage increase and a guaranteed six-hour workday. That gives the district a path to keep experienced drivers in place, even as the company running the routes changes. For students who depend on repetition and trusted adults, preserving those relationships can be as important as keeping the bus on schedule.

Fresno Unified says its transportation department exists to provide safe and reliable rides for students, including school, sports and activity trips. With more than 70,000 students at more than 100 schools, the district’s transportation system is too large for families to absorb a rocky rollout. The test for Fresno Unified now is simple: whether the new contract can deliver a smoother system without breaking the routines that special education students and their parents have spent years building.