Safety Director, Student Transportation

Ridezum; Maryland; Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Zūm Services, Inc. in Howard County, MD seeks an experienced Safety Manager to lead safety operations for the transportation program.

You will develop programs, implement training, manage incident response, and ensure regulatory compliance to protect students, employees, and the communities we serve. You will champion a culture of behavioral safety, supervise safety staff, monitor KPIs, address retraining needs, and collaborate with regulators, district administrators, and drivers to keep

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in safety management within the transportation industry.
• In-depth knowledge of FMCSA regulations, state pupil transportation laws, OSHA/DOT standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead Safety Culture & Training initiatives, designing and implementing comprehensive training for all transportation personnel.
• Oversee training activities including driver training, safety training, recertifications, and evaluations to meet regulatory requirements.
• Monitor safety KPIs (accident frequency/severity, training compliance, behavioral observations) and maintain audit-ready records.
• Manage safety staff (Field Supervisors, Driver Trainers) and coordinate staffing, drug testing, and certifications.

Skills

Safety management

Training leadership

Incident investigation

Regulatory compliance

Driver training

Tools

Safety management systems

Job description

About Zūm:

Zūm is revolutionizing mass mobility with its Connected Mobility Experience (Zūm CMX™) system that connects and coordinates people, vehicles, and operations in real time. In the $50 billion student mobility market – the largest segment of the mass mobility industry –Zūm CMXis transforming a daily source of anxiety and disruption into a reliable, transparent, and efficient mobility experience for students and families. Today, more than 6,500 schools rely onZūm CMX. Recognized globally for its innovative approach and operational execution, Zūm has been named to Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies, CNBC Disruptor 50 and Changemakers, the World Economic Forum, and the Financial Times’ Fastest Growing Companies lists. Zūm is backed by leading investors including Sequoia Capital, GIC, TPG, and Softbank.

About the Role

We're seeking an experienced Safety Manager to lead safety operations at our Howard County, MD location. This role encompasses the complete safety lifecycle—from program development and training implementation to incident management and regulatory compliance. You'll build a culture of behavioral safety, manage safety department staff, and establish best-in-class safety standards that protect employees, students, and the communities we serve. You'll be the guardian of our most important value, ensuring every person arrives home safely every day.

What Makes You Successful in This Role

You're a passionate safety advocate with a commitment to zero incidents. You balance proactive prevention with responsive incident management in dynamic transportation environments. You make safety training engaging and memorable, turning compliance requirements into genuine behavior change. You analyze incident data, conduct field observations with drivers, present safety metrics to district administrators, and investigate accident scenes with equal confidence. You interpret regulations, influence behavior through clear communication, and build a culture where safety is everyone's responsibility.

Responsibilities:

Safety Culture & Training Leadership

• Champion behavioral safety principles throughout the organization. Design, develop, and implement comprehensive initial and recurrent training programs for all transportation personnel including drivers, monitors, and support staff.

• Oversee all training activities including new driver training, safety training, in-service training, driver road evaluations, special education training, first aid training, and all other required training.

• Conduct regularly scheduled safety meetings, recognition programs, and award programs that reinforce Zum's safety-first culture and meet or exceed state, federal, FMCSA, DOT, and district requirements.

Performance Management & Compliance

• Utilize Zum's safety management systems to monitor, analyze, and exceed safety KPIs including accident frequency, severity rates, training compliance, and behavioral observation metrics.

• Ensure complete compliance with FMCSA regulations, state pupil transportation laws, OSHA standards, DOT requirements, and maintain meticulous safety records, training documentation, and regulatory files ready for audit.

• Monitor Netradyne alerts and vehicle camera systems to proactively address retraining opportunities, and maintain individual driver files including training dates and accident history.

Team Development & Safety Operations

• Manage and lead safety department staff including Field Supervisors and Driver Trainers by establishing clear objectives, performance standards, work schedules, and accountability measures.

• Collaborate with Recruiting teams to recruit, select, and maintain authorized staffing levels, coordinate drug testing requirements, and ensure all required certifications are up to date.

• Supervise and oversee the work of Master Trainers and certified drivers/trainers who assist with general bus driver training, ensuring training delivery meets standards.

Incident Management & Investigation

• Serve as primary point of contact for all personnel injuries and vehicle accidents, ensuring immediate response and proper case management.

• Lead thorough accident and incident investigations using root cause analysis methodologies and prepare all required incident reports in accordance with Zum policy and regulatory requirements.

• Coordinate with insurance adjusters, claims administrators, and workers' compensation providers to ensure proper documentation and timely resolution. Interface directly with customers to communicate incident details and corrective actions.

Qualifications:

Basic Qualifications:

• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in safety management within the transportation industry, with a strong preference for experience in school bus or passenger transportation.

• In-depth knowledge of FMCSA regulations, state pupil transportation laws, OSHA/DOT standards.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Supervisory experience, specifically in supervising and training a driver workforce.

• Commercial Driver's License with Passenger and School Bus Endorsements.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex data and findings clearly.

• Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Director of Pupil Transportation (CDPT), or other relevant safety certifications are preferred.

• SBDI (School Bus Driver Instructor) certification.

• Prior experience with vehicle camera and monitoring systems.

$80,000 - $90,000 a year