ST. LOUIS — Yellow buses swarmed the city on the first day of school Monday, a relief for families accustomed to years of unreliable transportation in St. Louis Public Schools.

Expectations are high for new transportation provider Zum Services and its bus tracking app after the chaos of last year with 19 different vendors and the use of hundreds of taxis.

Families had to opt-in to bus service this year, a switch from previous years aimed at reducing the number of "ghost riders" or students who do not show up. Zum and SLPS officials promised routes would be streamlined on 220 buses, and the on-time rates would improve.

The first day of classes was not without glitches. Dozens of buses were delayed up to an hour or longer. At least one route was canceled altogether, and several students s

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