School administrators and transportation teams are making decisions they never thought they’d have to make. How should they manage increasingly complex student needs and staff shortages amidst budget cuts? Should they cut bus routes or cancel service for some students? Should they try consolidating routes or adjusting bell times?
Many school administrators find themselves jumping in alongside teachers and other staff to help with transportation duties. This has become the unprecedented reality for schools across America.
For the fifth annual State of School Transportation Report, HopSkipDrive worked with the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research to survey school administrators and parents about the transportation challenges affecting them. Across 50 states, more than 500 school district leaders who have responsibility for student transportation in their districts responded to the survey, as did more than 800 parents with school-aged children.
From this research, we are highlighting five important findings below that illustrate the complexity and breadth of the challenges facing school transportation today. You can also download the full report here.
1. School Staff Are Stepping Away from Core Duties to Fill Transportation Gaps
School staff are handling transportation responsibilities that fall outside their primary job functions. The research shows that 83% of administrators report their staff take time away from core educational duties to help with transportation needs, including 54% who report this happens weekly or more often.
The data shows how transportation challenges often lead to necessary operational adjustments throughout school systems. When regular transportation services face disruptions, educational staff must adapt by taking on additional responsibilities to ensure students can still access their learning opportunities.
The consequences of these diversions are far reaching, leading to less time dedicated to curriculum development, individualized student support, and other critical educational functions. Ultimately, this places a greater burden on already-stretched-thin school resources, which can negatively impact the quality of education and the overall school environment.
2. Schools Are Facing Growing Transportation Demand with Fewer Resources
A mismatch between student needs and available resources is widening the transportation gap for students. Ninety percent of school administrator respondents report that numbers are rising (44%) or staying the same (46%) for students who qualify for free, school-provided rides, and 45% expect the need to keep increasing over the next five years. At the same time, 73% of school administrators say budget shortages have affected their transportation operations, and 21% report their transportation budgets have been cut in the past year.
School leaders are working to balance these competing pressures. More students need safe, reliable ways to get to school, yet districts have less money to provide these essential services.
This growing disparity has significant consequences for students, particularly those from low-income families, those experiencing homelessness or living in foster care, or those with disabilities, who rely heavily on school transportation and/or may not have access to a personal vehicle.
3. More than 80% of School Districts Are Grappling with a Bus Driver Shortage
Finding enough qualified bus drivers continues to challenge most school districts. The research shows that 81% of administrators report driver shortages as a problem, with nearly half (46%) describing the situation as a major problem. When schools can’t maintain adequate staffing, the impact reaches students directly. Among districts facing these shortages, 26% have cut or shortened bus routes.
While districts have tried pay raises and increased benefits for bus drivers, these efforts haven’t solved the problem. Many schools have made difficult service decisions — 13% have reduced services by canceling bus service for general education students, while others have changed school schedules or expanded walking boundaries.
4. School Transportation Issues Are Impacting Students and Parents in Many Ways
School administrators see the interconnected ways transportation problems affect their students. Unreliable transportation creates numerous problems, with administrators noting a clear link between access to transportation and difficulties faced by schools and students:
75% say it impacts chronic absenteeism
76% link it to chronic tardiness
68% connect it to academic performance struggles
75% relate it to student safety concerns
Transportation profoundly impacts the entire school experience for students — and cutting school transportation services often shifts the burden onto families. Overall, most parents of K–12 students rely on cars for school commutes, with 78% reporting their children are typically driven to school in some way. More than a third (35%) of parents have missed work due to transporting their children to or from school, and 11% have even lost jobs because of the need to transport their children to and from school or other activities.
Transportation obstacles also restrict educational choices: Seventy-eight percent of parents say transportation would be at least a somewhat important consideration if they could send their children to any school in their area.
5. School Districts Are Ready to Embrace More Flexible Transportation Approaches
School administrators want solutions that work for their students. The data shows they’re willing to try new approaches — 65% support using supplemental transportation services as part of their transportation toolkit.
And when looking specifically at the safety of school-provided transportation, respondents are even more aligned. Ninety-two percent agree it is extremely or very important to confirm drivers have been thoroughly vetted, while about 8 in 10 say the same about providing annual reporting of safety incidents (82%), regularly updating technology and equipment (80%), and using video recording or monitoring devices on vehicles transporting students (76%).
Administrators also see value in other changes that could help their school communities. Nearly three-quarters (73%) favor organizing centralized pickup and drop-off locations for school buses, and 70% support improving pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure near schools.
Behind these numbers is a recognition that traditional bus service doesn’t meet every student’s needs. Some students benefit from more personalized transportation support, such as students with disabilities, those facing unique family circumstances, or children who need specialized care during their school commute. For administrators, having access to supplemental services means they can better serve the students who need something different than what traditional bus routes can provide.
What’s Next for School Transportation
When school districts provide transportation, it’s the safest and most reliable way to get students to and from school. This approach also helps relieve the daily burden on parents, who shouldn’t have to solve this challenge on their own. By implementing innovative and cost-effective solutions, districts can ensure every student gets to school on time while staying within budget, meeting the needs of both schools and families.
School administrators looking for flexible solutions that work alongside the yellow bus should consider supplemental school transportation services. These services provide personalized and responsive support, giving students the dependable rides they deserve.
HopSkipDrive’s innovative technology solutions offer administrators the tools they need to create more effective transportation systems. Our supplemental network of highly vetted CareDrivers in small vehicles can fill in transportation gaps for students, including those with disabilities, youth in foster care, and those experiencing homelessness who are covered by the McKinney-Vento Act. In addition, our student transportation intelligence platform, RouteWise AI™, empowers district leaders with data, strategic insights, and optimized transportation plans that help them effectively address issues like budget and staffing shortages.
