As students return to schools across the country this fall, a new pair of surveys conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research in partnership with HopSkipDrive showcase the issues plaguing school administrators and the impacts on educators, parents, and students. The surveys show that most school administrator respondents still face transportation challenges in their schools and districts, including the persistent impacts of bus driver shortages (80%) and budget shortfalls (73%) on transportation operations. Most students still rely on driving to school, even though 9 in 10 school administrators say the number of students eligible for free school transportation is growing (44%) or staying the same (46%).
The 2025 HopSkipDrive State of School Transportation Report examines the numerous challenges and constraints facing school administrators. These shifts create ripple effects for families and communities. Students are missing out on educational support and opportunities, and face tardiness and absenteeism, and 11% of parents have lost a job due to needing to take their children to and from school or other activities.
The survey also highlights potential solutions to what the two groups report are significant impacts of these transportation challenges.
Overview and Key Facts: School Administrators
As demand rises and budgets tighten, school transportation operations are struggling to keep up with fewer bus drivers, turning to cutting or shortening bus routes, and asking staff or parents to step in. The negative impacts are far reaching, as many parents report transportation is an important consideration if they could choose any school in their area for their child.
Nine in 10 say the number of students who qualify for free, school-provided transportation in the last five years has stayed the same (46%) or increased (44%), and 45% expect the need to keep increasing over the next five years
81% say school bus driver shortages are a problem in their school or district, including 46% who say it is a major problem
26% of respondents report that their school or district has addressed these shortages by cutting or shortening bus routes
73% reported transportation budget shortages have affected their transportation operations
83% report that their teachers and educators have to step away from their core responsibilities to cover transportation needs
89% say students in their school or district are typically driven to school
75% say access to transportation has an impact on their school or district’s problems with chronic absenteeism
“School administrators are sounding the alarm: transportation challenges are no longer just logistical — they’re educational. When teachers are pulled from classrooms to support operations and students miss out on learning opportunities, the ripple effects are profound. The good news is that administrators are open to innovative solutions, from centralized pickup locations to supplemental transportation services, so every student can get to school safely, reliably, and ready to learn. Cutting transportation has become a default option with unacceptable consequences, shifting the burden to other educators, students and families.”
—Joanna McFarland, CEO and Co-Founder of HopSkipDrive
Overview and Key Facts: Parents of K–12 Students
As schools struggle to keep up with transportation needs, families are increasingly responsible for driving their students to and from school. This shift creates additional and damaging consequences for parents as students miss out on educational opportunities or face tardiness and absenteeism due to transportation challenges.
Many parents of K–12 children, especially mothers, have suffered personal and professional impacts due to school transportation issues, and 11% of parents report losing a job due to needing to take their children to and from school or other activities.
26% say students have missed extracurricular activities in the last school year, 21% have missed school services like school meals or counseling, and 17% have missed tutoring or academic help
78% of parents say transportation would be at least a somewhat important consideration if they could send their children to any school in their area
44% say their students have been late to school at least a few times in the last year due to issues with transportation
56% experience stress about their children’s transportation at least a few times a year, with a quarter feeling stressed at least monthly
About 3 in 10 have missed work or been prevented from taking personal opportunities or work opportunities, and 11% have lost a job due to needing to take their children to and from school or other activities
“Transportation issues are impacting families in deeply personal ways — from missed work and lost jobs to children missing out on meals, counseling, and extracurriculars. The data show that when transportation breaks down, it’s not just a scheduling problem — it’s a barrier to opportunity. Understanding these impacts is essential to crafting solutions that work for both schools and families.”
—Jennifer Benz, Deputy Director of The AP-NORC Center
