As we approach the 2025–2026 school year, HopSkipDrive is proud to provide enhanced technology and expanded support, ensuring every student has a safe and reliable ride. This commitment aligns with our mission to deliver innovative, purpose-built technology that solves the most complex student transportation challenges.
With over 10,000 schools across 17 states relying on HopSkipDrive, we are proud to be a trusted partner in student transportation. Our commitment to safety, reliability, and care, combined with our flexible and innovative technology, ensures we are ready to support the diverse needs of school districts and the communities they serve this school year.
Our services include individualized, specialized rides in small vehicles through a network of highly vetted CareDrivers — local caregivers on wheels — who provide care-centered transportation. We also offer wheelchair-accessible vehicles (WAVs) and vetted Rider Assistants. Plus, this back-to-school season, we have expanded our support teams to provide even more personalized, dedicated assistance.
“HopSkipDrive is here to help with school districts’ long to-do list to help students safely get to school on time and ready to learn,” said Joanna McFarland, HopSkipDrive CEO and Co-Founder. “School districts are adjusting to changing funding models, exploring how transportation can solve chronic absenteeism, understanding how a multimodal mix can increase access, and addressing the rising numbers of students who move frequently or who experience homelessness or displacement.”
New Innovations for On-Time Arrivals
On-time arrivals are essential for providing a safe and reliable ride, and we continue to innovate to improve this critical metric. We recently introduced a new feature to quickly identify and dispatch a nearby CareDriver to fulfill a ride on short notice, in the event of an issue such as a flat tire or traffic delays. This has led to a 7% increase in on-time arrivals, with 95% of rides arriving within approximately 15 minutes of their scheduled time.
Enhanced Support for the Entire Transportation Experience
We have strengthened our teams and training to bolster our industry-leading safety measures. Our focus is on providing the best possible support for transportation officials, CareDrivers, caregivers, and riders. School transportation teams can use our ride management platform, RideIQ, to book and modify a wide range of transportation solutions, from CareDriver rides to specialized vehicles like WAVs. On-site school staff can use Daily Queue for a customized view of their scheduled rides, including vehicle details and arrival times.
We have also invested in dedicated support for all users of the platform:
For parents and caregivers: A new, dedicated team is available to support parents who are new to the platform, answering questions and providing guidance in both English and Spanish.
For riders: We have launched a dedicated rider support line, allowing riders to reach our Safe Ride Support® team during a ride if needed. Additionally, we have an enhanced process for riders who must be met by an adult at pickup or drop-off, enabling school districts to designate specific protocols and identify adults to ensure a safe and smooth handoff.
These efforts build on our existing support, which now includes specialized trauma-informed training from the National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA) for our Trust & Safety and Safe Ride Support teams. This training helps our teams better serve students with diverse needs.
If you’d like HopSkipDrive to help you start the 2025–2026 school year strong, start a conversation with us today.
