Since our founding 10 years ago, we’ve championed safety excellence in youth transportation, setting industry benchmarks for protecting riders and the diverse youth populations we serve. Today, we’re excited to announce the formation of our dedicated Safety Advisory Council, bringing together a diverse group of six experts to help guide our ongoing innovation in youth transportation safety.
Elevating Our Safety-First Approach
In 2019, we established a Safety Advisory Board to help strengthen our approach with expert guidance from some of the most respected leaders in the industry. This initiative later evolved into the Equitable Access to Transportation Advisory Council (EATAC), which broadened our focus to address transportation gaps affecting vulnerable populations, including youth in foster care and those facing homelessness.
In their first year, EATAC published its Transportation as an Opportunity Lifeline report, along with 10 recommendations for state policymakers and transportation administrators to advance youth transportation equity. Now, we’re thrilled to broaden our safety expertise with this new group of leaders. The dedicated Safety Advisory Council will help HopSkipDrive set new industry standards for specialized transportation products and features that support the diverse needs of all students.
Expertise Across Critical Domains
The Safety Advisory Council brings together six leading experts across essential safety disciplines:
Jonathan Adkins (Governors Highway Safety Association)
Cass Herring (Safe Kids Worldwide)
Lexi Higgins (TAT)
Katie Mueller (On the Road & KM Strategies)
Shael Norris (SafeBAE)
Jacob Smith (Composing Mobility)
“Safety is a multifaceted challenge that requires diverse perspectives and specialized expertise,” said Jen Brandenburger, SVP of Safety at HopSkipDrive. “By assembling this council of respected leaders, we’re ensuring that our safety features, policies, and educational initiatives benefit from the latest research and best practices from across disciplines. Our goal is to keep aiming higher for what’s possible in youth transportation safety, so that families and schools can focus on helping students thrive.”
The council’s insights will directly inform our product development roadmap as we continue to launch and expand services for students with specialized transportation needs.
Measurable Impact on Youth Transportation Safety
The council’s formation comes on the heels of HopSkipDrive’s 2024 Safety Report and the announcement of new features that bolster our suite of over 50 safety products and initiatives. The Safety Report — which includes metrics on road safety, interpersonal safety, and violations of our Community Guidelines — highlights the scalability of our industry-leading safety record and outlines our work to build safety into everything we do. Last year, 99.7% of the 1.7 million HopSkipDrive rides ended without a safety concern of any kind, with CareDrivers completing an unprecedented 34 million safe miles while serving students across 14 states. These metrics demonstrate that our multilayered safety systems work effectively across diverse regions, from dense urban neighborhoods to rural communities, and everywhere in between.
“As an organization dedicated to keeping children safe, Safe Kids Worldwide recognizes that transportation safety requires a comprehensive approach that addresses all aspects of a child’s journey. Through the Safety Advisory Council, we’re combining expertise across multiple disciplines to advise on products and policies that help protect all children, particularly those with specialized needs,” said Cass Herring, Senior Director of Road Safety and Child Occupant Protection at Safe Kids Worldwide. “Working with HopSkipDrive, a company purpose-built for facilitating safe rides for children since day one, we’re establishing new benchmarks for youth transportation safety that will not only benefit the students and districts who use HopSkipDrive, but will ultimately elevate standards across the entire industry.”
Collaborative Approach to Safety Innovation
The Safety Advisory Council will bring fresh perspectives and specialized skills to HopSkipDrive’s robust safety ecosystem. Recognizing that comprehensive safety encompasses multiple factors — from road safety to interpersonal safety — we’ve assembled the council to address every aspect of the safe ride experience. By collaborating with leading voices in road safety, interpersonal safety, child development, and youth advocacy, we’ll continue to refine and enhance our approach to innovating in safety.
The council will play a crucial role in guiding our expansion of wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV) rides, elevating our support for all students with diverse transportation needs, and further strengthening HopSkipDrive’s Safe Ride InSight™ technology, our programmatic AI-powered dashcam recording technology with advanced telematics. This expert-informed approach will help ensure that as we grow to serve more diverse student needs, our commitment to safety scales alongside our expanding capabilities.
This initiative represents another milestone in our unwavering commitment to create opportunity for all through mobility. By bringing these experts together with our best-in-class safety teams, we’re continuing to redefine what safe, reliable student transportation can help achieve — ensuring every student has access to the educational opportunities they deserve, while giving schools and families the peace of mind that comes with truly exceptional safety standards.
Interested in learning more about how your organization, school, or district can partner with HopSkipDrive?
