Navigating Student Transportation in Detroit

In Detroit, where one in three residents lacks access to a car, getting to school isn’t always a given. School transportation challenges are a major driver of chronic absenteeism, and the stakes are even higher for students experiencing homelessness, youth living in foster care, and those with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).

As school districts across the country search for solutions to a shortage of bus drivers and other challenges, districts in Wayne County, Michigan, are taking bold steps forward to meet the needs of vulnerable student populations.

The Link Between Transportation and Attendance

Michigan is facing a chronic absenteeism crisis — and Detroit is at the epicenter. One major but often overlooked factor is school transportation. As HopSkipDrive CareDriver and Michigan mother Earlene Ward wrote in The Detroit News, “. . . we can’t have a conversation [about] ensuring kids stay in school without first understanding how they can get to school.”

Students experiencing homelessness are especially at risk. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Detroit saw a 46% increase in children experiencing homelessness from 2023 to 2024 — and many of these students lack access to consistent, safe transportation. That leaves many students navigating long, sometimes unsafe routes to class, or missing school entirely.

HopSkipDrive Helps Fill the Gaps

To address the challenges of high poverty rates and a lack of reliable transportation options, Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) partnered with HopSkipDrive to supplement traditional school bus services. This partnership is part of DPSCD’s embrace of a multimodal transportation approach, incorporating smaller vehicles, vans, and other alternative modes of transportation to expand beyond the conventional yellow bus fleet. 

This strategic shift aimed to alleviate strain on the district’s resources and ensure that every student, regardless of their individual needs or circumstances, has access to safe, dependable transportation. DPSCD has seen positive results, with chronic absenteeism dropping 14 percentage points in the 2023–2024 school year compared to the previous year. By leveraging HopSkipDrive’s expertise in supplemental school transportation, DPSCD can now offer personalized services for students with unique needs.

Watch our recent School Transportation News webinar with DPSCD to learn more about how the district improved attendance with multimodal transportation.

Supporting Specialized Student Transportation Needs

HopSkipDrive specializes in arranging transportation for students with special needs and those who may have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that includes transportation requirements. 

HopSkipDrive also supports McKinney-Vento transportation for students experiencing homelessness and school-of-origin transportation for students living in foster care, offering the ability to schedule rides with only six hours’ notice. This kind of rapid, reliable response makes a huge difference in ensuring school access for students facing frequent transitions, who may otherwise be at risk of slipping through the cracks.

HopSkipDrive can support diverse student transportation needs for school districts in Wayne County, as well as Macomb County (as far north as New Haven), Oakland County (as far north west as Highland), Washtenaw County (as far west as Ann Arbor), and Monroe County (as far south as New Port). Our work in Michigan includes extensive support for students experiencing homelessness who qualify for McKinney-Vento transportation under federal law. In fact, HopSkipDrive has partnered with districts across metro Detroit and Kentwood to help ensure students in shelters or temporary housing don’t miss out on school due to a lack of a reliable way to get there.

As reported by FOX 17 News, students experiencing homelessness face high rates of absenteeism, and traditional transportation methods are rarely sufficient when it comes to meeting their complex needs. HopSkipDrive’s tailored solutions — including a network of background-checked CareDrivers and customized ride plans — helps close that gap.

A Smarter Way Forward for Districts

Across Detroit, transportation barriers are a key driver of chronic absenteeism. A 2023 Education Commission of the States report cited a study done with Detroit Public Schools Community District that indicated families identified transportation as the most frequent barrier to student attendance. The reality is clear: Even the best educational support systems are not enough if students can’t physically get to school. 

The situation is compounded by a shifting school landscape and resource constraints. As Chalkbeat Detroit reported, funding gaps and the rise of school choice have led to fewer students having access to school-provided buses. For many families, that means taking on the burden of coordinating transportation themselves — a task made even more challenging in a city where nearly one-third of residents lack access to a vehicle.

Why Access to Transportation for All Students Matters

School is more than a building. For many students, especially those experiencing homelessness or instability, it’s the only consistent place they can rely on for meals, support, and safety. Ensuring they can get there shouldn’t be an afterthought — it should be a top priority.

By working with HopSkipDrive, Detroit-area school districts are helping to rewrite the story for these students. After all, innovation in transportation isn’t just a logistical upgrade — it’s an investment in equity, opportunity, and the future of Michigan’s children.