Why school districts choose HopSkipDrive
Written by Aylin Cook
HopSkipDrive partners with over 400 school districts, as well as numerous county agencies and nonprofits, to provide a trusted, safe youth transportation solution that helps children ages 6 and up (and older adults) get where they need to go. We now operate in 12 states and 22 markets, with many more to come.
This article breaks down six of the many reasons why districts choose HopSkipDrive, namely:
- We’re held to strict industry regulations — and we regularly surpass them.
- We maintain robust casualty insurance based on actual data.
- Our RideIQ technology enables communication and real-time ride tracking for everyone.
- We require caregiving experience.
- We’re entirely transparent about our safety data because we know it’s exceptional.
- We’re environmentally friendly — the CareDriver vehicle network far outperforms regular passenger vehicles in the progression to zero-emission.
From industry-leading approaches to transparent safety data, we offer above-and-beyond safety, cost-effectiveness and a solution that helps districts, schools, counties and more.
Learn more about each point below.
We’re held to strict industry regulations — and we regularly surpass them.
HopSkipDrive operates as a Transportation Network Company (TNC), which means various state agencies hold us to very strict TNC regulations. In some cases, we are also subject to state Department of Education regulations. Our safety standards meet — and often exceed — these regulations, when applicable.
While the TNC regulating body varies from state to state, the following criteria are generally applicable in most states and often overlap with Department of Education requirements.
HopSkipDrive features far exceed these general TNC requirements:
- Minimum insurance requirements in every state in which we operate
- In-depth background checks: We also receive alerts that notify us if anything changes on a driver’s record
- Child abuse and neglect screening (CANS)*
- Motor vehicle search: We receive monthly notifications of any new driver infractions in most markets.
- Criminal and driving history regulations: We also look at the Department of Education standards in each state for individuals who work with children.
- Minimum age for driving on a TNC: For safety, CareDrivers must be at least 23 years of age to qualify for access to the HopSkipDrive platform.
- HopSkipDrive utilizes multi-factor authentication at pickup. In addition, Ride Organizers and all Users on a child’s account can track HopSkipDrive rides in real-time.
As part of our California-specific CareDriver certification process, all California CareDrivers must be cleared through TrustLine before they can access the HopSkipDrive platform.
All caregivers listed with TrustLine have been cleared through a fingerprint check of records at the California Department of Justice and the FBI, as well as a search of the California Department of Social Services records for reports of child abuse and neglect. This means they have no disqualifying criminal convictions or substantiated child abuse reports in California or the FBI database.
*In addition to adopting this as our criteria for accessing the HopSkipDrive platform, we worked with the California Public Utilities Commission to adopt the use of TrustLine as the standard for any ride share company that works with youth. We are integrating child abuse and neglect screening (“CANS”) checks into the CareDriver certification process in every market where we operate, and will continue to advocate for child abuse and neglect checks.
Read more about how we surpass regulatory standards here and why TNCs are the smart choice for alternative school transportation solutions.
We maintain robust casualty insurance based on actual data.
HopSkipDrive maintains robust casualty insurance designed specifically with the interests of its partners and Users in mind. In particular, HopSkipDrive’s insurance accounts for the fact that most Riders are youth and other vulnerable populations, and is based on actual data relating to ride volume, incident rates and total exposure.
HopSkipDrive’s coverage is primary. HopSkipDrive’s commercial casualty coverage is specifically designed to insure all HopSkipDrive services. HopSkipDrive’s Auto Liability policy specifically covers all rides. While CareDrivers do have personal auto insurance, HopSkipDrive’s auto insurance is the primary insurance policy that would cover accidents and injuries during a ride.
If you compare this to a broker model, generally the broker’s subcontractors’ insurance is primary to that of the broker. HopSkipDrive removes the middle man in this equation. This structure means that prospective partners only need proof of HopSkipDrive’s insurance coverage, as it is the primary coverage for all HopSkipDrive services.
In addition, HopSkipDrive’s auto insurance is based on telematics data. Our casualty insurance providers have complete transparency into our safety data. For example, HopSkipDrive’s auto liability insurance provider utilizes real-time telematics data through sensors in smartphones. This telematics data detects the six riskiest driving behaviors: rapid acceleration, tight turning, hard braking, speeding, device usage while driving and collision detection.
Not only does this provide HopSkipDrive and CareDrivers with complete transparency into and awareness of driving behavior, but it also means that HopSkipDrive’s auto liability insurance is based on actual data.
Our technology enables communication and real-time ride tracking for everyone.
The HopSkipDrive platform enables transparency and visibility for CareDrivers, Ride Organizers and families/caregivers. All Users on a child’s account (including school districts) can track rides as they are happening in real-time, allowing for rapid response for any issues that may come up.
Compare this to third-party brokers that contract with various transportation companies. If, say, a parent asks a Director of Transportation where their child is, that Director of Transportation then calls the broker company, which in turn calls their subcontractor, which in turn then has to find their driver… That’s five layers of communication!
CareDrivers, HopSkipDrive, Ride Organizers and parents/caregivers on a child’s account have a direct line to one another. Each User of the platform can reach one another in one call or chat. Ride Organizers and CareDrivers can also contact HopSkipDrive directly. (User phone numbers are masked within the application for data privacy.)
We require caregiving experience.
HopSkipDrive CareDrivers are known as caregivers on wheels because of one of the most important requirements for becoming a CareDriver: five years of caregiving experience (two of which must be child-centric). We believe that caregiving experience engenders empathy, understanding and knowledge of best practices for working with all populations.
Requiring caregiving experience ensures CareDrivers start with a basic understanding of service-oriented work. Around 27% of CareDrivers come from educational backgrounds, while many have worked with children in another capacity (as a nurse, a daycare provider or a social worker, for example). Eighty percent of CareDrivers are parents themselves.
In addition, we provide access to informative resources for CareDrivers so they are set up for success while providing transportation care services. These resources cover working with children with disabilities, as well as children who are experiencing homelessness or living in foster care. Trauma-informed care resources and information about the responsibility as a mandated reporter give CareDrivers a greater understanding of some of our core Rider groups.
We’re entirely transparent about our safety data because we know it’s exceptional.
Every year we publish an in-depth Safety Report detailing critical safety data. We use it internally to be proactive and innovate further, but we also share it with the world to hold ourselves and the industry accountable.
No other youth transportation solution publishes its annual safety results. HopSkipDrive does so because we are relentless about safety, and we believe it’s important to be transparent.
Read the HopSkipDrive Safety Report or review the 5 key takeaways.
We’re environmentally friendly.
HopSkipDrive’s CareDriver vehicle network outperforms regular passenger vehicles in the progression to zero-emission. Nineteen percent of HopSkipDrive CareDriver vehicles are hybrid or EV, while less than 2% of total U.S. vehicles are hybrid or EV. In Seattle, one of HopSkipDrive’s largest markets, over 40% of HopSkipDrive CareDriver vehicles are Hybrid or EV!
HopSkipDrive is an innovative, safe school transportation solution. We’ve gained traction in the industry through our flexible and dynamic driver supply, the visibility our technology provides, our cost-efficacy, our unique CareDriver requirements, and more.
