When it comes to managing student transportation, transportation teams often say the same thing: communication is everything.

It’s an acknowledged fact that on the road, things happen. But for school district transportation teams, the most paramount consideration in a vendor isn’t just if they can handle an issue, but also how they handle it — with clear processes, rapid response, and proactive, thorough communication.

For Marcy Phelps, Director of Transportation Services at Littleton Public Schools (LPS) in Littleton, Colorado, partnering with HopSkipDrive hasn’t just meant reliable rides; it’s also delivered the ultimate peace of mind through industry-leading safety and unparalleled incident management.

The Challenge: Ensuring Safety and Transparency in Every Ride

Like many districts, LPS requires flexible, safe transportation for students with diverse needs. They didn't just need a solution to help transport students; they needed a partner to act as a true extension of their commitment to safety.

Marcy knows that a lack of communication or delayed information during an incident can create major administrative burdens and undermine trust with parents and schools. For her, the gold standard meant knowing about an issue before a parent or a school administrator called her.

The Partnership: Safety and Support Built In

HopSkipDrive’s commitment to safety is foundational, starting with our rigorous 15-point CareDriver certification process and technology that proactively monitors every ride via our Safe Ride Technology™ system. The Safe Ride Support™ team manages a proprietary system of alerts and inbound/outbound support for active rides, ensuring immediate attention when something unexpected occurs.

This robust system recently demonstrated its value to Marcy in a way that truly impressed her.

Incident Management That Exceeds Expectations

One busy school morning, Marcy received a call from HopSkipDrive notifying her of a minor fender bender during a drop-off at an LPS school site. A third-party vehicle had bumped into the CareDriver’s car while the rider was still inside.

Marcy was “so impressed by the thoroughness of the communication” from HopSkipDrive.

• Immediate Notification: The CareDriver immediately notified our Safe Ride Support team, who activated the Incident Response team (part of our Trust & Safety department).

• Proactive Information: HopSkipDrive immediately contacted Marcy with a detailed, proactive report. This report outlined the exact nature of the incident, the individuals involved, and every immediate action taken.

• Parent Communication: Based on Littleton’s predetermined preferences, HopSkipDrive’s team proactively communicated with the rider’s parents/caregivers to inform them of the situation and the immediate steps taken to ensure the student’s well-being.

• Rapid Follow-Up: Quickly thereafter, Marcy received a completed after-action report for her records. This comprehensive documentation provided her with everything she needed to escalate, share, or file the incident as required by the district.

What Clients Say

The thoroughness and speed of HopSkipDrive’s response redefined Marcy’s expectations for a transportation partner. She didn’t have to chase down details or worry about being the last to know.

“HopSkipDrive is very proactive, I’m finding things out quickly. I have never found something out that happened from the parent or the school — every time I open a report, I know I am the first to know.”

This is part of the critical value of a technology-first Transportation Network Company (TNC) partner. HopSkipDrive’s direct relationship with CareDrivers, combined with our proprietary technology, means our Safe Ride Support team manages the entire process end-to-end, providing you with real-time, first-hand data and immediate resolution. This eliminates the friction, time lag, and uncertainty that can come with other transportation models. 

For Marcy, the quality of the documentation is as important as the speed of the communication.

“The documentation is stellar: it’s professional, it has your letterhead, and every time, I feel confident it’s well-written, covers all the bases, and I can forward it. It’s polished and ready.” 

Marcy explained the importance of eliminating anxiety about both the incident and the response:

“With HopSkipDrive I don’t question. I don’t want to worry about both what happened, and if I’d get an acknowledgement. I want to know: What are you doing about it?”

The Result: Confidence and Trust

For Littleton Public Schools, the partnership with HopSkipDrive provides confidence. The combination of proprietary technology and a dedicated Incident Response team ensures that when the unexpected happens, LPS has a partner that is prepared, proactive, and committed to transparency.

This proactive approach saves administrative time, reduces risk of escalation, and provides a level of compliance oversight that meets and exceeds state regulations — making HopSkipDrive a valuable, reliable, and dependable solution. Partnering with HopSkipDrive helps transportation leaders like Marcy focus on their primary mission: serving the students of the district.