LOS ANGELES, Calif. – HopSkipDrive today announced its new Hub-and-Spoke offering is available across the country to help school transportation officials select effective school bus pickup locations, paired with a network of drivers in small vehicles to help students connect at these centralized stops.

This unique offering is designed for a changing school transportation landscape. It combines HopSkipDrive’s proprietary AI-driven transportation intelligence platform, RouteWise AI, with a network of new drivers in small vehicles called CareDrivers, local caregivers who complete the HopSkipDrive 15-point certification process.
HopSkipDrive, a technology company solving complex transportation challenges supporting more than 13,500 schools, developed this offering in direct response to findings from the 2025 State of School Transportation Report. In the context of increased nationwide bus driver shortages, school administrators report growing numbers of students who qualify for free transportation. At the same time, these transportation staffers agree centralized pick-up and drop-off options can be a solution.

“Schools can use RouteWise AI to design efficient routing and stops that best utilize a system’s existing drivers while increasing bus rider utilization,” explained Joanna McFarland, CEO and Co-Founder of HopSkipDrive. “HopSkipDrive CareDrivers can then efficiently and safely bring students from multiple different locations to centralized bus stops. Leveraging our expertise in centralized transportation with partners like Tolleson Union High School District, we’ve transformed this offering with AI to meet current needs for out-of-district, choice policy, and highly mobile students.”

Confirmation of A Need for New Solutions
HopSkipDrive partnered with the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs to release a September State of School Transportation survey of more than 500 school administrators:

● While 90% of school administrator respondents reported rising or stagnant numbers in the number of students who qualify for free, school-provided transportation, 81% of this audience said school bus driver shortages are a problem.

● A majority (73%) favor organizing centralized pick-up and drop-off locations for students using school buses and allowing schools or districts to use school-arranged supplemental school transportation services such as cars and vans (65%).

How the Hub-and-Spoke Model Works
RouteWise AI provides transportation plan scenarios for Denver Public Schools and other districts, building cost-effective multimodal transportation systems utilizing buses and/or small vehicles. It will identify centralized bus stop hubs and efficient bus routes, resulting in 40% capital savings, 46% increased efficiency or 17% more on-time arrivals, and delivering solutions for bus driver shortages.

Once these hubs and bus stops are identified, school district clients can lean on HopSkipDrive’s network of safe, vetted drivers in small vehicles to transport students to those centralized stops. In turn, school buses can run quicker, more efficient routes with higher utilization. School districts interested in working with HopSkipDrive can request more information here.

About HopSkipDrive:
HopSkipDrive is a technology company that solves complex transportation challenges where there is a heightened need for safety, equity, and care. HopSkipDrive is modernizing the $30 billion school transportation industry through two core solutions: a care-centered transportation marketplace and an industry-leading transportation intelligence platform, RouteWise AI.

HopSkipDrive’s marketplace supplements school buses and existing transportation options by connecting kids to highly-vetted caregivers on wheels, such as grandparents, babysitters, and nurses in local communities. RouteWise AI helps schools and districts address critical challenges, including budget cuts, bus driver shortages, and reaching climate goals. HopSkipDrive has supported over 13,500 schools across 17 states, with nearly 1,300 school districts, government agencies, and nonprofit partners. More than five million rides over 95 million miles have been completed through HopSkipDrive since the company was founded in 2014 by three working mothers.

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LOS ANGELES, Calif., – HopSkipDrive, a technology company that solves complex school transportation challenges where there is a heightened need for safety, access and care, welcomes the 2025-2026 school year with industry-leading technology for schools, riders and caregivers.

HopSkipDrive is proud to solve school districts’ biggest transportation needs through individualized, specialized rides to school to supplement traditional yellow buses. The company provides access to safe and reliable drivers in small vehicles, called CareDrivers, as well as a substantial supply of wheelchair-accessible vehicles (WAVs) and vetted Rider Assistants. To provide even more personalized, dedicated support ahead of this back-to-school season, HopSkipDrive has also expanded its support teams.

“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.”

Client testimonials, such as one from a Spokane school district lauding “wonderful customer service, and kind and caring drivers,” illustrate why transportation officials and administrative leaders from 10,000 schools across 17 states utilize HopSkipDrive as a part of their student transportation tools. No matter the hour or day of the week, and in as quickly as six hours, schools rely on HopSkipDrive’s signature approach to safety, reliability, and flexibility.

New Innovations Add to On-Time Arrivals Success To-Date

Since HopSkipDrive’s earliest days, the company has considered on-time arrivals key to providing a safe and reliable ride, strategically implementing new technology and processes.

Earlier this year, the company rolled out a new feature to rapidly identify nearby drivers who are able to substitute and fulfill a ride with just a few minutes’ notice if common transportation issues like a flat tire, sickness, or traffic occur. This innovation continues HopSkipDrive’s relentless work to-date to arrange timely rides, and has resulted in a 7% increase in on-time arrivals, with 95% of rides arriving within approximately 15 minutes of the scheduled arrival time.

This and other advancements underscore the company’s commitment to offering the most flexible school transportation options to work towards ensuring students can reach their education goals.

Support for the Entire School Transportation Experience

HopSkipDrive has bolstered the teams and training behind its industry-leading safety measures and innovations for the upcoming school year, focusing on how best to support transportation officials, CareDrivers, caregivers and riders.

School transportation teams can now book a wide variety of transportation solutions using RideIQ, the HopSkipDrive ride management platform. Centralized transportation teams use it to rapidly and seamlessly book or modify rides through the CareDriver network, or to schedule local professionals with specialized vehicles like WAVs. At the school on-site level, staff can utilize Daily Queue’s customized views to see the day’s vehicles’ scheduled arrival times and corresponding details like color, model, license plate and more .

In addition to these features, HopSkipDrive has continued its investment in dedicated support efforts for all users of the platform, with new offerings for riders and caregivers:

● For parents and caregivers: A new dedicated team will support parents in both English and Spanish, who are new to the HopSkipDrive platform, answering questions and providing guidance on what to expect.

● For riders: HopSkipDrive has launched a dedicated rider support line, enabling riders to reach HopSkipDrive’s Safe Ride Support team during a ride if needed. In addition, for riders who need to be met by an adult at pickup or dropoff, the company has launched an enhanced process enabling school districts to designate specific protocols and identify adults to ensure pickup and dropoff are safe and smooth.

These efforts build on HopSkipDrive’s existing world-class support efforts that includes new, specialized trauma-informed training from NOVA (National Organization for Victim Assistance) to enhance the Trust & Safety and Safe Ride Support teams’ work serving students with diverse needs.

About HopSkipDrive:
HopSkipDrive is a technology company that solves complex transportation challenges where there is a heightened need for safety, access, and care. HopSkipDrive is modernizing the $30 billion school transportation industry through two core solutions: a care-centered transportation marketplace and industry-leading transportation intelligence platform, RouteWise AI.

HopSkipDrive’s marketplace supplements school buses and existing transportation options by connecting kids to highly vetted caregivers on wheels, such as grandparents, babysitters, and nurses in local communities. RouteWise AI helps schools and districts address critical challenges, including budget cuts, bus driver shortages, and reaching climate goals. HopSkipDrive has supported over 10,000 schools across 17 states, with over 600 school district partners. More than 5 million rides over 95 million miles have been completed through HopSkipDrive since the company was founded in 2014 by three working mothers.

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