LOS ANGELES, Calif. —HopSkipDrive, the leader in safe, fast, and simple supplemental student transportation, today highlighted the ongoing work of its Safety Advisory Council (SAC), an independent group of experts who advise the company on the safety of riders, drivers, and clients. Since forming in May 2025, the council has met regularly, most recently at a hands-on, workshop-style session in Denver. That session produced a draft safety framework that sharpens HopSkipDrive policies and is moving into product development.
The council brings together specialists across child passenger safety, road safety, human trafficking prevention, K-12 mental health, and transportation consulting, alongside members with lived experience as crash survivors. Their guidance shapes work ranging from in-vehicle recording and rider verification to how HopSkipDrive supports students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), youth in foster care, and students experiencing homelessness.
“HopSkipDrive is built with students’ safety at the center of what we do. Safety is the reason we started the company, and having outside experts in the room has already changed how we build,” said Joanna McFarland, Co-Founder and CEO of HopSkipDrive.”We didn’t get to better rider verification, or the policy ground we’ve gained, without them. Their questions get us there faster than we ever could alone.”
Over a Year of Concrete Progress
Over the past year, HopSkipDrive has moved several council-informed initiatives from concept to practice, including:
● Ride Recording: In-App, part of CareEngine, captures audio and video on every eligible ride, encrypted and available to districts through RideIQ. CareDrivers never see the footage, and the program runs under a formal consent and retention framework.
● A council-informed push to strengthen rider verification beyond the traditional spoken code word, with new ways to confirm the right rider is getting into the right vehicle.
● Continued investment in structured rider and IEP data, replacing open-text notes with consistent, actionable detail so CareDrivers can better support each rider’s needs.
● Policy engagement that helps raise industry-wide screening and accountability standards while preserving specialized safeguards for child transportation, backed by continued monitoring of state and federal legislation that affects how districts get students to school safely.
“We’re in the room while frameworks are still being drafted, and that gives our feedback more weight than a sign-off at the end,” said Steve Nederveld, a former school-district director of mental health services and Safety Advisory Council member. “That’s a different kind of access, and it means the guidance actually lands somewhere.”
“What’s stood out to me this year is how early we were brought in — not after a policy or product is finalized, but while it’s still being shaped. In my work on youth safety and abuse prevention, I’ve seen how much stronger rider verification and behavior-support protocols become when that expertise is part of the conversation from the start. There’s real momentum here, and I’m looking forward to seeing it translate into even more concrete protections for kids. I honestly believe that HopSkipDrive’s thoughtful and comprehensive focus on rider safety should elevate the bar for all ride sharing,” said Shael Norris, Founding Executive Director of SafeBAE and Safety Advisory Council member.
A New Voice on the Safety Advisory Council
HopSkipDrive also welcomed Kyndra Webb of the National Safety Council, who brings expertise in child passenger safety, as the newest member of the Safety Advisory Council.
“My first HopSkipDrive Safety Advisory Council meeting was an engaging and mission-driven conversation focused on one shared goal: ensuring safe, inclusive transportation for every student, including those with specific transportation needs. I valued the collaborative dialogue and the opportunity for every council member to contribute to solutions that put student safety first,” said Webb.
What’s Ahead
Through the rest of the 2026-27 school year, HopSkipDrive and the council are developing a new framework for responding to rider behavior. The goal is that a behavior concern leads to added support rather than a lost ride, keeping students on the platform wherever it is safe to do so. The company is also expanding investment in tools that make it easier for riders who cannot easily advocate for themselves to report a concern.
The council’s role has shifted from advisory to structural. Its input is now built into how HopSkipDrive develops safety policy and product, and that shift will shape the next phase of the company’s safety work.
HopSkipDrive continues to arrange and coordinate rides for students with disabilities, youth in foster care, and students experiencing homelessness under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. The company’s safety record across these rides is detailed in its annual Safety Report, and its investment in vetting, technology, and council-informed policy is designed to reduce risk at every stage of the ride.
About HopSkipDrive
HopSkipDrive is the leader in safe, fast, and simple supplemental student transportation. The company 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 14,500 schools across two dozen states, with over 2,000 school districts, government agencies, and nonprofit partners. Millions of rides across 130 million miles have been completed through HopSkipDrive since the company was founded in 2014 by three working mothers.
A 15-year-old student with autism was hospitalized for severe dehydration after reportedly spending extended periods of heat exposure on board a school bus without air conditioning, reported New York Post.
Temperatures in Chula Vista, California near San Diego reached 97 degrees during the recent heat wave.
Marisol Wojciechowski told local news reporters that her son, Gabriel, is a freshman at Hilltop High School. He released from school about 30 minutes before other students because he receives special education services. She said he was required to wait on the school bus until the other students arrived.
Wojciechowski added that her son’s autism makes it difficult for him to communicate when he is becoming overheated or feeling ill. She first noticed symptoms in early September, when Gabriel began experiencing nosebleeds, severe headaches and lightheadedness after riding the school bus.
“Right away, I would put ice pack on him on his neck and gave him water,” Wojciechowski told local news reporters.
After Gabriel repeatedly displayed the symptoms, his mother took him to an emergency room. She said medical personnel determined that he was severely dehydrated and administered intravenous fluids.
Wojciechowski later boarded the school bus herself and experienced the conditions inside. She said the bus driver told her that Gabriel could not leave the bus after he had been released into the driver’s supervision.
She said that she instructed her son to get off the bus and wait in her air-conditioned vehicle. According to Wojciechowski, the driver told her it was normal for students to remain on the bus during high temperatures.
The mother is now calling on Sweetwater Union High School District officials to implement additional precautions to protect students during periods of extreme heat.
“I want them to put the kids first,” she told local news reporters. “Leaving them on the bus is not safe, not even for five minutes during the heat.”
Andres Chait took the dais July 22 in front of his “family,” who he said he needed not to introduce himself to as Los Angeles Unified School District’s new superintendent. That is because he has worked at the nation’s second-largest, K-12 public school district for the past two decades, first as a Kindergarten teacher then a principal and in various leadership positions before assuming the role of chief of school operations in 2022.
As such, he oversaw student transportation. A school bus guy of sorts, Chait was named the full-time superintendent of schools after serving in an interim role amid an FBI probe of his former boss, Alberto Carvalho, for alleged acceptance of gifts from a technology vendor, unreported travel and undisclosed side income.
Los Angeles Unified School District named Andres Chait its latest superintendent in June.
School Transportation News caught up with Chait before the start of the new school year and days before he gave his Opening of Schools Address 2026. He spoke there about the need to put students at the center of every decision by staying grounded in collected values and unified in purpose.
First, he shared with STN his outlook on student transportation and its role in educational access and helping to address the school district’s mounting financial challenges.
STN: How does your background in overseeing the operational side of LAUSD shape the way you’ll lead the district differently than someone who solely came from an academic or instructional rolel?
Chait: I’ve been fortunate to lead both instructional and operational teams throughout my career, and I’ve come to believe those two worlds are inseparable. Great instruction can only happen when the systems that support our schools are working well.
Whether it’s transportation, nutrition, technology, facilities or school operations, every function exists to support teaching and learning. My leadership approach is grounded in making sure our schools have reliable, efficient systems so principals and teachers can focus on students. Every operational decision ultimately should
answer one question: How does this improve the experience and outcomes for our students?
STN: Two main reasons cited by the school board for your hire are budget deficits and declining student enrollment. What does stability of budget and enrollment look like to you over the next two school years, and how does transportation factor in?
Chait: Stability means making thoughtful decisions that protect the classroom while putting the district on solid financial footing for the future. That requires careful stewardship of public resources, continuous improvement and investing where we know it makes the greatest difference for students.
Transportation is an important part of that strategy. Families need confidence that their children can get to school safely and reliably. When transportation is dependable, it supports attendance, strengthens trust with families and makes our schools more accessible. As we continue to adapt to changing enrollment patterns, we’ll continue looking for ways to deliver excellent service while operating efficiently and responsibly.
Transportation as a Strategic Function STN: What surprised you most about student transportation once you began overseeing it?
Chait: The scale and complexity. Every day we’re coordinating thousands of students across a district that spans more than 700 square miles. It requires constant coordination, planning and communication.
Beyond scale, the complexity of operating approximately 1,300 school buses, including about 250 electric school buses sourced from multiple manufacturers running across roughly 1,400 routes and serving about 28,000 students daily. The district provides free, universal transportation to all students through its Transportation for All initiative, removing socioeconomic barriers to access. All buses are equipped with GPS technology, allowing parents and administrators to track buses in real time through a Parent Portal, supporting both safety and operational reliability.
Most importantly, what continues to stand out to me is the dedication of our transportation employees. They are often the first district employees a student sees in the morning and the last before they return home. They play an important role in creating a safe and welcoming experience for students every day.
STN: Many people think of transportation simply as a cost center. From your perspective, what value does an effective transportation department create for students and the district?
Chait: Transportation is a student service. It removes barriers to learning. Reliable transportation helps students arrive safely, consistently and ready to learn. It expands access to educational opportunities and supports students with disabilities, students experiencing homelessness and others who rely on transportation to attend school. When transportation works well, it builds families’ confidence in the school system.
STN: What transportation performance metrics do you personally pay the most attention to?
Chait: Safety remains our top priority. Beyond that, we monitor ridership, on-time performance, service reliability, ride times, staffing levels and customer responsiveness. We also track data that tells us whether our transportation system is helping students consistently access school. No single metric tells the whole story. We look at the overall experience for students and families and continuously identify opportunities to improve.
STN: Is transportation discussed primarily as an operational department or as part of academic strategy?
Chait: It’s both. Transportation is certainly an operational function, but its impact reaches well beyond operations. If students cannot get to school consistently, they’re missing instructional time. Reliable transportation supports attendance, engagement and equitable access to educational opportunities. That’s why transportation is part of broader conversations about student success.
STN: LAUSD faces budget pressures and declining enrollment. How do you balance the need for fiscal responsibility without reducing transportation access for students who depend on it?
Chait: Our responsibility is to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars while maintaining essential services for students. We continuously evaluate routes, schedules and operational practices to improve efficiency, but our focus remains on protecting student access. Every decision starts with what’s best for students while ensuring we’re operating responsibly and sustainably. Small operational improvements can add up over time, allowing us to better serve students while managing costs responsibly.
Additionally, communicating the work of other government agencies can provide significant resources to our students. For example, LAUSD also partners with LA Metro to provide TK–12 students a free GoPass for unlimited rides on Metro buses, trains, and 17 additional regional transit partners across LA County. The GoPass extends free mobility beyond the school bus system itself.
STN: Are there investments in transportation that save money elsewhere in the district?
Chait: Absolutely. Investments that improve reliability and communication can reduce service disruptions, improve family confidence and support student attendance. When students are in school consistently, everyone benefits. Specifically, diesel fuel price volatility continues to put pressure on the district’s transportation budget.
Los Angeles Unified operates roughly 120 diesel-powered buses, 36 trucks and vehicles, and approximately 220 pieces of diesel-powered equipment, all subject to rising costs. The district’s continued investment in its electric fleet is one strategy for managing long-term cost exposure: Switching a diesel bus to electric can save between $73,000 and $173,000 per unit over its lifetime in fuel and maintenance costs. We evaluate investments not only by their direct financial impact, but also by how they support student access, operational effectiveness and overall service quality.
STN: How do you evaluate the return on investment for transportation beyond dollars and cents?
Chait: We look at safety, reliability, student access, operational efficiency and the confidence families have in our system. Transportation supports our educational mission, so its value extends beyond traditional financial measures.
Sustainability STN: Regarding those electric school buses, what opportunities and challenges has LAUSD experienced?
Chait: Transitioning to a zero-emission fleet is an important investment in both environmental stewardship and student health. Like many districts, we’ve learned that fleet electrification requires significant planning, including charging infrastructure, utility coordination, workforce training and long-term capital investment. Those are complex efforts, but they also position us well for the future.
In 2019, the Board of Education adopted a pledge to significantly reduce dependence on fossil fuels by 2030 and to attain 100-percent renewable energy by 2040. Our work to meet these goals has presented multiple challenges, but our staff have creatively turned these challenges into opportunities to expand student resources, test new technologies, and collaborate with governmental and private partners.
STN: Beyond environmental benefits, have electric buses changed operations or long-term budgeting?
Chait: As our electric fleet continues to expand, we’re gaining valuable experience that will inform long-term planning. Electric buses require a different operational approach, from charging schedules to maintenance practices to infrastructure planning. Over time, those changes have the potential to improve operational efficiency and reduce certain maintenance costs, but thoughtful implementation is essential to realizing those benefits.
LAUSD adopted a pledge to significantly reduce dependence on fossil fuels by 2030 and to attain 100-percent renewable energy by 2040.
As an example, LAUSD recently broke ground on the Sun Valley Bus Garage electrification project, a $72 million investment delivering 180 charging stations, a mix of Level 2 and Level 3 chargers to support 180 electric school buses and an $86 million investment in the fleet itself. The Level 3 chargers include V2G technology, allowing the district to sell stored energy back to the grid during peak demand and charge buses during off-peak hours, helping stabilize the broader grid while reducing costs.
Transportation & Student Success STN: Has LAUSD seen the connection between reliable transportation and attendance?
Chait: Attendance is influenced by many factors, but reliable transportation removes one significant barrier. Our attendance efforts involve multiple departments working together, and transportation is one part of that broader strategy to help students get to school consistently and ready to learn.
STN: How closely do transportation and instructional teams work together?
Chait: Collaboration is essential. Transportation, school operations and our school leaders regularly work together to address challenges that affect student access. When we identify barriers to attendance, we look across departments to determine the most effective solutions.
STN: What role does transportation play in educational equity?
Chait: Transportation helps ensure students can access the educational opportunities available throughout our district regardless of where they live. For many students,
transportation is what makes specialized programs, services and schools accessible. That’s an important part of our commitment to educational equity.
Workforce STN: Driver shortages have challenged districts nationwide. What lessons has LAUSD learned?
Chait: Like many districts, we’ve experienced workforce challenges, but we’ve learned that recruitment and retention require sustained attention. Competitive compensation, professional development, supportive working conditions and recognizing the important role our employees play all contribute to building a strong workforce.
STN: Are there initiatives that have improved recruitment or retention?
Chait: We’ve continued investing in recruitment, training and employee support while looking for ways to streamline hiring and help new employees succeed. Retention is equally important. Supporting employees throughout their careers helps us provide more consistent service for students and families.
STN: Transportation employees often interact with students before and after school each day. How do you view their role?
Chait: They are an important part of our educational community. Bus drivers and transportation staff help create a safe, respectful and welcoming environment. Those daily interactions matter. Students benefit when every adult they encounter demonstrates care, professionalism and a commitment to their well-being.
Technology & Innovation STN: Where do you see the biggest opportunity for technology?
Chait: Technology gives us the opportunity to make transportation more responsive, more efficient and more transparent for families. Whether it’s better routing, improved communication or stronger use of data, technology can help us make informed decisions and continually improve service. This year we are rolling out our Modernization Project: Upgraded GPS, routing, dispatch, tablets, student scanning and interior and exterior cameras. Families can track their students in real-time via the Parent Portal app.
STN: How is LAUSD using routing software, GPS, parent communications and data analytics?
Chait: We’re modernizing several aspects of our transportation operation. This includes implementing enhanced routing and planning tools, expanding GPS capabilities and improving communication with families. These investments will help us provide more accurate information, respond more quickly to changing conditions and improve operational efficiency.
The Parent Portal app provides secure access to valuable district resources. In addition to bus transportation, parents can access grades, attendance, assignments and scores, enrollment info, and food menus. Ultimately, technology should make the experience better for students, families and employees.
STN: Are there operational innovations from transportation that could be applied elsewhere in the district?
Chait: Transportation depends on using real-time information, careful planning and continuous improvement. Those same principles can benefit many areas of the district as we continue building a culture that values data-informed decision-making and excellent customer service.
STN: What role does the union play in approving these initiatives and technology?
Chait: We value our continued partnership with our labor organizations and believe meaningful collaboration leads to better outcomes. As we consider operational
improvements or new technology, we engage employees and labor partners consistent with our collective bargaining agreements and applicable laws. Our shared goal is improving service while supporting the employees who deliver it every day.
Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the September 2026 issue of School Transportation News.
GM Energy and Pacific Gas and Electric have joined forces to improve EV ownership.
New incentive offers a free charger as well as monthly savings on electricity.
Partnership aims to streamline buying and charging experience for first-time EV owners.
Buying your first electric vehicle can be intimidating and a little overwhelming. Besides the purchase itself, you need to think about recharging and possibly getting an electrician to come out to your home and install a charger.
Given that, it’s easy to see why a number of consumers forget to inquire about programs from their utility provider. GM is now streamlining things by announcing a new partnership with Pacific Gas and Electric [PG&E].
Dubbed the Smart Charge Bundle, the first-of-its-kind program “makes home charging part of the EV buying conversation from the start.” When at participating Cadillac, Chevrolet, or GMC dealerships, eligible customers can discuss their charging needs, explore charger options from GM Energy, and sign up for a program from PG&E.
While there’s a lot to take in, customers can get an Energy PowerShift or PowerUp 2 home charger at no cost. That’s a savings of up to $1,999, although installation, permitting, and any necessary electrical upgrades are the responsibility of the customer.
The PowerUp 2 charger typically costs $899 and is rated at 11.5 kW. However, the star of the show is the 19.2 kW PowerShift charger, which offers a bidirectional charging capability when paired with a V2H Enablement Kit. This allows your EV to act as a massive battery bank to power your home during outages.
While the free charger is certainly a bonus, the incentives don’t end there. Quite the opposite, as dealers can sign people up for PG&E’s EV Charge Manager program. According to the utility, it “schedules electric vehicle charging when electricity prices and demand are at their lowest.” You simply plug in your vehicle when you get home, and it will automatically begin charging at the proper time. It’s also worth noting you can override a “managed-charging session” whenever needed.
That’s oversimplifying things a bit, but customers could receive a $15 monthly bill credit. On top of that, owners could save up to $50 per month by charging when the electricity rate is low.
The incentive is available to eligible PG&E residential customers in Northern and Central California through February 2027, or until capacity in the program is reached. There are a few caveats – such as having to use GM Energy’s preferred installer network – but the Smart Charge Bundle sounds like a win-win.
GM Energy Vice President Wade Sheffer remarked, “GM Energy’s reason for being is to make EV ownership a leap forward in value and ease, from choosing the right vehicle to charging it at home. Our work with PG&E is the result of listening to owners, reducing steps, and doing the hard work in the background to make the customer experience really simple, with clear benefits.”
A lawsuit claims Tesla turned a blind eye to complaints of racial discrimination.
It’s claimed that Black workers have had to deal with racial slurs and offensive graffiti.
Superior Court Judge Peter Borkon will determine if Tesla is liable for civil rights violations.
A trial involving Tesla has just started in California, some four years after the electric car manufacturer was sued by the California Civil Rights Department for allegedly allowing racial discrimination against black workers at its Fremont factory.
Rather than a typical jury trial, state Superior Court Judge Peter Borkon ordered a bench trial. This means that he alone will determine if Tesla violated local civil rights laws, rather than a jury made up of members of the public.
The lawsuit, filed in February 2022, asserted that Black workers at the company’s site in Fremont, California, have been segregated to the lowest level of the workforce and “discriminated against in job assignments, discipline, pay, and promotion.” It has also been alleged that Tesla has turned a blind eye to years of complaints from Black workers who’ve had to endure racial slurs and seen racist writing and graffiti in common areas, including swastikas and other hate symbols.
The director of the California Civil Rights Department says the agency wants to hold Tesla accountable. Tesla has vehemently denied the accusations and, in late 2022, countersued the agency, alleging it had violated laws by filing the suit without seeking public comment or giving the car manufacturer time to settle.
California does not have a cap on the damages that a court can award to workers affected by workplace discrimination, so if Judge Borkon rules for the plaintiffs, Tesla may be forced to cough up a serious amount of money.
This isn’t the only lawsuit that Tesla is dealing with, related to the Fremont factory. In 2023, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit against Tesla in federal court, also alleging that starting in 2015, Black employees had been subjected to racial slurs. This separate lawsuit also claims Tesla has failed to investigate complaints of racial conduct and even fired or retaliated against those workers who reported being harassed.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.— HopSkipDrive, the leader in safe, fast, and simple supplemental student transportation, today debuted CareEngine, the technology platform that powers every HopSkipDrive ride. Purpose built for the complexity of school transportation, CareEngine connects school districts, schools, families, riders, CareDrivers, and HopSkipDrive’s Safe Ride Support team before, during, and after every ride, so everyone gets the information they need at the right time.
Districts today are too often stuck stitching coordination together with disconnected systems that don’t speak to each other, can’t move at the speed students need, and aren’t sustainable over time. When something changes, coordination breaks down exactly when it matters most.
CareEngine was built to close that gap. School transportation is unlike any other transportation, involving far more than a car and a driver moving a rider from one place to another, and every ride is personal: a seven-year-old who depends on a consistent pickup routine, a teenager experiencing homelessness in her third school placement this year, a student who is non-verbal and relies on a familiar greeting. A late pickup can affect a classroom, an outdated handoff instruction can create a safety concern, and a missed update can lead to uncertainty and a chain of phone calls.
When a student’s home address changes at 10:30 at night, CareEngine puts a new plan into motion, and coordinates everyone in real-time. The CareDriver’s route updates automatically in the CareDriver app. RideIQ gives district staff real-time visibility into the change, the school’s Daily Queue shows the day’s updated pickups and dropoffs, the student can follow their own ride through Track My Ride, and the family’s Caregiver app confirms the new pickup, all without a series of phone calls, left messages, or lost sticky notes that plague current processes.
CareEngine brings that coordination to every part of the ride:
● Seamless coordination, always in sync: Districts can book a full school year of rides in minutes. When a pickup time, address, rider instruction, or any other detail changes, CareEngine automatically routes the update to everyone who needs it, the district, the family, and the CareDriver, so one update replaces five phone calls.
● Proactive, human-centered safety: CareEngine brings the CareDriver app, HopSkipDrive’s Safe Ride technology, and the Safe Ride Support team into one connected system that can flag unsafe driving while a CareDriver is still on the way to pickup, giving Safe Ride Support the chance to intervene before a child ever gets in the car.
● Individualized care at scale: CareEngine’s unified system captures each student’s specific needs and preferences, and seamlessly communicates them to the CareDriver at the right time, every ride. This creates a consistent experience tailored specifically to each student, even when the CareDriver changes. CareEngine makes it possible to deliver this level of individualized care consistently across thousands of students and millions of rides.
● Speed when it matters most: New rides are guaranteed in as little as six hours, and location changes in as little as two. For a student whose housing placement changes unexpectedly, that means getting to school the next morning, not the next week, protecting their attendance and continuity at their school of origin.
● A system that improves with every ride: Every ride adds useful information: how long a pickup actually takes, where delays keep repeating, and which instructions reduce confusion. HopSkipDrive’s team uses those insights to make coordination smoother and more reliable over time.
“We’ve spent more than a decade building purpose-built technology for every person involved in a student’s ride: districts, schools, families, riders, CareDrivers, and our safety team,” said Joanna McFarland, CEO and co-founder of HopSkipDrive.”CareEngine is what happens when all these applications connect with each other in one unified system. It helps transportation teams spend less time chasing information and more time serving their students. It’s not a new fix for the driver shortage. It’s what makes sure the capacity districts do have isn’t wasted on coordination they shouldn’t have to do by hand.”
CareEngine arrives as student transportation faces two forces at once. Need is rising: More students require specialized transportation than ever before, from students in temporary housing to students in foster care to students with IEPs who need consistent, individualized care. At the same time, capacity remains constrained and issues like budget restrictions and school bus driver shortages persist. HopSkipDrive’s 2026 State of School Transportation Report found that 71% of districts experienced at least one tangible operational consequence of driver shortages in the past year, including longer ride times, missed or late pickups, and staff pulled in to cover gaps. Nearly a quarter, 23%, say they can no longer offer transportation for extracurricular activities or field trips at all.
About HopSkipDrive
HopSkipDrive is the leader in safe, fast, and simple supplemental student transportation. The company 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 14,500 schools across two dozen states, with over 2,000 school districts, government agencies, and nonprofit partners. Millions of rides across 130 million miles have been completed through HopSkipDrive since the company was founded in 2014 by three working mothers.
Lexus is rebating the California buyers the state program shuts out.
The MyLexusEV rebate carries no price cap and no first-timer rule.
Lexus is allowing the new discount to be stacked with other incentives.
Lexus has stepped up for Californian residents who are ineligible for the MyFirstEV Program discounts, announcing an incentive it hopes will drive sales of the all-electric RZ and the new ES EV.
Under the MyFirstEV Program, shoppers receive an instant rebate of up to $3,500 for new zero-emission vehicles and $1,750 for used models, but only if you’ve never owned a ZEV previously and are a verified California resident, so many locals aren’t eligible. There’s also an MSRP cap of $50,000.
The MyLexusEV Rebate does not have these same restrictions, providing an instant $2,500 rebate with no MSRP cap, regardless of whether someone is a first-time EV buyer.
The good news doesn’t stop there for interested buyers of the RZ and ES EV. The MyLexusEV Rebate can be stacked with other discounts, including a current $4,000 Lease Cash Incentive for the 2026 RZ, boosting savings up to $6,500, CarsDirect notes. There are currently no other incentives available for the Lexus ES EV.
Lexus is no doubt eager to boost sales of the RZ and ES EV in the United States. Through the first half of this year, 7,814 examples of the RZ had been sold, an impressive 106.8 percent increase from the 3,779 sold in the first half of 2025. By comparison, sales of the ES, which just entered its eighth generation, have slipped 79.7 percent this year to just 3,896, down from 19,181, although this can be largely attributed to the model change, rather than a huge decline in demand. Sales of the all-electric version haven’t been published, but it’s unlikely to sell in numbers to rival the combustion model.
Calaveras Unified School District officials in California’s Sierra Nevada foothills said a school bus driver followed district protocols during a disturbance last month that resulted in a parent allegedly breaking glass on the bus loading door and entering through a window.
Superintendent Kassie Meeks told School Transportation News that the bus had arrived at a scheduled Aug. 24 stop, when the driver took the opportunity to address students about their behavior. There had reportedly been yelling, screaming and other disruptive behavior while the bus was moving.
“Our goal is to ensure that students follow appropriate behavior expectations so the driver can safely operate the bus and maintain the safety of everyone on board,” Meeks said.
Meeks shared that district officials reviewed bus video footage and determined the driver spent approximately four minutes addressing student behavior, reviewing bus expectations and asking students to calm down. During that time, one student exited through a bus window.
Shortly afterward, a parent arrived on the scene and began aggressively banging on the bus loading door, ultimately breaking the glass. Law enforcement was immediately contacted, and the California Highway Patrol was notified because damage to a school bus with students aboard triggers specific state safety protocols, she added.
The parent then climbed through an open bus window while authorities were responding, according to Meeks. An adult outside the bus could also reportedly be heard encouraging students to exit through the windows, and additional students subsequently did so.
Meeks said law enforcement arrived approximately 14 minutes after the bus reached the scheduled stop. Students remaining onboard were directed to stay seated and calm while authorities investigated.
STN contacted the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office for comment about the arrest and circumstances surrounding the incident but had not received a response as of this writing. But according to local news reports citing the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office, the parent broke glass while striking the bus door and was arrested on suspicion of vandalism.
Neither the driver nor any students were injured, Meeks confirmed.
The district also disputed claims that students had been held on the bus for more than an hour before the situation escalated.
“Regarding the driver, after reviewing the video footage, the district believes the driver acted appropriately under extremely challenging circumstances,” Meeks said. “His focus remained on student safety, maintaining order and attempting to de-escalate the situation.”
Meeks told STN the driver has returned to the regular route. The bus sustained damage to the glass in its door and underwent repairs.
The district determined the driver followed appropriate protocols and has not identified a need to change its transportation procedures because of the incident, Meeks said. However, she said officials will continue reviewing practices and reinforcing safety expectations with employees and students.
Calaveras County is known for its Giant Sequoias, Mark Twain’s story, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, and as a key area of mining during the state’s Gold Rush of the mid-1880’s.
Franz von Holzhausen owns the Tesla Model S Plaid Signature #001.
The Tesla design chief took the special EV to Unplugged Performance.
The sedan received paint protection, ceramic coating, and window tints.
Franz von Holzhausen has run Tesla’s design studio since 2008, and most of what people picture when they see a Tesla came off his desk. The Model S is one of those cars, so it makes sense that he took delivery of the definitive version, the Plaid Signature Edition, chassis number #001, the one at the very front of the production line.
Before settling in with the car that closes out the Model S story, he drove it to Unplugged Performance in California. The tuner is better known for wheels, brakes, wraps and body kits, but detailing sits on the menu too, and that’s what he was there for. The bodywork he drew more than a decade ago stayed exactly as it left the factory. What he wanted was for it to stay that way.
Preserving His Own Handiwork
Unplugged Performance
While the car was brand-new, the first step was a thorough chemical decontamination wash to remove bonded fallout, iron particles, and transport residue picked up before delivery. Once prepared, the Auto Spa team disassembled parts of the exterior so the film could be applied without a visible seam anywhere.
According to Unplugged Performance, paint protection film acts as a physical barrier that absorbs stone chips, scratches, and minor wear, shielding the factory paint underneath. For Signature Edition #001, that was only the starting point.
Unplugged Performancean
Following careful inspection under dedicated lighting, technicians coated every panel and trim piece with a full ceramic treatment. The extra layer adds hydrophobic properties that repel dirt and make washing easier, while deepening the gloss of the paintwork.
Finally, the team covered all glass surfaces with a window film that blocks 99% of ultraviolet radiation and 98% of infrared heat. That keeps the interior out of the worst of the Californian sun, so it should still look new years from now.
The Tesla Model S Plaid Signature Edition arrived earlier this year as a farewell special for the long-running nameplate. Production is capped at 250 units, offered by invitation to select customers at $159,420 apiece.
As with the regular Plaid, the Signature Edition uses the tri-motor setup producing 1,020 hp (761 kW / 1,034 PS), with a handful of unique touches on top. Chief among them is the Garnet Red finish, paired with gold emblems, special badging, and 21-inch Velarium wheels with gold calipers over carbon-ceramic brakes. Inside there’s white Alcantara upholstery, a yoke steering wheel, and Signature branding.
This isn’t the first time von Holzhausen has handed a personal car to Unplugged Performance. Years earlier, he had his Model 3 fitted with coilover suspension, sway bars, adjustable suspension arms, and carbon-ceramic brakes, again leaving the bodywork alone.
The operation will take place Sept. 4 at multiple locations along district bus routes in the Turlock area, which is located about halfway between Sacramento and Fresno, CHP said in a press release sent to School Transportation News.
Officers riding as passengers will watch for motorists who fail to stop when a school bus has its red lights flashing and stop arm extended. The officers will communicate with nearby CHP patrol units to stop motorists observed illegally passing a bus. Violators may receive warnings or traffic citations.
The operation is funded by a grant originating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and administered by the California Office of Traffic Safety.
CHP said the operation is intended to educate motorists, parents and students about school bus pedestrian safety and reinforce state stopping requirements.
Drivers approaching a school bus from either direction must stop when its red lights are flashing, the agency reminded. Motorists must remain stopped while students enter or exit the bus and until children have safely crossed the street and the red lights stop flashing. Yellow flashing lights warn drivers to slow down and prepare to stop.
Motorists do not have to stop when a school bus is on the opposite side of a divided or multilane highway with at least two lanes in each direction, according to state law.
The agency also urged drivers to remain alert near school bus stops because children may act unpredictably or enter traffic without recognizing the danger. Motorists should reduce their speed and use additional caution around pedestrians, particularly in school zones before and after school.
Enforcement Also Targets Safe School Bus Ridership
CHP encouraged parents to make pedestrian and school bus safety part of their children’s routines. Students should arrive at their bus stop at least five minutes early and wait 10 feet from the road. Children who must cross a street to board should wait for the bus driver’s signal before proceeding.
Students also should not enter or leave a bus until the driver says it is safe, and they should never run after a bus they have missed. Running, games, pushing, and shoving should be avoided at bus stops.
When sidewalks are available, children should use them, CHP said. Where no sidewalk exists, students should walk single file, face approaching traffic and remain on the shoulder as far off the road as possible.
Children should look to the right before stepping off a bus because some motorists may attempt to pass on that side. Before crossing a street, students should stop and look left, right and left again. Crossings should be made at corners, crosswalks, or intersections whenever possible, where motorists are more likely to expect pedestrians.
“Traffic safety is everyone’s responsibility,” CHP said in the release, adding that the agency is committed to helping keep the community safe and urging residents to follow traffic laws.
San Francisco transportation officials in California approved a plan to lower speed limits near approximately 230 public and private school campuses citywide as part of an effort to improve safety for students and their families, reported CBS News.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors approved the plan last week. The changes will be implemented over the next two years and will establish a default speed limit of 20 mph near schools while expanding the locations where 15 mph limits may be used.
School zones throughout San Francisco reportedly have speed limits of either 15 mph or 25 mph. According to the agency, a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling 20 mph has approximately a 90 percent chance of surviving. That chance falls to about 20 percent when a vehicle is traveling 40 mph.
“As families get ready for the new school year, they deserve to know that they’ll be sending their kids out to safer streets so they can get to class and back home, every day, without fear,” Mayor Daniel Lurie said.
San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Maria Su said the lower speed limits represent an important step toward protecting students, supporting families and making streets safer for everyone. Officials plan to implement lower limits near several campuses before the new school year begins. Those schools include Dr. William L. Cobb Elementary, Leonard R. Flynn Elementary, St. Anthony-Immaculate Conception School, Jefferson Elementary, Roosevelt Middle and Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts.
The expanded limits were reportedly made possible by Assembly Bill 382, which the California Legislature passed zone5. The agency is also pursuing other traffic safety improvements around campuses. Planned measures include more than 40 school-zone crossing improvements and daylighting at more than 2,300 intersections near schools.
Crossing guards and Safe Routes to School programs will continue supporting student safety. Additionally, a project is underway near Mission Bay Elementary School to install protected bicycle lanes and high-visibility crossings. The school is scheduled to open in August.
Flow – Clean Air Edition uses 99.999% pure atmospheric CO? captured onsite by Aircapture’s Direct Air Capture system, which enables breweries to generate their own CO? and reduce reliance on unpredictable, fossil-fuel-based supply chains. ALAMEDA, Calif., March 23, 2026 — Aircapture, a pioneer in Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology, and California craft beer brewery Almanac …
New tariffs and a federal leasing freeze compound cost pressures and regulatory challenges, limiting growth prospects. Houston, 12 Nov. 2025: The US offshore wind pipeline contracted sharply over the past year, falling to 23 projects from 45, as developers face a closing window for tax credits, a freeze on federal leasing and new trade frictions, …
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: California’s demand for zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) is surging despite federal attempts to derail the Golden State’s pursuit of a 100% clean energy future. A record 29.1% of all new cars purchased in Q3 of 2025 were ZEVs. SACRAMENTO — Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that Californians purchased 124,755 zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) in the third …
RNG Remains the Most Immediate, Cost-Effective Way to Decarbonize Heavy-Duty Transportation Washington, DC – Last calendar year marked the fifth consecutive year that commercial fleets in the State of California fueled by bio-CNG (renewable natural gas, or RNG) achieved a carbon-negative transportation outcome, according to a report released today by The Transport Project (TTP) and RNG Coalition alongside partner California Renewable Transportation Alliance (CRTA). Lowest …
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Updated Western Solar Plan to guide responsible development in 11 Western states WASHINGTON — The Department of the Interior today announced an updated Western Solar Plan to help guide efficient and environmentally responsible solar energy permitting on public lands across the West. ?The plan will guide the siting of solar energy proposals in areas with fewer resource conflicts, advance the nation’s growing clean energy economy, help lower energy costs …
Farm Foundation’s Meet Your Farmer podcast featured A.G. Kawamura in season 1, episode 4.
A.G. is a third-generation farmer in Southern California and operates Orange County Produce with his brother. He served as California Secretary of Agriculture from 2003 to 2010. He is founding chair of Solutions for Urban Agriculture, which grows produce for area food banks. He is involved in many other organizations, including as founding co-chair of Solutions from the Land, and with Farm Foundation as a Roundtable Fellow since 2011, and currently serving on the Farm Foundation Board of Directors. He also serves on the board of Western Growers.
In this episode, A.G. discusses what it means to be a landless farmer, his work to solve food insecurity, and some of the dynamics of the fresh produce industry that are not widely known.
By Joel Jaeger, Katrina McLaughlin, Lori Bird and Karl Hausker Building a clean, reliable, cost-effective power grid will require many different types of energy. The bulk will come from solar and wind; but since these aren’t available 24/7, 365 days a year, they must be paired with a smaller amount of clean, “firm” power that’s always available when needed. …
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Reliable hot water is critical for restaurants for preparing food and washing dishes and equipment, as well as hand washing.
However, water heating is one of the biggest energy users in restaurants. Heating water for restaurant use accounts for 16% of all commercial gas usage in California. Food service buildings are among the highest intensive energy users on a per-square-foot basis, largely because of their hot water usage. Foodservice operations may soon feel the pressure to electrify. The California Air Resources Board is analyzing proposed zero-emission GHG standards for new space and water heaters. It is currently planned for consideration in 2025 with any implementation beginning in 2030, and would only be applicable to the purchase of new equipment
Doing so will be difficult, particularly for existing restaurants. Many food service operations, especially small and independent businesses, do not have the space for the size of a storage tank that would be required for a heat pump water heater. Restaurants in California, as with most states, are legally required to have sufficient hot water to meet all these demands under peak conditions.
In response to these challenges, an emerging technology, the heat pump-assisted water heater, is gaining traction. It is designed to meet this existing gap between what the market needs and the cost and challenges of installing available heat pump water heaters. It is geared to meet the needs of existing food service businesses that want to be able to transition to a heat pump while still retaining the benefits of their current water heating system.
With funding from CalNEXT — California’s statewide emerging technology initiative — the TRC Advanced Energy team recently published a report, “Market Potential for Heat Pump Assisted Hot Water Systems in Foodservice Facilities.” This report, which TRC Advanced Energy developed with research support from Frontier Energy and Energy Solutions, assesses the benefits and challenges of adopting heat pump-assisted water heater technology for a range of food service establishments.
“Heat pump-assisted water heaters are a solution that we have available today,” said Amin Delagah, Associate Director of Research and Consulting for TRC Advanced Energy, an environmental services provider. “Heat pump water heater adoption rates in restaurants are still very low due to a lack of familiarity, space and electrical capacity requirements and primarily, the health department water heater sizing regulatory barrier, but the heat pump assist concept is a solution that we can move forward today to overcome these barriers.”
The heat pump-assisted water heater, as its name suggests, is designed to operate in series with an existing water heater, which makes it attractive for restaurants that do not want to overhaul their current system completely. During down times for the business, the existing heater would maintain the recirculation temperature of already heated water in its system. During off hours, the heat pump-assisted water heater would produce sufficient hot water to restock the system. Because the existing heater is already large enough to meet food service needs during business hours, the heat pump-assisted water heater system can be built to fit the available space, even if it is undersized.
The benefits of using a heat pump-assisted water heater are similar to those of a heat pump: improved energy efficiency and possibly lower long-term energy costs, although cost issues largely depend on the type of system being replaced. Natural gas fuel, which is used by 90 percent of food service operations for water heating, is currently cheaper than electricity in most of California.
Heat pump systems also provide cooling as a byproduct, which could be useful to counteract kitchen heat.
Heat pump-assisted water heaters are designed to address the big disadvantage of heat pump water heaters for restaurants — the longer time needed to heat the water from cold. One workaround is a much larger tank, but floor space is typically at a premium in restaurants, making this workaround unappealing for many food service operations. For a heat pump water heater to meet health department requirements, it would need a much bigger tank than its gas-fired counterpart (because the gas-fired water heater can heat water faster).
Heat pump-assisted water heaters may also be cheaper to install than a conventional, retrofitted heat pump water heater system, and the heat pump-assisted water heater does not need to meet these sizing regulations because the legacy water heater still functions as a backup system. At this point, the technology is still emerging and has not been installed commercially, but the authors estimate that initial costs for the heat pump water heater that acts as the assist, including installation, could range between $6,000 to $20,000. This amount, while significant, is still much cheaper than what it could cost a full-service restaurant to install a heat pump water heater capable of meeting water demands, which could well exceed $100,000.
“The costs for heat pump assisted heat pumps are largely driven by the electrical work and the space required, and there may be incentives available to offset these,” Delagah said.
Another benefit is that because the heat pump-assisted water heater is a backup system, it does not require health department approval, making the process simpler.
Both heat pump water heaters and heat pump-assisted water heaters also have the additional operational benefit of being able to benefit from time-of-use rates and the additional cooling they could provide for kitchens.
“This year in October, it was 95 degrees in the Bay Area,” Delagah said. “There are new California OSHA rules on the books for indoor temperatures — if your facilities are over an 82°F temperature indoors, you have to provide cooling centers for employees. That’s becoming an emerging concern for restaurants to meet a new heat illness standard.”
On the downside, the higher upfront costs will likely still be a significant barrier to the adoption of heat pump-assisted water heaters, even if they are relatively less expensive than heat pump water heaters.
One big hurdle is that health departments, by and large, are not familiar with the technology — and may be more resistant to its approval. The relatively high price of electricity in California, compared with gas, may be another barrier.
Yet regulations and the need to decarbonize are moving closer, with California’s 2030 deadlines for reducing its overall greenhouse gas emissions by 40%, in comparison with 1990 levels. Restaurants are well positioned to be the public face of doing their part.
“This is great equipment for restaurants that are thinking about positioning themselves for where things are going in terms of air quality regulations,” Delagah said. “If you’re a chain restaurant, you should probably be trying this out, kicking the tires a bit, and preparing for what your solution is going to be when there is a mandate.”
To learn more about this project, read the report on the CalNEXT website, calnext.com
About CalNEXT: CalNEXT is a statewide initiative to identify, test, and grow electric technologies and delivery methods to support California’s decarbonized future. CalNEXT is funded by the ratepayers of California investor-owned utilities and provides a means for studying emerging technologies and energy-efficiency innovations that have the potential to save energy via utility programs and/or market support.
Article written by Emily Pickrell, Energy Solutions
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