DENVER, Colo. EverDriven, the national leader in Alternative Student Transportation, today announced the appointment of Caroline Argibay as Chief Financial Officer. Argibay joins EverDriven’s executive leadership team and will have oversight of all areas of the company’s financial activities including financial planning and analysis, accounting and financial reporting, treasury, and capital markets.

“Caroline’s experience leading finance through periods of significant growth makes her exactly the right partner for EverDriven,” said Mitch Bowling, CEO of EverDriven. “She has a proven track record of building strong financial foundations and forming the kind of collaborative partnerships that help a company scale responsibly. Just as important, she understands why this work matters.”

Argibay most recently served as Vice President of FP&A at Alterra Mountain Company where she led financial planning and analysis, as well as capital markets and investor relations activities for a private-equity owned business. She spent her early career in investment banking at Morgan Stanley. Argibay’s interest in EverDriven’s mission is shaped by her family’s personal experience with special education.

“I am proud of the service that EverDriven provides in our communities, and this mission is one I believe in personally as well as professionally,” said Argibay. “I’m looking forward to helping to drive the performance that allows EverDriven to serve even more students and families as it continues to expand its support of additional school districts across the country.”

About EverDriven
EverDriven delivers modern student-centered transportation that’s safe, consistent, and built for those who need it most. EverDriven specializes in routing and transporting students across all ranges of needs — from everyday support to the most complex circumstances — including students with disabilities, students experiencing housing instability, and other high-need populations. Serving more than 800 districts across 38 states, the company completed more than 2.1 million successful trips in the 2025–26 school year. EverDriven’s deeply human, fully compliant, and AI-powered approach helps districts get students on the road in hours, not days, while maintaining consistent, high-trust rides that complement traditional yellow bus fleets. For more information, visit everdriven.com.

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We examine the potential fallout from proposed changes to the Head Start program, increased danger as students return to school, a tornado that devastated a Wisconsin bus contractor, and updates from NAPT and TSD Conference.

Parker Muirbrook, strategic sales director at EverDriven, discusses new research and real-world examples that show how alternative transportation assists both district financials and student needs by providing safe and consistent school transportation.

Read more about special needs.

This episode is brought to you by Transfinder.

Message from School Radio.

Conversation with EverDriven. 

Stream, subscribe and download the School Transportation Nation podcast on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Spotify and YouTube.

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DENVER, Colo. — More than three in four parents and guardians say a reliable ride to school makes their child more successful in the classroom, according to new national research released today by EverDriven, the nation’s alternative student transportation leader. The same study found the reverse is just as true: 77% of teachers say they lose instructional time to transportation every week, with 71% losing at least a full day a week to transportation-related lateness or absenteeism. Together, the findings point to a conclusion that reframes how districts might think about transportation entirely: it is not simply whether a ride exists that matters most, but whether that ride is consistent.

The research study, Transportation Consistency is a Lifeline for Students with Additional Needs, surveyed 812 U.S. parents and guardians, teachers, and district administrators. All respondents were connected to students with additional needs, a group that includes students on an IEP or 504 plan, students with medical fragility, students experiencing housing instability under the McKinney-Vento Act, students in foster care, students requiring out-of-district transportation, and students in afterschool or vocational programs.

Consistent Transportation’s Role in Student Success

Across every group surveyed, the same pattern emerged. Students with consistent transportation arrive prepared for the school day, resulting in better academic and social-emotional outcomes. Sixty-nine percent of parents and guardians said a reliable ride left their child noticeably calmer, a finding echoed independently by teachers and administrators describing the positive effect on student behavior and readiness to learn.

“When transportation is reliable, it becomes something students and families can count on to build their routine,” said Mitch Bowling, CEO of EverDriven. “This research confirms what we hear from districts and caregivers constantly: consistency is one of the clearest levers we have to help the students who need the most support succeed, both in the classroom and beyond. A reliable, on-time ride with the same driver improves caregiver trust, classroom stability for teachers, and attendance-based funding for districts.”

Transportation Reliability’s Financial Impact: From District Funding to Caregiver Careers

The research also found that transportation reliability shapes decisions well beyond the ride itself. Sixty-two percent of parents and guardians said transportation was a major or significant factor in their decisions about where to send their child to school, and district administrators independently reported seeing transportation reliability influence enrollment, transfers, and family trust. For districts where per-pupil funding follows enrollment, the findings suggest transportation reliability functions as a retention issue. The study also examined the operational and compliance pressures districts face when transportation is inconsistent, including its effect on legally required services for students with IEPs and McKinney-Vento protections.

For caregivers, more than half (55%) carried a financial cost tied to their child’s transportation including lost hours, lost wages, or a changed job. Several caregivers surveyed described transportation consistency as unlocking employment opportunities that previously weren’t possible. Angela, a caregiver in Florida, said: “There were certain jobs I couldn’t get because there was nobody else willing to take [my child’s transportation] on. It definitely opened up a lot for me. Now I’m not having to say, ‘I can’t apply for this job because of the hours, or that job because of the location.’”

Despite the clear benefits of consistency, the research found that many districts have not yet closed the gap between the students who qualify for this kind of support and the students actually receiving it. Only 13% of administrators surveyed said all of their qualifying students currently have transportation arranged, a gap the study frames as a meaningful opportunity for districts rather than a shortfall in effort, since the same administrators consistently rank specialized transportation among their top institutional priorities.

Research Methodology

This research combines an independent survey of 812 respondents, fielded in May and June 2026, with 15 in-depth interviews conducted by video with parents and guardians, teachers, and administrators across 10 states.

About EverDriven
EverDriven delivers modern student-centered transportation that’s safe, consistent, and built for those who need it most. EverDriven specializes in routing and transporting students across all ranges of needs — from everyday support to the most complex circumstances — including students with disabilities, students experiencing housing instability, and other high-need populations. Serving more than 800 districts across 38 states, the company completed more than 2.1 million successful trips in the 2025–26 school year. EverDriven’s deeply human, fully compliant, and AI-powered approach helps districts get students on the road in hours, not days, while maintaining consistent, high-trust rides that complement traditional yellow bus fleets. For more information, visit everdriven.com.

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DENVER, Colo. – Today EverDriven, the nation’s modern student transportation leader, announces the enhanced RideAware mobile app for iOS and Android. With this easy-to-use app, caregivers and authorized school staff can track the location of their student in real-time, view driver and vehicle information, get pickup and dropoff notifications, and manage changes. RideAware also syncs ride information securely across all stakeholders including caregivers, districts, and drivers into a single view of the student journey, providing precise visibility and reliability, while building trust with every trip.

Previously named the EverDriven VIP app, RideAware reflects a deep commitment to providing technology both caregivers and school staff can trust will connect seamlessly with the TripCentral student transportation management hub for districts and the SafeRoute driver app. Stakeholders can more easily coordinate when a caregiver requests changes. Drivers, districts, and caregivers have the updates they need in real-time, minimizing delays and improving overall student outcomes.

“When technology works as it should, every person involved in student transportation, caregivers, district leaders, and school staff, gains the clarity they need to focus on student well-being and success,” said Mitch Bowling, CEO of EverDriven. “Enhanced technology strengthens the human side of what we do. RideAware gives all stakeholders the information and visibility they need to ensure the right student gets the right ride at the right time. The safety, quality, and consistency of the ride itself is especially critical for vulnerable student populations who rely on us to get to school calm and ready to learn.”

RideAware: Enhanced Visibility in English and Spanish

RideAware gives caregivers and authorized school staff real-time visibility into a student’s ride. The app is available in English and Spanish, reflecting EverDriven’s commitment to serving families in their native language.

“I cannot recommend EverDriven enough for student transportation. They have been incredibly reliable and always on time for my nephew’s high school morning pickups. As a family member, the level of transparency they provide through their app is outstanding,” said Sofia M., an EverDriven caregiver. “I can track his entire journey from pickup to drop-off in real-time and see the driver’s name beforehand. It gives me such peace of mind knowing exactly who is with him and that he is getting to school safely.”

To protect student privacy and safety, only authorized adults can access trip information in RideAware. Caregivers and school staff can:
Track Rides with Confidence: Follow a student’s ride as it happens in real-time, with driver and vehicle information available directly from a phone.
Make Updates with Ease: Modify or cancel a trip when a student is sick or plans change, with updates available up to two hours before pickup.
Choose Their Communication Preferences: Set language, notification, and communication preferences so updates work for each family’s needs.
Receive Pickup and Dropoff Notifications: Schools get notifications when a student is picked up—reducing calls to drivers, uncertain ETAs, and unnecessary coordination efforts. Caregivers can rest assured that their students are dropped off at school safely.

RideAware syncs this information across caregivers, districts, and drivers servicing EverDriven trips into a single source of truth, replacing fragmented communication and providing peace of mind in the palm of your hand.

About EverDriven
EverDriven delivers modern student-centered transportation that’s safe, consistent, and built for those who need it most. EverDriven specializes in routing and transporting students across all ranges of needs, from everyday support to the most complex circumstances, including students with disabilities, students experiencing housing instability, and other high-need populations. Serving more than 800 districts across 38 states, the company completed more than 2.1 million successful trips in the 2025–26 school year. EverDriven’s deeply human, fully compliant, and AI-powered approach helps districts get students on the road in hours, not days, while maintaining consistent, high-trust rides that complement traditional yellow bus fleets. For more information, visit everdriven.com.

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DENVER, Colo. -EverDriven, the leader in Alternative Student Transportation, reflected on a defining year for the company and the districts, caregivers, and students it serves. Between May 2025 and May 2026, EverDriven completed more than 2.1 million student trips across 35.1 million miles in 38 states— growth fueled by districts nationwide turning to modern, flexible transportation solutions for students with complex needs.

“When you put the student at the center of the model, you build something that works for caregivers, students, and districts alike,” said Mitch Bowling, CEO of EverDriven. “We’ve stayed true to this goal for 20 years, and it still guides every decision as we grow. This year, we added new states to our network, yet our growth has never come at the cost of the safety standards, technology, and operational rigor that districts have come to count on. Scale only matters if the ride feels personal for every student.”

Raising the Bar on Safety and Service
Safety remained the foundation of EverDriven’s work throughout the year. According to the EverDriven 2026 Safety and Operations Report, the company maintained its strong safety and consistency track record across its network, with more than 83.6% of rides for students with disabilitiescompleted by the same driver. EverDriven’s standards are maintained through rigorous driver education, ongoing safety reviews, and its AI-powered camera solution deployed across one in two trips nationwide.

In February 2026, EverDriven launched its SafeOps Council to set a new standard for safety and operational excellence across student transportation. And earlier in the year, the company unveiled its 360-degree Student Experience, giving districts and families real-time visibility into every ride, reinforcing the trust districts place in EverDriven for the students who need it most.

“Districts trust us with their most vulnerable students, and that responsibility shapes every decision we make,” said Megan Von Wald, Chief Operations Officer at EverDriven. “Our safety record doesn’t happen by chance; it’s the result of the rigorous standards we meet and exceed across the industry, and a team committed to getting it right for every route, every day.”

A Modern, Effortless Experience Through Technology
EverDriven spent the year building a more connected, modern, technology-powered experience for everyone touched by student transportation. In October 2025, the company partnered with Google to bring best-in-class navigation to its driver app, giving drivers clearer, more reliable routes. In March 2026, EverDriven launched Consolidated Routing Services, an industry-first solution that unifies routing across yellow buses, vans, and alternative transportation using a mix of human expertise and routing intelligence.

That momentum continued into June, with the launch of TripCentral, EverDriven’s new district-facing transportation management hub that gives transportation teams real-time visibility and a modern interface to plan, update, and analyze services across every school. The same month, EverDriven partnered with Pathwise to bring expert general education routing solutions to districts nationwide, extending its technology partner ecosystem for routing services and supporting the full scope of a district’s transportation needs.

Together, these investments reflect a goal of making transportation planning modern and effortless for districts managing complex logistics, families counting on a safe ride, and drivers navigating routes.

Honoring District Leadership
In 2025, EverDriven also launched its inaugural Modern Student Transportation Awards, recognizing school district leaders nationwide who are embracing modern tools, inclusive practices, and a commitment to safety and accessibility in student transportation. The winners were honored at the 2025 TSD Conference in Dallas, Texas, spotlighting the creativity and care district leaders bring to getting students to school every day.

Supporting Students and Families Beyond the Ride
EverDriven’s commitment to the communities it serves extended beyond transportation. Through its Driving Access Forward initiative, the company awarded $20,000 in total funding to 30 schools and districts, helping remove barriers to education for students and families facing housing instability and other essential needs.

To learn more about EverDriven and its modern transportation solutions, visit EverDriven.com.

About EverDriven
EverDriven delivers modern student-centered transportation that’s safe, consistent, and built for those who need it most. EverDriven specializes in routing and transporting students across all ranges of needs, from everyday support to the most complex circumstances, including students with disabilities, students experiencing housing instability, and other high-need populations. Serving more than 800 districts across 38 states, the company completed over 2 million successful trips last year. EverDriven’s deeply human, fully compliant, and AI-powered approach helps districts get students on the road in hours, not days, while maintaining consistent, high-trust rides that complement traditional yellow bus fleets. For more information, visit everdriven.com.

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DENVER, Colo. – EverDriven, the nation’s leader in Alternative Student Transportation, today announced that nominations are now open for the 2026 Modern Student Transportation Awards. The industry awards program, in its second year, celebrates school district leaders that go above and beyond to make sure every child has a safe, reliable way to get to school each day.

The Modern Student Transportation Awards offer a national showcase for the people solving some of the toughest challenges in student transportation, from rebuilding systems after natural disasters to using technology to improve attendance from vulnerable, high-mobility populations.

“Last year’s honorees exemplified what’s possible when district leaders combine compassion with a modern approach,” said Mitch Bowling, CEO of EverDriven. “This program exists to make sure that the important work these individuals do every single day doesn’t go unnoticed. We are excited to hear this year’s stories.”

Nominations are open now through October 9, 2026 at info.everdriven.com/modern-student-transportation-awards-2026. Winners will be announced in early November 2026.

A Track Record to Build On

Last year’s inaugural Awards drew nominations from across the country, ultimately recognizing four winners:

Jeremy Stowe of Buncombe County Schools (NC), who stood up a new transportation system for more than 1,200 students displaced by Hurricane Helene. Earl Kent III of Denver Public Schools (CO), recognized for his use of technology and empathy to support students facing housing instability;
Kayla Denaco of Lewiston Public Schools (ME), who digitized her district’s transportation operations; and Quanika Dukes-Spruill of Newark Public Schools (NJ), honored for modernizing routing and vendor management in New Jersey’s largest district.

Recognizing Leadership Across Four Categories

Consistent with last year, nominations can be submitted across four categories:

Safety and Reliability Award – Recognizing innovative practices that improve the safety and reliability of student transportation.
Equity in Education Accessibility Award – Honoring flexible, scalable transportation solutions that support diverse student populations.
Top Innovator Award – Celebrating visionary leadership and the use of cutting-edge technology, including AI, to modernize student transportation.
Humanitarian Award – Highlighting powerful examples of human care and kindness where empathy and service redefine what it means to get students to school.

What Winners Receive
This year’s winners will each receive:

A $2,500 college scholarship for a student in their district who qualifies under the McKinney-Vento Act or receives special education services.
A full conference pass to the industry conference of their choice in 2027 (up to $600 in value, subject to approval).
Media spotlight and recognition across EverDriven’s digital channels and national/local press.
A custom-engraved crystal trophy.

Judging Panel

Nominations will be evaluated by a panel of judges from across the student transportation and education industries, including:

Mitch Bowling, CEO of EverDriven; Barbara Duffield, Executive Director of SchoolHouse Connection; and Glenna Wright-Gallo, VP of Policy at Everway.

Districts, colleagues, and community members are encouraged to submit nominations, and individuals may be nominated in more than one category. Full eligibility details and the Terms and Conditions are available at info.everdriven.com/modern-student-transportation-awards-2026.

About EverDriven
EverDriven delivers modern student-centered transportation that’s safe, consistent, and built for those who need it most. EverDriven specializes in routing and transporting students across all ranges of needs — from everyday support to the most complex circumstances — including students with disabilities, students experiencing housing instability, and other high-need populations. Serving more than 800 districts across 38 states, the company completed over 2 million successful trips last year. EverDriven’s deeply human, fully compliant, and AI-powered approach helps districts get students on the road in hours, not days, while maintaining consistent, high-trust rides that complement traditional yellow bus fleets. For more information, visit everdriven.com.

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DENVER, Colo. — EverDriven, the nation’s leader in Alternative Student Transportation, today announced a strategic partnership with Pathwise, a cloud-based K–12 operations platform whose EZRouting software powers student transportation for districts nationwide. The partnership brings EverDriven’s Consolidated Routing Services, which includes both yellow school bus and alternative student transportation, together with Pathwise EZRouting software for a general education routing solution that delivers expertise, efficiency and ease of use to school districts nationwide.

“Today’s transportation leaders know that better outcomes require more than the right software. They require the right expertise,” said Mitch Bowling, CEO of EverDriven. “Transportation directors trust us for alternative student transportation and EverDriven’s Consolidated Routing Services now brings that same expertise to the yellow school bus. It’s a natural pairing to integrate this service with Pathwise EZRouting software for a seamless end-to-end general education routing experience.”

By combining Pathwise’s AI-powered optimization with EverDriven’s deep expertise, built over years leading alternative student transportation and now extended to yellow school bus routing through Consolidated Routing Services — districts get routes that cost less to operate, run reliably in the field, and reflect a deep understanding of which solutions work for which students.

“Districts have trusted EZRouting to run their general education transportation for years, and this partnership makes that investment even more powerful,” said Nate Brogan, CEO at Pathwise. “Combining our AI-driven routing technology with EverDriven’s hands-on expertise gives transportation teams the best of both: smart software and seasoned guidance, working together for the students they serve.”

For transportation directors balancing competing demands on tight budgets, the payoff is clear.

Pathwise EZRouting continues to manage route planning, dispatch, GPS, field trips, and caregiver communications across the fleet, while EverDriven’s Consolidated Routing Services ensures every route is built for efficiency, safety, and scale. The result is a smarter, more integrated, and cost-effective operation with fewer moving parts to oversee.

What Districts Gain
Complete coverage. Expert general education routing powered by Pathwise EZRouting and managed by EverDriven’s Consolidated Routing Services, through one expert partner.
Expertise applied to existing tools. EverDriven’s Consolidated Routing Services layered onto the AI-powered routing platform districts already run.
Fewer vendors to manage. Consolidated transportation oversight without changing day-to-day workflows.

This marks the first in a planned series of routing software partnerships that will expand EverDriven’s ability to serve districts across their full transportation picture. To learn more, visit https://www.everdriven.com/technology/consolidated-routing-services/

About EverDrivenAbout EverDriven
EverDriven delivers modern student-centered transportation that’s safe, consistent, and built for those who need it most. EverDriven specializes in routing and transporting students across all ranges of needs, from everyday support to the most complex circumstances, including students with disabilities, students experiencing housing instability, and other high-need populations. Serving more than 800 districts across 37 states, the company completed over 2 million successful trips last year. EverDriven’s deeply human, fully compliant, and AI-powered approach helps districts get students on the road in hours, not days, while maintaining consistent, high-trust rides that complement traditional yellow bus fleets. For more information, visit everdriven.com.

About Pathwise
Pathwise is an operations technology company that helps schools streamline complex processes and reduce administrative burdens so they can prioritize student success. Founded and headquartered in Lynnwood, WA, the company supports more than 3,000+ school districts and charter organizations, as well as more than 25 state departments of education, with expertise-driven tools across transportation, governance and program management. For more information, visit pathwisek12.com.

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DENVER, Colo. — EverDriven, the nation’s leading provider of Alternative Student Transportation, today announced the launch of TripCentral, the latest evolution of its transportation management hub designed for school districts to efficiently manage operations while improving visibility, flexibility, and service for students and families.

Developed in direct response to feedback from school district partners, TripCentral evolves EverDriven’s district portal into a transportation management hub where school districts can plan, visualize, update, and analyze transportation services across all of their schools from a single interface, with focus on real-time visibility, operational transparency, and ease of use.

“School districts have been clear about what they need: constant visibility into student transportation, fast access to data, and technology that keeps pace with the complexity of their work,” said EverDriven CEO Mitch Bowling. “TripCentral is our direct response to that. It gives transportation teams the tools to manage student transportation with more confidence, make better-informed decisions, and deliver more consistent service for every student they serve.”

Through TripCentral, districts can:
Save valuable staff time by quickly submitting and updating trip requests, organizing transportation details in one place, and tracking trip progress and notifications in real time.

Deliver more personalized transportation services by capturing each student’s unique transportation requirements—including mobility assistance, safety equipment needs, and behavioral considerations—to help ensure the right support from day one.

Support flexible scheduling needs with customized pickup and drop-off arrangements that reflect real-world student circumstances, including changing schedules and housing situations.

Streamline operations with self-service reporting and analytics that provide actionable insights into transportation performance, helping districts improve coordination, allocate resources more effectively, and identify opportunities for greater efficiency.

For districts already utilizing EverDriven’s district portal, TripCentral retains the core functionality users rely on today while delivering a more modern, intuitive interface and significantly expanding the capabilities available within a single platform. Harnessing the power of AI to deliver the best possible experience, TripCentral is the first in a series of meaningful technology improvements EverDriven is rolling out to districts and caregivers at the start of the school year, with on-demand trip changes and additional capabilities to follow throughout the school year.

“As student transportation becomes increasingly complex, districts need technology that not only improves efficiency but helps them better serve students and families,” Bowling added. “TripCentral provides the oversight districts need to manage transportation with confidence while ensuring every student has access to safe, reliable rides to and from school.”

TripCentral will be available to school district partners nationwide for the 26-27 school year. To learn more, visit www.everdriven.com/technology/district-portal/.

About EverDriven
EverDriven delivers modern student-centered transportation that’s safe, consistent, and built for those who need it most. EverDriven specializes in routing and transporting students across all ranges of needs — from everyday support to the most complex circumstances — including students with disabilities, students experiencing housing instability, and other high-need populations. Serving more than 800 districts across 37 states, the company completed over 2 million successful trips last year. EverDriven’s deeply human, fully compliant, and AI-powered approach helps districts get students on the road in hours, not days, while maintaining consistent, high-trust rides that complement traditional yellow bus fleets. For more information, visit everdriven.com.

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