Tech-powered rides offer a lifeline as Va. schools grapple with bus shortages
A CareDriver with HopSkipDrive is looking over their ride details. (Photo courtesy of HopSkipDrive)
A tech company is stepping in where school buses can't.
HopSkipDrive, a national ridesharing company focused on 'safety, equity and care,' is expanding its supplemental school transportation services to Virginia Beach — aiming to help students with complex needs get to class while creating new job opportunities for local drivers.
The company's network of 'CareDrivers' — highly vetted caregivers trained to provide transportation in communities with unique challenges, such as students experiencing homelessness, in foster care or with disabilities — has already been operating in Northern and Central Virginia, and other parts of the country.
'Transportation should never be a barrier that keeps the student from accessing their education, and we're committed to removing those obstacles,' said Cindy Hamilton, a spokeswoman for HopSkipDrive. 'We're really committed to removing those obstacles, and we're glad to be able to do so now in Virginia Beach.'
The company also announced in February that wheelchair-accessible vehicles would become available in Northern Virginia, with plans to expand that offering to other cities nationwide for the 2025-26 school year.
School districts typically arrange the service directly through the company.
Shortly after HopSkipDrive's establishment in 2019, Virginia began seeing its list of bus drivers dwindle following the pandemic. Some of the reasons for the decline include low pay and an increase in driver retirements. The company also found that many drivers contracted COVID-19 or left for jobs in the private sector.
The company surveyed schools nationally about the bus driver shortage and found little improvement. About 91% of respondents reported the shortages had constrained their school transportation operations, an increase from the 88% in 2022.
According to the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), the rate of unfilled bus drivers has decreased to 8.7% this school year, compared to 13.6% during the 2021-22 school year.
CareDrivers has also provided opportunities for people living in and around partnership schools. Drivers include parents, grandparents, nurses and former teachers, to name a few.
'Caregivers who tell us they choose to drive with HopSkipDrive do so because of the flexibility it offers and the value of helping kids – or anyone who needs a little extra care – get where they need to go,' Hamilton said.
She said applicants go through a 'rigorous' 15-point certification process before driving on the platform and can earn income while creating their own schedules. They also must comply with existing state and local laws and regulations, as well as the platform's safety features and community guidelines.
'We have designed our platform to be easy to use, enabling CareDrivers in Virginia Beach and across the state to provide safe, reliable rides for students, schools, and families when it works for their schedules,' Hamilton said.
In Virginia, leaders have taken additional steps to help students get to and from school.
Last month, Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed into law a proposal carried by Del. Terry Austin, R-Botetourt, to create a two-year pilot program allowing school divisions to explore alternative transportation options. Schools could partner with nearby colleges or private companies to help transport students.
The legislation states that vehicles must comply with state and federal safety regulations and undergo regular inspections. School boards would also be required to hold a public hearing before adopting the program and must submit an annual report detailing ridership, costs, and bus routes to the Virginia Department of Education.
Austin told the Mercury the bill offers another option for schools in rural areas to cut costs while ensuring students are transported efficiently.
Last summer, the VDOE also amended its school bus specifications to state, 'smaller capacity fleet vehicles are some options that can be used in conjunction with customary methods to provide a flexible, efficient, and comprehensive public school pupil transportation solution.'
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