HopSkipDrive Leverages Education Expertise for Renamed RouteWise AI™

May 17, 2024 at 12:37 PM EDT

Award-winning flagship product has a new name to more accurately reflect technology offering for student transportation planning

HopSkipDrive, a technology company solving complex transportation challenges where there is a heightened need for safety, equity and care, today announced the new name for its flagship product, RouteWise AI™. This supplemental tool is an award-winning AI-powered transportation optimization solution providing transformative results for school districts.

RouteWise AI analyzes a school district's complete transportation landscape, including the student base and available vehicles, as well as district-specific needs and preferences, to deliver customized routing options, scenario plans, and recommendations to meet each district's unique goals.

Earlier this year, HopSkipDrive shared results from one school district, Colorado Springs School District 11 (D11), which leveraged RouteWise AI, resulting in an increase in on-time bus and vehicle arrival rates from 85 percent to 99 percent, recovering more than 17,000 hours for D11 students in the classroom.

More time spent learning means better educational outcomes for students within this district.

“HopSkipDrive is proud to have so many team members with substantial backgrounds in education and school transportation, informing our products, tools, process, and approach,” said Joanna McFarland, CEO and co-founder of HopSkipDrive. “We aim to ensure the continued development of products — especially RouteWise AI — that are student-centric and aligned with the nuanced needs and day-to-day realities of districts and school transportation teams.”

To that end, HopSkipDrive announced the addition of two new RouteWise AI team members with exemplary expertise in the education space, including managing district operations as Chief of Staff and serving as a Director of Transportation: Dustin Kress joined HopSkipDrive as the Director of Software & Advisory, where he oversees RouteWise AI. Greg Dutton has joined as a Transportation Analyst, building optimized routing plans for clients nationwide.

Both members acknowledge the critical link between their prior experiences and their roles at HopSkipDrive, affirming the importance of understanding the intricacies and challenges of school transportation when crafting innovative solutions.

"HopSkipDrive understands that there isn't always an easy solution," said McFarland. “But with RouteWise AI, we're already seeing win-win results where it's working better for districts. It's working for the driver shortage, it's working for students, it's working by helping to get all students to and from school on time."

About HopSkipDrive

HopSkipDrive is a technology company that solves complex transportation challenges where there is a heightened need for safety, equity, and care. HopSkipDrive’s marketplace arranges care-centered transportation across 13 states and Washington, DC, supplementing other transportation options by connecting kids, older adults, or anyone needing extra support, to highly-vetted caregivers on wheels, such as grandparents, babysitters, and nurses. HopSkipDrive also builds software and offers advisory services that solve the biggest transportation challenges facing schools and school districts around the country, including budget cuts, bus driver shortages, and reaching climate goals. HopSkipDrive currently partners with school districts, government agencies, and nonprofits, including supporting more than 10,000 schools. More than three million rides over 61 million miles have been completed through HopSkipDrive since the company was founded in 2014 by three working mothers.