New Data: School Leaders & Parents Reveal Crisis in School Transportation; Bus Driver Shortages and Budget Cuts Are Forcing Parents to Fill the Void

August 08, 2024 at 09:00 AM EDT

91 percent of school leaders report transportation systems constrained by bus driver shortages; 60 percent have cut or reduced bus services

79 percent of parents or their partner/spouse drive their children to and from school; 41 percent of their schools have eliminated or reduced their childrens’ school bus services

Findings among those in HopSkipDrive’s annual State of School Transportation Report

The national school bus driver shortage, which in the last few years has led to the cancellation of school bus services across the country and other significant barriers to equitable transportation shows no sign of abating ahead of the upcoming school year, and parents are frustrated about having to fill the void.

According to new data released today by technology company HopSkipDrive, 91 percent of school leaders report their transportation operations continue to be constrained by school bus driver shortages, and 60 percent have cut or reduced bus services. Among parents, more than three-quarters (79 percent) say they or their partner/spouse drive their children to and from school, and 40 percent of their schools have eliminated or reduced their childrens’ school bus services.

The data is included in HopSkipDrive’s 2024 State of School Transportation Report, an annual nationwide survey of school transportation officials and parents of school-aged children to better understand school transportation challenges and how they impact educational outcomes.

Key findings from the survey of more than 400 school leaders around the country include:

Chronic Bus Driver Shortages Continue

91 percent report their transportation operations are constrained by school bus driver shortages, staying steady from 2023 and increased from 88 percent in 2022

Schools Cut Bus Services

60 percent of school leaders say they’ve been forced to cut or shorten bus routes this year, compared to 40 percent last year who said they made those route changes due to a bus driver shortage

School Staff Is Driving Buses

38 percent say their staff takes away from core responsibilities or education hours to drive school buses or vans

Lack of Transportation Driving Absenteeism

21 percent say transportation challenges are the biggest contributor to chronic absenteeism, more so than family decisions regarding student health

Electrification Is Not a Priority

Despite billions in government subsidies, almost three-quarters (73 percent) say that electrifying their bus fleet is not a priority, and among those aware of state or local electric school bus mandates, only 18 percent feel confident they’ll meet them by set deadlines

Among the key findings from the survey of nearly 500 parents of school-aged children around the country include:

Parents Are Having to Fill the Void Left by Buses

79 percent say they or a partner/spouse are driving their kids to and from school
41 percent report their school district has eliminated, reduced school bus services

Parents Are Missing Out on Work Opportunities

62 percent of parents who drive their children to and from school say these obligations have caused them to miss work
56 percent of parents who drive their children to and from school say it has prevented them from seeking or taking on new work opportunities

Parents Are Frustrated and Anxious about School Transportation

64 percent of parents find themselves stressing about their child’s transportation needs weekly, including 29 percent who do daily
64 percent of parents who drive their kids to and from school agree that navigating the drop-off or pick-up lane is one of the most stressful parts of their day
63 percent say their children would miss less school if more convenient school transportation options were available
30 percent of parents say figuring out transportation to and from school is the most stressful part of back-to-school season, second only to purchasing new clothes or school supplies (37 percent)

“HopSkipDrive’s 2024 State of School Transportation Report shows a continued need for inventive thinking, and a stalwart commitment to our students and parents, to work to overcome real, significant challenges like this continuing bus driver shortage,” said Joanna McFarland, CEO and co-founder of HopSkipDrive. “It shouldn’t be this hard for our hard-working educational leaders when new options are at hand. Multi-modal solutions like HopSkipDrive give additional innovative, straightforward tools delivered with the same safety, equity and care we see and appreciate from our schools. The current state of our school transportation system demands we all work to ensure students and their families can access the same opportunities of education and school support.”

“These national findings validate and spotlight the unfortunate reality of education today,” said Ta’Londa Holland, senior director of policy and influence at Urban Strategies, Inc., a national nonprofit leader and transformative force in community development. “This adds to what research tells us: a lack of access to reliable, safe school transportation prevents students, families and communities from equitable opportunities. Let’s get to work, because it’s clear we must deliver new solutions for our schools.”

About HopSkipDrive

HopSkipDrive is a technology company that solves complex transportation challenges where there is a heightened need for safety, equity, and care. HopSkipDrive is modernizing the $30 billion school transportation industry in two ways: HopSkipDrive’s marketplace arranges care-centered transportation to supplement school buses and existing transportation options by connecting kids 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 across 13 states, 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.