HopSkipDrive Plans to Expand Service to Kansas City, KS

January 21, 2025 at 10:00 AM EST

Technology company announces safe, reliable rides to and from school, coming to the Sunflower State, expanding transportation options for students

HopSkipDrive, a technology company solving complex transportation challenges with safety, equity, and care, will launch in Kansas City, providing local schools and school districts with access to a network of highly vetted local caregivers called CareDrivers, to supplement yellow school buses and existing student transportation options.

School districts around the country are grappling with school bus driver shortages, resulting in reduced or inefficient transportation despite the hard work of school transportation teams. To solve these challenges, over 600 school districts across the country, and 10,000 schools, are working with HopSkipDrive to supplement school buses, especially for students who can be hardest to route on a school bus, such as those experiencing homelessness, in foster care, or with disabilities.

HopSkipDrive connects local school districts with a network of CareDrivers, who are available to provide rides to school partners with as little as six hours’ notice. By working with HopSkipDrive, schools have solved challenges with on-time arrivals and budget pressures.

In Kansas City, HopSkipDrive has partnered with schools, including Basehor-Linwood Unified School District and Leavenworth Unified School District to offer a flexible solution for students. HopSkipDrive is also exploring additional partnerships with other local districts, nonprofits, and government agencies to further expand student transportation options.

“At Basehor-Linwood Unified School District, we understand that keeping kids in school means finding new ways to get them here,” Interim Assistant Superintendent Chris Vignery said. “We are excited to partner with HopSkipDrive, especially to support our students needing more individualized transportation. We are continually looking for innovative solutions like HopSkipDrive, who, with expertise and experience, can deliver a supplemental solution to get kids to and from school safely.”

“We are excited to introduce HopSkipDrive as a new transportation option for our families,” said Jake Potter of the Leavenworth Unified School District. “By using this solution, we aim to reduce barriers for our students and work collaboratively to increase attendance.”

HopSkipDrive engages local caregivers in the community from diverse backgrounds—such as parents, grandparents, former educators, and healthcare professionals—for local districts. CareDrivers are passionate about working with children and others who may need a little extra attention or assistance and are interested in flexible earning opportunities to support their families.

Here’s how HopSkipDrive works:

School districts identify students to receive rides from CareDrivers and inform parents and caregivers.
Transportation officials then arrange rides directly through HopSkipDrive’s online platform.
Once a ride has been booked, HopSkipDrive provides ride details to organizers, parents and caregivers. All details, and real-time ride tracking, is available in the HopSkipDrive app.
Riders and CareDrivers verify one another using a multi-factor verification system using birthdays, names, and code words, for an added layer of security before beginning the ride.
Parents and caregivers of selected students will receive updates, including pickup times, live ride tracking, and CareDriver information, via text message and through the HopSkipDrive app.

“A safe, reliable ride to school helps students reach their educational goals,” said Joanna McFarland, CEO and co-founder of HopSkipDrive. “We’re looking forward to partnering with Basehor-Linwood, Leavenworth Unified School District and other local districts, so that schools and families can access the reliable rides HopSkipDrive is known for across the country, along with our industry-leading technology and unparalleled approach to safety.”

Drivers can earn up to $50 per ride*, must have at least five years of caregiving experience, and pass a rigorous 15-point certification process. Once the service is available in the Kansas City area, interested drivers can sign up on HopSkipDrive’s website.

Districts interested in partnering with HopSkipDrive can sign up here for a free consultation.

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 through two core solutions: a care-centered transportation marketplace and industry-leading routing software, 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 10,000 schools across 16 states, with over 600 school district partners. 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.