HopSkipDrive Powers Wheelchair-Accessible Vehicle Rides for Students in 10 Cities

February 19, 2025 at 10:00 AM EST

Technology company plans to expand transportation offerings nationwide for school districts, meeting more student and district needs

HopSkipDrive today announced that it is facilitating transportation for students in wheelchair-accessible vehicles in 10 metros around the country, significantly expanding the company’s offerings for school districts and students and raising the bar on transportation for students with disabilities.

School district partners are able to book rides through HopSkipDrive for students in wheelchairs, marking a meaningful step in the company’s efforts to arrange supplemental small vehicle transportation for students of all abilities and ages. Rides are now available in the Bay Area, Colorado Springs, Denver, Los Angeles, Orange County, Northern Virginia, Sacramento, San Diego, Seattle, and Spokane. HopSkipDrive plans to extend this offering to more cities this fall, in conjunction with the 2025–2026 academic year.

HopSkipDrive operates a marketplace to supplement existing services like yellow buses, connecting school districts with a network of highly vetted CareDrivers® in small vehicles to provide support when and where schools need it most, ensuring districts can meet state and federal requirements.

Through the company’s marketplace, wheelchair-accessible vehicle rides are fulfilled through trained, professional local transportation experts, known as CarePartners™, who are specialists in providing transportation for students with heightened needs. CarePartner drivers are experienced professionals. HopSkipDrive’s standards don’t end there: the company ensures all CarePartner drivers undergo the company’s comprehensive certification process, including passing name- and fingerprint-based background checks, clearing child abuse and neglect screenings, where available, enrolling in continuous criminal monitoring, completing vehicle inspections, and completing HopSkipDrive onboarding courses covering policies, trauma-informed care, and more.

“We know school district teams are working hard to meet every need for every student and we’re working right alongside them,” said Joanna McFarland, CEO and Co-founder of HopSkipDrive. “With this progress, we’re able to fulfill more rides, backed by our industry-leading technology and an unparalleled approach to safety. We can’t take a chance of a child missing class, field trips, or other opportunities because of existing transportation options that may not be built for them.”

Some of the biggest U.S. school districts, such as Chicago Public Schools, have reported increases in the number of students with disabilities who request, and are legally obligated to, receive school-provided transportation.

“HopSkipDrive wheelchair-accessible rides are so critically important for us to ensure students seamlessly enjoy outings with their classmates, thanks to a safe, reliable provider,” said Jasmine Thompson, manager of operational partnerships, Rocky Mountain Prep Network, a network of inclusive public charter schools serving families in the Denver-metro area.

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 17 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.