LOS ANGELES, Nov. 30, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/
-- HopSkipDrive, an innovative youth transportation solution
for school districts and families, today announced a solution to
the school bus driver shortage plaguing our nation, while putting
money back into our classrooms. With the Opportunity for All
Community Fund, HopSkipDrive is investing $2M to engage the communities of its existing
markets to get more students to school safely and reliably.
With the Opportunity for All Community Fund, HopSkipDrive will
provide ride credits to existing education partners based on
CareDrivers referred to HopSkipDrive by that school or district.
The Fund will be initiated in select major markets where
HopSkipDrive currently operates, including CA, CO, WI and WA.
The benefits of the Opportunity for All Community Fund are
threefold: solving for severe bus driver shortages, giving money
back to schools by reducing transportation costs, and engaging
communities by providing a flexible income opportunity.
"We're excited to solve the bus driver shortage in a way that
engages school communities, provides flexible earnings
opportunities and invests dollars back into the schools and
communities we serve," says HopSkipDrive Co-founder and CEO,
Joanna McFarland. "This unique
program alleviates some of the many issues plaguing both
communities and schools."
HopSkipDrive's Opportunity for All Community Fund helps solve
bus driver shortages
The Opportunity for All Community Fund helps solve the severe
school bus driver shortages in a creative way that engages local
communities and saves money for schools, while also giving schools
flexible solutions to student transportation challenges.
Eighty percent of school districts report that bus driver
shortages have constrained their transportation operations. In
addition, trends towards open enrollment mean that more and more
students — including those who have special needs, and those who
are in foster care or experiencing homelessness — have unique
situations that require creative solutions when it comes to
transportation.
HopSkipDrive provides school districts much-needed flexibility
by introducing a network of CareDrivers, who drive their own
personal vehicles, to their student transportation options. This is
a more efficient way of serving students who may not fit into a
regular bus route, or who may be on buses that are less than
half-full. HopSkipDrive's easy-to-use platform gives schools and
families full visibility and transparency with unparalleled
safety.
Engaging residents with a flexible income opportunity
HopSkipDrive's Opportunity for All Community Fund engages
residents by providing a flexible income opportunity as a
HopSkipDrive CareDriver — enabling them to work with, and help,
children in their community while setting their own schedule and
enjoying competitive earnings. Being a CareDriver can be a
rewarding pathway for parents, retired school employees and other
qualified members of the community — especially the millions of
women who were pushed out of, or had to leave, the workforce due to
COVID-19.
With a safety-first focus, HopSkipDrive's proprietary technology
platform connects school districts and families with a rigorously
vetted community of CareDrivers (also referred to as "caregivers on
wheels"). One of the requirements for becoming a CareDriver is five
years of caregiving experience, which includes working as a
teacher, a nanny, a nurse, a counselor, a babysitter or being a
parent or caregiver for a family member. CareDrivers must also
undergo a 15-point certification process — including a background
check and fingerprinting — before gaining access to the
HopSkipDrive platform.
New student transportation and community solutions
The problems the school transportation industry is facing are
evolving, and that means the models to solve them need to evolve,
too. The Opportunity for All Community Fund is just one more way
HopSkipDrive is reinventing student transportation, while also
working to invest in communities.
About HopSkipDrive
Designed by protective moms and driven by caregivers,
HopSkipDrive is the innovator in arranging safe, dependable youth
transportation for schools, districts and families. HopSkipDrive's
advanced technology platform and industry-leading operational
expertise provide flexibility and visibility, while helping to
create opportunity for all through mobility.
Since 2014, HopSkipDrive has expanded to eight states and D.C.,
and 18 major markets. HopSkipDrive CareDrivers have driven 1.4M+
Riders over 20M+ safe miles, helping 13K schools. A venture capital-backed company,
HopSkipDrive shares investors with well-known brands like Airbnb,
Pinterest, Bird and Ring.
Media Contact:
Aylin Cook, Director of Content
HopSkipDrive
aylin@hopskipdrive.com
Media Contact
Aylin Cook, HopSkipDrive, +1
805-798-1714, aylin@hopskipdrive.com
Twitter, Facebook
SOURCE HopSkipDrive