Efficient McKinney-Vento Transportation in the Bay Area

School transportation in California has long faced significant challenges. Unlike other states where nearly 40% of students rely on school buses, only 8% of California’s public-school students use them. This disparity stems largely from historical funding constraints, particularly Proposition 13, which limited property tax increases in 1978 and drastically reduced school transportation budgets. The impacts of these funding cuts persist today, exacerbated by a growing student population and rising operational costs.

In the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), the need for transportation solutions for vulnerable students is particularly pressing. In the 2022–2023 academic year, approximately 2,370 students were identified as experiencing homelessness. For these students, reliable transportation is critical to accessing education, as their living situations are often in flux, making consistent access to school an ongoing challenge.

The San Francisco Bay Area also faces additional transportation hurdles, including driver shortages, increased fuel costs, and a lack of infrastructure to support students who need specialized transportation. These challenges disproportionately affect students experiencing homelessness, who rely on McKinney-Vento transportation services to maintain stability in their education.

Delivering Dependable Bay Area McKinney-Vento Transportation

For students experiencing homelessness, reliable transportation is critical to accessing education, social support, and extracurricular activities. Many Bay Area school districts, however, are struggling to meet McKinney-Vento transportation requirements due to logistical complexities, evolving state regulations, and persistent funding challenges.

HopSkipDrive is actively working with school districts in the Bay Area to fill these gaps, providing safe, reliable, and compliant transportation solutions for students experiencing homelessness. Our innovative approach not only helps schools meet their legal obligations but also supports students in accessing the education they deserve — without added stress or disruption.

How HopSkipDrive Is Supporting Bay Area Schools

Students experiencing homelessness and living in foster care are entitled to safe, reliable transportation under federal law. A student might be placed in a foster home 40 miles away from their school and still need a ride to the same school the next morning. Traditional school bus routes often lack the flexibility to accommodate these urgent transportation needs.

HopSkipDrive’s network of highly vetted CareDrivers — each with at least five years of caregiving experience — provides these students with safe and reliable rides, often on just a few hours’ notice. 

Our flexible model ensures that when students’ housing situations change, their access to school does not. Key features of HopSkipDrive’s offerings include:

• Six-hour turnaround time for urgent transportation needs

• Shared Billing between districts for cost efficiency

• Easy address updates to accommodate student mobility

• Customizable Rider Notes to ensure students’ unique requirements are met

• Trauma-informed care resources for all CareDrivers, promoting sensitive and supportive service

HopSkipDrive CareDrivers also have a minimum of five years of caregiving experience, ensuring students feel cared for and comfortable during their commute. This helps ease the transition to and from school, especially during periods of instability.

Proven Success: HopSkipDrive’s Impact on California Schools

Based in Los Angeles and serving communities since 2014, HopSkipDrive has been making a significant impact on schools and districts throughout California for more than a decade. At Pleasanton Unified School District in the Bay Area, HopSkipDrive has helped to drastically improve attendance rates for vulnerable students, including those experiencing homelessness who qualify for McKinney-Vento transportation and students with IEPs. 

“We’ve had a very positive experience working with HopSkipDrive. Any time there has been a challenge, the company has been very responsive with figuring out a solution,” said Pleasanton School Social Worker Elise Greenaway. “CareDrivers go above and beyond to be flexible for the needs of our most vulnerable students.” 

HopSkipDrive also supports the transportation needs of charter schools in California, including SIATech South Bay in Chula Vista. By providing a better option than public transportation, HopSkipDrive has helped SIATech South Bay students overcome transportation challenges and decrease commute times, which has supported the school in improving student attendance. Says SIATech Instructional Technical Aide, Christine Vergara: “HopSkipDrive has helped to save travel time for our students. . . . Transportation is no longer a factor for missing school.”

Meeting SB 88 Requirements in California

California’s Senate Bill 88 (SB 88) sets strict requirements for student transportation providers. As the state prepares to implement SB 88 on July 1, 2025, HopSkipDrive’s existing safety standards already align with — and in many cases exceed — the new requirements in several key areas:

• Background Checks: Our 15-point CareDriver certification process exceeds basic requirements, and includes an FBI fingerprint-based background check and a search of the California Child Abuse Central Index via the California Department of Social Services’ TrustLine Registry. We also conduct thorough criminal history searches across county, state, and national databases, and screen against global watchlists and sex offender registries.

• Driver Experience: SB 88 only requires drivers to be 18 years old. HopSkipDrive’s standards are much higher. Our CareDrivers must be at least 23 years old, and are required to have a minimum of five years of caregiving experience and three years of driving experience.

• Vehicle Requirements: HopSkipDrive maintains a proactive approach to vehicle safety by continuously monitoring and exceeding state regulations for vehicle age and condition. We adhere to a maximum vehicle age of 13 years (or less, where local regulations require), and promptly alert CareDrivers of any vehicle recalls.

• Driver Education: Our comprehensive driver education program surpasses California Public Utilities Commission requirements by covering additional important topics including sexual assault and harassment prevention.

As school districts in California navigate these evolving transportation requirements, HopSkipDrive remains a trusted partner, making sure compliance does not come at the expense of efficiency or student well-being.

Solving School Transportation Challenges in the Bay Area

By partnering with Bay Area school districts, HopSkipDrive is actively bridging the transportation gap for students experiencing homelessness. Our flexible, tech-enabled solutions provide school administrators with real-time ride tracking, optimized routing, and a dedicated support team — helping districts focus on student success rather than transportation hurdles.

Ready to Learn More?

Is your Bay Area school or district looking for support with McKinney-Vento or other student transportation needs? 

Contact us today to find out how HopSkipDrive can help.