HopSkipDrive Celebrates a Decade of Safe, Innovative Student Transportation

Above, left to right: HopSkipDrive Co-Founders Carolyn Yashari Becher, Joanna McFarland, and Janelle McGlothlin.

From a dining-room table conversation between three working moms to a network of thousands of CareDrivers serving students across the country over tens of millions of miles, HopSkipDrive’s journey has been possible only through the trust and partnership of the communities we serve. As we mark our 10th anniversary, we’re grateful for the trust schools, families, students, CareDrivers, and other partners have placed in us. We’re energized by the work that lies ahead.

HopSkipDrive began with a simple question: How do we help working parents solve the impossible puzzle of kids’ transportation? That question led us to build a solution grounded in an unwavering commitment to safety — a commitment that continues to define us today. From our first ride, watching seven-year-old Gus head to gymnastics with his CareDriver Jen, to now serving over 10,000 schools across 13 states, we’re proud to have maintained an industry-leading safety record across more than 61 million miles.

What began as a solution for busy parents has evolved into something with far greater reach. By shifting our focus to partner directly with school districts, we’ve created an entirely new category in the $30+ billion student transportation space. Our technology platform doesn’t just connect students with rides — it forges pathways to opportunity through data-driven insights and purpose-built technologies. This evolution has transformed our impact beyond our original vision, expanding equitable access to education for students who might otherwise face significant barriers.

None of this would be possible without our extraordinary community of CareDrivers who bring unmatched dedication to student transportation. Drawing from backgrounds in education, childcare, and healthcare, CareDrivers understand that the journey to school shapes a student’s entire day. They’re more than caregivers on wheels — they’re community members turned school transportation superheroes who create an environment where every student feels supported, no matter their circumstance. Their experience, empathy, and commitment make our vision of accessible education a daily reality for thousands of students.

The stories of students like Georgina, a resilient youth in foster care who had attended four different high schools, are a constant reminder of the importance of transportation in improving educational outcomes. Through our partnership with LA County, she was able to maintain school stability, not having to move schools again despite changing foster placements. With reliable transportation that not only provided a way for her to get to and from school, but also enabled her ability to attend credit recovery classes and tutoring in the afternoon, Georgina didn’t just persevere — she thrived, graduating with honors, earning both a principal’s award and citizenship award, and going on to attend college. Stories like hers remind us why we do this work.

Today, we’re proud to work with the majority of school districts in our operating areas, helping to solve critical challenges from bus driver shortages, to budget cuts, to route optimization. Every day, our RouteWise AI™ technology is reshaping how districts approach transportation, creating more efficient, sustainable solutions for communities across the country. And thanks to continuous feedback from our partners and CareDrivers, we continue to enhance our Safe Ride Support Technology to provide even greater peace of mind through real-time ride monitoring and proactive safety interventions.

As we look to the future, we remain guided by the same principle that inspired us a decade ago: What would it take for us to feel comfortable putting our own child in a HopSkipDrive ride? This question will continue to drive our innovation, fuel our growth, and shape our vision for the next 10 years. We’re proud of how far we’ve come, but we’re even more excited about the road ahead.