HopSkipDrive Exceeds California’s 2023 Clean Miles Standard goals

HopSkipDrive is deeply committed to strengthening our communities, and as part of that, we recognize the importance of sustainability in our platform operations. We’re proud to share that we ended 2023 with lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than the goals set forth by California under the state’s Clean Miles Standard — and the electric vehicle mileage on our platform was higher than the state’s thresholds.

These milestones, based on ride data for the more than 300 state school districts, nonprofits and government agencies supported by HopSkipDrive through December 2023, mark an improvement from what was recorded in 2022.

• Miles driven by electric vehicles in 2023 made up 8 percent of miles traveled by HopSkipDrive’s CareDriver network in California, vastly exceeding by 400 percent the state’s 2023 target of 2 percent.
• Total 2023 California GHG emissions by HopSkipDrive’s CareDriver network in California was 240 grams of CO₂ per passenger mile, less than the state’s 2023 target of 252 grams of CO₂ per passenger mile.

“There’s a lot on our state’s plate to achieve climate goals, and we’re pleased to share our results now to get the ball rolling,” said Joanna McFarland, CEO and Co-founder of HopSkipDrive. “Organizations serving kids and educators must be transparent with their safety and sustainability efforts, and we expect to see others join us in publishing relevant data. We look forward to sharing even more insight in the coming months.”

Through partnerships with school districts, government agencies and nonprofits, HopSkipDrive helps to fill gaps and facilitate the transportation of children, the elderly, or others who need extra care and may not be served well by existing options.

This announcement comes ahead of 2024 California Air Resources Board (CARB) reporting deadlines mandated by the Clean Miles Standard and Incentive Program, which was passed in 2018 to implement requirements for Transportation Network Companies in the state to work towards a reduction in GHG emissions from transportation.  

Across the country, safe, reliable rides through HopSkipDrive are one of the largest sources of clean school transportation. Almost 40 percent (36%) of California vehicles that completed a ride on the HopSkipDrive platform in 2023 were electric, hybrid or fuel cell. This means that HopSkipDrive’s CareDriver network — which offers the largest number of green vehicles in California school transportation — is one of the biggest resources for reducing overall miles driven and emissions in school transportation, creating a greener state. 

This new data also demonstrates how taking a multimodal approach to student transportation by supplementing existing options, including electric buses, with HopSkipDrive rides is one of the most powerful and effective ways to make meaningful, significant progress towards achieving sustainability goals. 

Several different ongoing HopSkipDrive initiatives support sustainability efforts, including RouteWise AI™ and SmartPooling. 

RouteWise AI™, first launched this fall (and formerly known as Strategic Routing), is HopSkipDrive’s revolutionary new technology offering for student transportation planning. RouteWise AI uses proprietary AI and machine learning technology to analyze a school district’s complete transportation landscape — including the student base and available vehicles, as well as district-specific needs and preferences — to deliver customized routing options, scenario plans, and recommendations to meet each district’s unique goals. RouteWise AI can identify which vehicle and route changes can have a specific and measurable impact on carbon emissions, helping transportation teams understand their options and reach environmental goals. In fact, RouteWise AI can take into account multiple priorities, such as carbon emission reductions, staffing, and budget to align environmental targets with operational realities. 

SmartPooling can automatically match new HopSkipDrive Riders with existing HopSkipDrive rides to increase car occupancy and reduce the cost and carbon footprint of every ride. This helps school districts select the best ride for their students while supporting the shared goals of reducing transportation cost and climate impact. 

“While we are excited by the growing use of electric school buses and other ideas, we know there’s more we can all do to improve the environmental footprint for transportation,” McFarland said. “More than six million K–12 students attend school in California, and how they get to and from school — as well as after-school and enrichment activities, and other locations throughout the day — merits transparent reporting. As a reminder, the broader transportation sector accounts for about half of California’s greenhouse gas emissions.”

Interested in learning more about partnering with HopSkipDrive to help reach climate goals for your organization?