What to Expect in Student Transportation for 2025

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An Increase in Electric Vehicles 

The transition to electric school buses is gaining momentum, driven by their numerous benefits. Beyond the significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and improved air quality, electric buses offer students a quieter and more comfortable ride. Eliminating engine noise creates a more conducive environment for learning and reduces distractions. Additionally, electric buses can have lower operating and maintenance costs in the long term, potentially benefiting school districts in the long run.

According to The World Resource Institute (WRI), “In the U.S., there now are nearly 5,000 electric school buses serving approximately 254,000 students in 49 states, Washington, D.C., American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and seven tribal schools,” many of which are funded by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program. WCI also reports that there’s been a 500% increase in U.S. school districts using electric school buses since 2021.  

Advancements in battery technology are extending the range and reducing charging times, further enhancing the viability of electric school buses. As charging infrastructure expands and costs continue to decline, we can anticipate a significant increase in the adoption of electric school buses in 2025 and beyond. 

It’s not just school buses going green. Replacing underutilized bus routes with multi-passenger sedan or SUV rides like we help do here at HopSkipDrive offers cost savings and reduced environmental impact. Read more about how multimodal transportation can be another green option here:

 HopSkipDrive is helping schools lead the way to a greener future.

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WiFi on More School Vehicles 

Home internet access is a big issue for today’s students. Currently, nearly one-fourth of students don’t have home access to high-speed internet, which is detrimental when considering how today’s students study and complete their work. 

Outfitting buses and other school vehicles with mobile WiFi is revolutionizing how students utilize what can be longer commute times. With access to high-speed internet, students can stay connected with their teachers and classmates, complete assignments, and access educational resources online. This transforms travel time into valuable learning time, particularly for students with limited internet connectivity at home.

We can expect even greater integration of digital tools and resources into the student transportation experience as technology advances.

Reliable transportation is another way to grant students access to education. Students who can’t access the internet at home must be in school. Learn about the connection between transportation and reducing chronic absenteeism here.

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Transportation Optimization Software

Transportation optimization technology seeks to reimagine transportation routes. New software, like HopSkipDrive’s RouteWise AI™, can create the most efficient routes by analyzing student ridership patterns, traffic conditions, and road closures, reducing travel times and fuel consumption.

This benefits students by placing them in the right vehicle — bus, van, car, etc. — minimizing their time on the road, maximizing classroom time, and contributing to environmental sustainability by reducing carbon emissions. 

At HopSkipDrive, RouteWise AI, our revolutionary technology offering for student transportation planning, has helped Colorado Springs District 11: 

• Improve efficiency with a 46% increase in their share of high-utilization bus routes 
• Improve on-time arrivals from 85% to 99%, leading to better educational outcomes for D11 students 
• Increase driver pay by using savings to fund a significant driver raise 
• Identify opportunities to reduce their capital budget by 40% over 10 years 
• Reduce carbon emissions by 31%

Learn more about how Routewise AI optimizes school transportation.

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A Spotlight on Safety

Safety remains a paramount concern in student transportation. It’s on the minds of parents, guardians, educators, transportation professionals, and students.

Unsurprisingly, in a recent HopSkipDrive survey of school and district staff, 76% identified student safety as a top priority for school transportation. When School Bus Fleet asked students about their top transportation concerns heading into 2025, 17.3% said safety. As School Bus Fleet writes: 

In terms of safety, we all know that illegal stop-arm passings has become a significant issue, with a recent NASDPTS survey showing a 4% rise and too many fatal accidents as a result. Add to that speeding from other motorists, distracted driving, concerns around drug testing changes, and the cost of technology upgrades, and it’s no wonder there’s hesitation.

In 2025, we can expect a heightened emphasis on safety features and protocols and calls for more safety features and products. Seat belts, GPS tracking, and video surveillance are becoming standard in school buses, providing extra student protection, but there’s always more to be done.

At HopSkipDrive safety is our top priority — 99.7% of 2023 HopSkipDrive rides were completed without incident. We believe transparency about safety on our platform is the right thing to do; after all, we can’t manage what we can’t measure. This is why we release our annual Safety Report. We also relentlessly invest in safety, rolling out new safety-based features annually and continually strengthening our Safe Ride Technology. 

 Read our Safety Report here. 

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It's an exciting time to be in school transportation. These are all good changes that will help us move towards a more equitable, accessible, student-centric future.