Would you try a ride-sharing service for kids?
When Uber, Lyft, and other ride sharing services hit the scene more than a decade ago, they were a total game-changer. Gone are the days of having to hail or schedule taxis, and the prices are (usually) better, too. Parents of teens may feel comfortable with them using a ride share service when they go out with friends or attend events, but what about school drop off? And speaking of school, would you ever put your younger child in an Uber by themselves if they needed a ride? Probably not. So what do you do if you’re in a pinch? Or if you live in an area that doesn’t provide transportation, and you’re unable to take your kid to school or home from practice on a daily basis?
That’s where HopSkipDrive comes in. The company originated to provide teens and children with safe, reliable and convenient ride services. HopSkipDrive partners with school districts to transport students who don’t live on traditional bus routes or need extra help getting to school. Their “CareDrivers” are heavily vetted and the app has many different safety features in place to ensure pick up, drop off and the ride itself can all be well-documented to give caregivers peace of mind.
Here’s how HopSkipDrive works
Step 1: Set up one-time or repeat rides using the HopSkipDrive app (and rest-assured that all rides are guaranteed).
Step 2: The app connects you with a CareDriver.
Step 3: Pickup notes and multi-factor authentication ensure students and CareDrivers safely find each other.
Step 4: Get alerts for each stage of the ride and view the ride as it’s happening. Parents or caregivers on the child’s account also get alerts for added visibility and safety.
Step 5: HopSkipDrive Safe Ride Support system tracks each ride in real-time, proactively addressing any issues.
Though HopSkipDrive’s focus is on school transportation, that’s not all it provides. Busy families can also set up rides to help get their kids to camps or extracurricular activities any day of the week.
HopSkipDrive is not yet available nationwide—which might be the only downside. You can see where it’s currently available here. Wouldn’t it be great if this was the future of ride sharing? Let’s all cross our fingers that HopSkipDrive moves other companies to follow in its footsteps, and in the near future, safe ride shares for our kiddos could be the new normal.
