HopSkipDrive has launched service in San Antonio, Texas, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, to help local schools and districts supplement school bus transportation.

This news builds on HopSkipDrive’s presence across Texas, where the company has supported schools and districts in Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and Midland for over five years, including Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Duncanville ISD, and Leander ISD.

“A safe and dependable ride is crucial to student success,” said Joanna McFarland, CEO and Co-Founder of HopSkipDrive. “We’re excited to bring HopSkipDrive’s innovative school transportation solutions to San Antonio, offering a new option for families and districts. We look forward to partnering with educators across San Antonio to complement traditional yellow buses and help all students reach their full educational potential.”

Minneapolis Districts Struggle With Driver Shortage

Districts in Minneapolis, according to a company release, are facing significant challenges in providing the “flexible and legally mandated” transportation that is needed for highly mobile students, such as youth experiencing homelessness.

To better understand the complex factors involved in supporting consistent attendance for youth experiencing homelessness, Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) worked with SchoolHouse Connection to survey caregivers, students, school staff, and community partners to “learn more about what types of support were most useful in supporting students to fully engage in school during a period of housing instability.”

The results of the survey found:

• The survey found that approximately 80% of caregivers whose high school students regularly attended school during periods of housing instability attributed this success primarily to having consistent transportation.

• In contrast, 67% of caregivers whose children did not attend school regularly during such periods identified a lack of consistent transportation as the main barrier.

MPS budget data for the 2025–2026 school year indicate a 40% increase in students identified as experiencing homelessness or high mobility from the previous year. Transportation for special education and highly mobile students accounts for the largest proportion of the district’s overall transportation costs.

Although Minneapolis began offering a $3,000 bonus for new drivers on top of increasing driver pay, “the Minnesota School Bus Operations Association indicated that a number of districts were still searching for bus drivers, leaving school staff to step in to make sure kids have a ride to school.”

In response to these ongoing challenges in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area, some schools offer middle- and high-school students a public transit student pass.

Public transit is not, however, a good fit for all students, particularly those with disabilities who may require specialized accommodations.

“We love that CareDrivers are connected with resources on best practices in working with special needs students,” said Prince William County Public Schools. “For example, how to de-escalate or redirect a dysregulated student, how to provide the best experience for a student with autism, and more.”

HopSkipDrive now provides nationwide school transportation support, serving over 13,500 schools.