SAN DIEGO — HopSkipDrive has further expanded its ride service for kids, now covering the San Diego region in Southern California.

HopSkipDrive provides app-based customized transportation services for children and their families. That includes getting kids to and from school, sports practices, and other after-school activities.

The company has been operating in other parts of California — namely Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Francisco — and it expanded to Denver earlier this year.

Now, San Diego families can schedule rides for kids ages 6 and older online or through the HopSkipDrive app. According to the company, so far nearly 1,000 families in San Diego have signed up for the service. Parents can find the full list of serviceable areas in San Diego County here.

In addition to rides for individual families, HopSkipDrive partners with schools and districts to create customized transportation solutions for students. That now includes Escondido Union High School District in northern San Diego County.

“With 2 million safe miles already traveled and counting, we’re proud to bring HopSkipDrive to San Diego parents,” said Joanna McFarland, cofounder and CEO.

As previously reported, school bus contractor Student Transportation Inc. (STI) took a minority stake in HopSkipDrive last fall.

For more details on HopSkipDrive and other companies that provide rideshare services for kids, see SBF’s April/May issue feature article "Students on Board: New Breed of Rideshares Provide Tech-Powered Pupil Transportation."