HopSkipDrive recently announced its new Hub-and-Spoke offering, which is available across the country to help school transportation officials select school bus pick up locations, paired with a network of drivers in small vehicles to help students connect with school buses at centralized stops.

This offering is designed for a changing school transportation landscape. It combines HopSkipDrive's proprietary AI-driven transportation intelligence platform, RouteWise AI, with a network of new drivers in small vehicles called CareDrivers, local caregivers who complete the HopSkipDrive 15-point certification process.

HopSkipDrive, which supports more than 13,500 schools, developed this offering in direct response to findings from the 2025 State of School Transportation Report.

In the context of increased nationwide bus driver shortages, school administrators report growing numbers of students who qualify for free transportation. At the same time, these transportation staff members agree that centralized pick-up and drop-off options can be a solution.

"Schools can use RouteWise AI to design efficient routing and stops that best utilize a system's existing drivers while increasing bus rider utilization," said Joanna McFarland, CEO and co-founder of HopSkipDrive. "HopSkipDrive CareDrivers can then efficiently and safely bring students from multiple locations to centralized bus stops. Leveraging our expertise in centralized transportation with partners like Tolleson Union High School District, we've transformed this offering with AI to meet current needs for out-of-district, choice policy, and highly mobile students."

Confirmation of A Need for New Solutions

HopSkipDrive partnered with the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs to release a September State of School Transportation survey of more than 500 school administrators:

• While 90% of school administrator respondents reported rising or stagnant numbers in the number of students who qualify for free, school-provided transportation, 81% of this audience said school bus driver shortages are a problem.

• A majority (73%) favor organizing centralized pick-up and drop-off locations for students using school buses and allowing schools or districts to use school-arranged supplemental school transportation services, such as cars and vans (65%).

How the Hub-and-Spoke Model Works

RouteWise AI provides transportation plan scenarios for Denver Public Schools and other districts, building cost-effective multimodal transportation systems utilizing buses and/or small vehicles. It will identify centralized bus stop hubs and efficient bus routes, resulting in 40% capital savings, 46% increased efficiency, or 17% more on-time arrivals, and offer solutions for bus driver shortages.

Once these hubs and bus stops are identified, school district clients can lean on HopSkipDrive's network of safe, vetted drivers in small vehicles to transport students to those centralized stops. In turn, school buses can run quicker, more efficient routes with higher utilization.