School transportation provider HopSkipDrive got lower greenhouse (GHG) emissions and better electric vehicle mileage than required under California's 2023 targets for the Clean Miles Standard, the company announced this week.

The Clean Miles Standard, adopted in 2021 by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), is a fleet regulation aimed at reducing emissions from transportation network companies - Uber, Lyft, and HopSkipDrive among them. In HopSkipDrive's case, this could lead to cleaner transportation and sustainable school travel with a reduced carbon footprint while achieving greenhouse gas reduction in education.

Highlights from the announcement include:

Exceeding California's Clean Miles Standard for School Transportation

The results are based on ride data for over 300 state school districts, nonprofits, and government agencies supported by HopSkipDrive, showcasing an improvement from the environmental metrics recorded in 2022:

• In 2023, electric vehicles accounted for 8% of miles traveled by HopSkipDrive CareDrivers in California, surpassing the state's 2023 target by 400%, which was set at 2%.

• The total 2023 California GHG emissions by HopSkipDrive CareDrivers per passenger mile is 240 grams of CO2, below the state's 2023 target of 252 grams of CO2 per passenger mile.

• Almost 40% of California vehicles completing rides on the HopSkipDrive platform in 2023 were electric, hybrid, or fuel cell vehicles. 

The data suggests that supplementing existing transportation options, including electric buses, with HopSkipDrive eco-friendly student transport could help make meaningful progress towards sustainability goals.

The announcement precedes the 2024 California Air Resources Board (CARB) reporting deadlines mandated by the Clean Miles Standard and Incentive Program.

Initiatives Supporting Sustainability for the Ride to School

HopSkipDrive has introduced initiatives like Strategic Routing and SmartPooling to support sustainability efforts. Strategic Routing uses AI and machine learning to analyze transportation landscapes and provide customized routing options to meet environmental goals. SmartPooling matches new riders with existing rides to increase car occupancy and reduce costs and carbon footprint.

Joanna McFarland, CEO and co-founder of HopSkipDrive, emphasized the need for transparency in safety and sustainability efforts. 

“There’s a lot on our state’s plate to achieve climate goals, and we’re pleased to share our results now to get the ball rolling,” she said in a news release. “Organizations serving kids and educators must be transparent with their safety and sustainability efforts and we expect to see others join us in publishing relevant data. We look forward to sharing even more insight in the coming months.”