Children forced to take rideshares to school as bus routes are axed leaving millions of parents scrambling
As more and more bus routes are being eliminated, parents are increasingly using ridesharing services to get their children to school.
According to the Federal Highway Administration’s most recent survey, only roughly 28% of US children commuted to school by bus.
Compared to roughly 36% in 2017, that was lower.
In recent years, Chicago Public Schools, the fourth-largest system in the country, has drastically reduced its bus service.
Families are left on their own, even though it still provides transportation for homeless and disabled students.
Out of the district’s 325,000 pupils, just 17,000 are qualified for school bus rides.
READ MORE ON RIDESHARES
Uber and Lyft riders will see a price hike up to 25% due to new December 1 law
New January 1 law will protect rideshares in US state in boost for drivers
The school system started a pilot program earlier this month that would let kids who attend selective-enrollment or magnet schools located outside of their area to board a bus at a nearby school’s “hub spot.”
By the conclusion of the school year, the goal is to have rides available for about 1,000 students.
However, detractors claim that the plan is insufficient to compensate for service reduction.
“The people who had the money and the privilege were able to figure out other situations like rearranging their work schedules or public transportation,” Erin Rose Schubert, a volunteer for the advocacy group CPS Parents for Buses, told The CW-owned affiliate KRON4.
“People who didn’t, some had to pull their kids out of school.”
Parents can arrange for their student to ride with another parent who is going in the same direction online through the Piggyback Network.
The cost of a ride is about 80 cents per mile, and drivers receive credits that they can use to pay for transportation for their own children.
The company has set up a few hundred rides in Chicago in its first year.
Plans exist to potentially extend the program to more states, such as Virginia, Texas, and North Carolina.
HopSkipDrive works directly with school districts to assist students who lack dependable transportation to school, in contrast to Piggyback Network, which links parents.
Ten years ago, the company was founded in Los Angeles when three mothers attempted to organize school carpools.
Currently, it serves about 600 school districts throughout 13 states.
WHAR IS THE PIGGYBACK NETWORK
A ridesharing program called THE PiggyBack Network was developed for working parents.
- It was created by parents for other parents.
- It is a hyperlocal carpool service designed for parents to connect and share rides for their children’s school, after-school activities, and sports.
- It’s a community-driven platform aiming to make transportation more affordable, efficient, and accessible for families, particularly in the context of busy schedules and the need for reliable transportation solutions.
However, Kentucky is one of the states where it is prohibited from functioning.
To change that, a group of Louisville students has been advocating on its behalf.
Read More on The US Sun
Anna Duggar appears solemn as she’s seen for first time in years in Arkansas
Travis Kelce ‘spoils Taylor Swift on her 35th birthday with $175k in lux gifts’
Kango, a free carpooling app that was introduced in California and Arizona, is another example of a similar strategy.
Although the program normally has more requirements, like escorting some students with impairments to school, drivers are frequently paid more than they would be if they drove for apps like Uber or Lyft.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!