Children forced to take rideshares to school as bus routes are axed leaving millions of parents scrambling

PARENTS are increasingly turning to rideshares to take their kids to school as more and more bus routes face the axe.

Only about 28% of US students took a bus to school in the most recent survey, according to the Federal Highway Administration.

The number of students taking school buses has dropped in recent years
The number of students taking school buses has dropped in recent yearsCredit: Getty
PiggyBack Network is one such app offering a replacement to traditional school buses
PiggyBack Network is one such app offering a replacement to traditional school busesCredit: AP

That was down from about 36% in 2017.

Chicago Public Schools, the nation’s fourth-largest district, has slashed its bus service in recent years.

While it still offers rides for disabled and homeless students, families are left on their own.

Only 17,000 out of 325,000 students in the district are eligible for school bus rides.

A pilot program was recently initiated by the school system to enable students who are enrolled in magnet or selective-enrollment schools outside their neighborhood to catch a bus at a designated “hub spot” near a school.

The aim is to start with rides for some 1,000 students by the end of the school year.

But critics say the scheme is not enough to make up for cuts to the service.

Erin Rose Schubert, a volunteer for the CPS Parents for Buses advocacy group, highlighted that individuals with financial resources and advantages were capable of finding alternative arrangements such as adjusting their work schedules or utilizing public transportation.

“People who didn’t, some had to pull their kids out of school.”

Under the Piggyback Network, parents can book a ride for their student online along with another parent traveling in the same direction.

I’m a rideshare driver who was tricked into helping scammers steal $20k – when I knew what had happened it was too late

Rides cost roughly 80 cents per mile and the drivers are compensated with credits to use for their own kids’ rides.

In its first year, the company has arranged a few hundred rides in Chicago.

There are plans to possibly expand the scheme to other states including North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia.

In contrast to Piggyback Network, which facilitates connections among parents, HopSkipDrive collaborates directly with school districts in assisting students without reliable transportation to commute to school.

The company was launched a decade ago in Los Angeles after three mothers tried to coordinate school carpools.

It now supports some 600 school districts in 13 states.

WHAR IS THE PIGGYBACK NETWORK

THE PiggyBack Network is a rideshare scheme created for busy 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, it is banned from operating in certain states, including Kentucky.

A group of Louisville students has been lobbying on its behalf to change that.

Other examples of similar schemes include Kango, which was launched in California and Arizona as a free carpooling app.

Drivers are typically paid more than they would driving for apps such as Uber or Lyft, although the scheme usually has more requirements such as walking some students with disabilities into school.

You May Also Like

Kim Kardashian contacts Bianca, Kanye’s ex-girlfriend, to offer support during a difficult time after their unexpected breakup.

Kim Kardashian has reportedly contacted pin-up Bianca Censori after learning she split from…

JCB, a major British company, is set to increase manufacturing in the US due to Trump’s trade tariffs

JCB has become the first major British manufacturer to say it will…

Donald Trump insists that France release Marine Le Pen and criticizes her ban from the presidential election as a witch hunt.

President Donald Trump had demanded that France ‘free’ presidential candidate Marine Le Pen.…

Woman Expecting Baby Found Fatally Injured in Shopping Cart; Person Arrested for the Crime

U.S. Marshals in Nevada arrested a man last month for killing a…

Report by MPs states that plans to improve NHS dentistry are a “total disaster” with patients resorting to extracting teeth with pliers

A Government plan to fix NHS dentistry actually made it worse and…

Mother abandons her newborn in a trash bag on the back porch before heading to the hospital

A Georgia woman was criminally charged for allegedly leaving her newborn baby…

Father Convicted for Horrific Crime Against Infant Daughter While Mother Was Out Shopping for Diapers

A SICK dad who raped his eight-day old daughter before killing her…

Wall Street in complete turmoil due to stock market crash leading to massive economic losses and retirement funds affected

A significant drop in the stock market occurred on Thursday, pushing a…

Nancy Grace Secures Video of Suspect Transporting Miranda Corsette’s Body

Nancy Grace has exclusively obtained video footage from a neighbor showing suspect…

“Elton John Takes on Putin as Aids Charity Banned in Russia and Workers Face Prosecution”

SIR Elton John and Vladimir Putin were at war last night after…

Wife of Beloved Doctor Faces Perilous Situation on Romantic Getaway

For her 36th birthday, anesthesiologist Gerhardt Konig surprises his wife, engineer Arielle,…

Upset Prince Harry promises to investigate Sentebale thoroughly to reveal the truth and criticizes false allegations of harassment and bullying made against him by the chairperson.

Prince Harry has expressed doubt over the integrity of Sentebale’s leader, implying…