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

Video of discredited mogul assaulting Cassie Ventura will be shown to the jury as his surprising defense plan is exposed.

The judge presiding over the Diddy case has granted permission for the…

“Unsettling Discovery: Unidentified Body Washes Up on Benidorm Tourist Beach”

A BODY has been found washed up on a beach in Benidorm.…

Bride unable to enter country for wedding because of minor passport mistake right before ceremony

A bride shared her horror after being denied entry to the country…

Karen glares during trial while harsh messages to police officer partner are presented to jury, where he pleaded with her to ‘cease calling’.

Karen Read, the suspect in a murder case, appeared emotionless during a…

Emma and Matt Willis show affection as they leave glamorous BAFTA TV Craft Awards event – her first appearance after undergoing keyhole heart surgery

Emma and Matt Willis put on a loved-up display as they led…

Touching messages for dear British person discovered deceased in Benidorm following body being found on shore.

The relatives of a man who was tragically found dead on a…

Caysen Allison: Prosecution Finishes Presenting Evidence in Trial of Texas Man Who Allegedly Stabbed Classmate in School Restroom

The state and defense team rested their cases Friday in the murder…

Trump starts deporting immigrants to RWANDA in a move seen as embarrassing by the UK, less than a year after the Labour party ended a similar program.

DONALD Trump has begun removing migrants to Rwanda — less than a…

Meghan Markle’s podcast, “Confessions of a Female Founder,” fails to make an impact on charts and loses to a sleep-related show

The Duchess of Sussex has suffered another blow this week after her…

Discovering Paul Burton’s current whereabouts.

PAUL Burton is the subject of the hard-hitting Channel 4 documentary 24…

Virginia Giuffre’s family issues a full statement as Prince Andrew accuser, aged 41, succumbs to the toll of abuse

THE heartbroken family of Virginia Giuffre have described her as a “fierce…

Virginia Giuffre, Survivor of Jeffrey Epstein’s Abuse, Passes Away at 41 in Apparent Suicide

Virginia Giuffre, 41, a prominent survivor of Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse, died…