State of Childcare Transportation 2021
Letter from Joanna Hi there, I’m Joanna McFarland, Co-founder and CEO of HopSkipDrive. I’m also a working mom who juggles a career and raising two children, including getting them to school and activities. I started HopSkipDrive with two other working moms, co-founders Janelle McGlothlin and Carolyn Yashari-Becker. Sitting around a dining room table, we laid the groundwork for HopSkipDrive. After all, we knew there had to be a better, safer, and more reliable way to get our children to and from school, appointments, and activities. That was back in 2014. Today, HopSkipDrive has driven over one million kids to just about everywhere they need to be. We have partnerships with school districts, counties, charter and independent schools, and continuing education providers. We help many groups of people, from youth in foster care to older adults, secure the transportation they need. Just when everything was starting to click, COVID-19 began spreading across the country. Now, as schools reopen and activities resume, I am overwhelmed by the logistics of getting everybody where they need to go. I have two sons who play sports, and we live in traffic-plagued Los Angeles. I hope our 2021 State of Childcare Transportation Report shines some light on parents’ and other caregivers’ many transportation challenges. At the very least, I hope it shows you that you aren’t alone—and that there are safe and reliable solutions out there.
Demographics of survey For our 2021 State of Childcare Transportation Report, HopSkipDrive surveyed 1,257 parents, foster parents, and other primary caregivers.
42% of respondents had two children over the age of six.
39% of respondents had one child over the age of six.
4% of respondents had four children over the age of six.
Our respondents—including plenty of single parents—were often responsible for coordinating all the logistics in their households. Students are shuttled to and from school, plus several activities and appointments.
1% have more than four kids in the house.
Most children participate in one or two activities (35% and 33%, respectively) after school, but others attend three of four.
Getting to school
“We don’t go to school in our neighborhood, so there are no other families to carpool with.”
“We take turns with another mom. I drive on certain days. She drives the other days.” Before the shutdown,
76%
of parents drove their children to school—or had help from a partner. The next most popular options: a nanny or a babysitter does the driving, the kids take a school bus, or simply walk to school. About a quarter of respondents also use youth transportation solutions, including HopSkipDrive. Most respondents seem to have similar transportation plans once in-person learning resumes. Only 8% of respondents reported using carpools all the time; 22% of respondents carpool sometimes.
“Since COVID, carpooling is a challenge. We worry about exposure. ” “My kids are not returning to in-person school because the new hybrid schedule makes it impossible for me to transport them.”
“I don't have a way to get them to school.”
“I’m not sure. If the bus is available, my kids will take the bus. If the bus isn’t available, possibly my mother-in-law will take them, or HopSkipDrive, or carpool.”
“HopSkipDrive takes my kid to school, and I do the rest of the driving.”
Activities After school, children need to get home or to another activity.
74%
“My son’s sport activity is very far away. He takes the train, and from the station, he takes HopSkipDrive to his gym. “
of respondents said their children participate in sports.
Other popular extracurriculars: music lessons, tutoring, clubs, and after-school programs.
Some kids also needed to attend medical appointments or therapy. Others participate in religious groups.
“My kids come first, and my job is flexible, but with one kid playing softball literally every day of the week, coordination is very difficult and stressful.”
Regardless of where they go and what they do, one thing was clear: kids were busy before COVID-19, and they’re about to get busy again.
Drive Time As all parents know, an hour-long dance class isn’t just an hour long. It’s the time it takes to get ready, pick kids up from school, drive them across town to the studio, wait for them to finish, then shuttle them home again. A quick lesson can eat up a whole evening
40%
19%
of respondents spend two to four hours per week behind the wheel.
spend five to nine hours a week behind the wheel.
“I moved to a different part of Los Angeles so that my kids were closer to their schools and could walk to friends' houses.”
“If it weren’t for HopSkipDrive, my child would not have been able to participate in his sport this year.”
11%
spend over ten hours per week behind the wheel!
“We put limits on the number of activities kids can do for our sanity.”
Coordination and Stress When we asked these respondents how stressful they found coordinating their family’s transportation logistics, responses were mixed.
80%
of respondents are the primary transportation provider in their household.
While the average response was neutral, the truth is more drastic. Some families aren’t stressed at all—maybe the school’s right down the street. Other parents are completely overwhelmed.
50%
report coordinating duties with their partners.
26%
handle all logistics by themselves.
Coordination and Stress Things get even more stressful if kids need a ride unexpectedly. For some, it depends on the day.
30%
reported they could always find a way to get their kids home
70%
of parents and caregivers are sometimes left without knowing how their child is going to get a ride.
11%
reported having no reliable transportation should their children need to get home without notice.
Coordination and Stress One reason for such roadblocks: Only some primary caregivers are willing or able to secure help from friends, paid caregivers, carpools, or services like HopSkipDrive.
Plus, concerns regarding COVID-19 have made many parents feel like they’ve got to handle all transportation by themselves.
“Getting my kids to and from school has been the most stressful part of parenting for me, hands down.”
“I always can get my kid to school but struggle to pick her up from school, especially this year with the crazy hours and schedules.”
“I have shared custody of my 16-year-old. It is difficult to drive to my ex-husband’s current residence for pick up twice a week.”
“The biggest problem for me is when I need to pick my child up from school unexpectedly. I am single, work full-time, and she has Type 1 diabetes.”
Effects on Career and Daily Life With that disruption comes the fear of repercussions, too.
81%
28%
22%
7%
of respondents reported that taking their kids to school or activities interferes with their workdays!
of respondents said their work is interrupted daily.
36%
are disrupted a few times a week.
of respondents said that driving their kids around has sometimes put their jobs at risk.
of respondents said child transportation puts their job at risk often.
For those who can’t offer their kids unlimited transportation, there’s often residual guilt and stress.
42%
of respondents felt their children might be missing out on important activities because of transportation roadblocks.
Effects on Career and Daily Life
“I'm a single mom with three kids and currently no bus service. I'm driving a crazy amount daily just to get everyone to school and home. In a typical year, we have other activities after school, and each year I have to choose which activity and which child to support because I can't split myself into three.”
“I work from home now. Things will change once everything starts to open up again.”
“My kids miss out on many activities because I cannot transport them or cannot pay for them to be transported.”
“I own my own business, so I can be flexible as far as driving goes.”
Conclusion We all want what’s best for our kids. But if there’s one thing this survey revealed, it’s this: getting our children where they need to go can cause significant stress, take a toll on our job performance, and even make some people feel like they’re putting their careers at risk. If and when shuttling students to and from school—and violin practice and study group and occupational therapy—starts to feel impossible, HopSkipDrive is here to help. We can get your kids wherever they need to go—safely, reliably, and consistently.
About HopSkipDrive The Safe, Reliable Way to Get Your Kids Where They Need to Go We understand how complicated it can be to get your kids around. HopSkipDrive makes it simple for families, and safe for kids. For anyone that needs a helping hand, we’re here to help.
Safety is in our DNA Safety is built in to everything we do. From our Safe Ride Support system to our 15-point certification process for CareDrivers to our COVID-Safe Ride Standards, ensuring the safety of every child and ride is our top priority.
We’re setting the bar above & beyond for safe youth transportation solutions.
13M+
SAFE MILES DRIVEN
1M+
KIDS DRIVEN
6,000
SCHOOLS COVERED
Visit hopskipdrive.com/families for more information.
Thank you for reading.