HopSkipDrive is a ride service created with families in mind and ensures busy parents safe, reliable rides for their kids to and from school. And it's coming to Denver.
A new ride service has landed in Denver called HopSkipDrive. The service gives busy parents and families a safe way for their children to get to and from school as well any extracurricular activities they may participate in. That's right! It's a ride-sharing service just for kids! Since its launch in 2014 in California, the founders looked to Denver because it's "a SchoolChoice city, kids can go to any school. Transportation becomes a huge problem for parents," Joanna McFarland, founder of HopSkipDrive, told 5280. "Moms can get back to work or get promotions. Kids can make traveling teams because they aren't late to practice anymore." Currently, the service covers a majority of the Denver area, and there are plans to expand to more cities along the Front Range as well as in cities like Boulder and Colorado Springs in the coming months. To view the complete list of areas that HopSkipDrive covers in Denver, click here. [caption id="attachment_36159" align="aligncenter" width="960"]
Courtesy of HopSkipDrive[/caption]
Now, not sure about you, but one of the biggest questions that automatically sprung to my mind was how safe can it possibly be? I'm not a parent so I can't say that I know what it's like to put my children in the care of another individual and have that concern for their safety. I just can't.
I was a preschool teacher for a while, though, and it was a huge responsibility to have parents ask me to teach and watch their children -- sometimes I was in charge of 10-12 kiddos at a single time! As a teacher, I had to have certain certifications and credentials in order to care for these kids. Every couple of months, I had to get recertified for specific areas to make sure that I remained in-line with the school's requirements.
And a similar process is conducted with HopSkipDrive's drivers.
Safety is, of course, HopSkipDrive's number one priority. Unlike Uber or Lyft, the screening process is more vigorous, and it has to be when children are involved. The service requires its drivers to have a minimum of five years' experience in childcare and each one must undergo a 15-point driver certification process, including background check and fingerprinting.
"If we wouldn't trust them to drive our kids, we won't put yours in their care," states the website.
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Parents also have the ability to keep track of the entire ride through the app and will get notified when their children have been dropped off. There are also individualized codes between the parents and kids that the driver must confirm upon pickup.
To make things easier for both kids and parents, all drivers wear bright orange shirts with the HopSkipDrive logo. Parents will receive a picture and profile of the driver with the option of customizing instructions for drop-off or pick-up.
The app is available for iPhone and Android users. Rides cost $15 for a single family and $6 for a carpool. But keep in mind that the price, like any ride-sharing service, can fluctuate depending on time and distance.
Watch the video below for more information on how HopSkipDrive works:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IXk4wjKk-4
What do you think? Is this a good solution for busy parents? Would you consider using this service for your own kids? Share your thoughts (and any concerns) with us in the comments below, and let's get the conversation started!