HopSkipDrive can present safer transportation for schoolchildren and senior residents than a regular rideshare app. Caredrivers undergo an in depth screening course of, and the platform gives real-time updates to folks and guardians.
This platform is offered in a number of metro areas throughout the US for on-demand transportation. Our HopSkipDrive assessment carefully examines how households can procure protected and inexpensive college transportation.
Additional, we present the way it’s attainable to turn out to be a paid driver to earn more money whereas serving to households with distinctive wants.
Abstract
HopSkipDrive gives non-public, on-demand transportation for college students and senior residents. Drivers undergo a radical screening course of and have not less than 5 years of caregiver expertise. The app has ample schedule flexibility for drivers and weekly funds.
Professionals
- Versatile schedules
- Fingers-on security options
- Companions with native colleges
Cons
- Solely in choose cities
- Potential driver shortages
- Busiest throughout college yr
What’s HopSkipDrive?
HopSkipDrive is a ridesharing app specializing in class and senior transportation when public transportation or help from a member of the family is impractical. The app companions with college districts and organizations nationwide to supply protected and various transportation.
It emphasizes security and has a comparatively rigorous screening course of in comparison with different ridesharing apps for extra peace of thoughts. The Android or iOS cell makes it straightforward to trace the rider’s location, plus the power to e-book rides.
For example, mother and father can set up rides so their youngsters don’t must trip the bus or when a bus route is unavailable. The motive force has not less than 5 years of earlier caregiver expertise. Drivers additionally cross a background test together with little one abuse and neglect scans.
Whereas this app is especially for kids needing a trip between college, residence, and afterschool actions, it additionally presents aged transportation. Some drivers have wheelchair-accessible automobiles to assist riders make appointments and run errands.
This flexibility is great for working households that can’t take off from work at sure hours. Moreover, it’s useful when a caregiver or babysitter can’t decide up the rider.
How Does HopSkipDrive Work?
Right here is use the platform to schedule one-time and recurring rides with out the stress that may accompany commonplace transportation choices.
Faculty Transportation
Most rides contain drivers taking youngsters to and from college and after-school actions. Dad and mom and organizations can request rides not less than 8 hours prematurely. The cutoff time is 7 p.m. for morning rides.
Youngsters should be not less than six years previous to trip with out grownup supervision, and drivers might present booster seats. Youthful youngsters can trip if an grownup is current to put in or take away the security seat. Adults should accompany youngsters beneath the age of 4.
The platform states that it has helped over 16,000 colleges for college students with out conventional bus routes. Along with serving to particular person households, the platform facilitates college rides for youth experiencing homelessness (McKinney-Vento Act) and foster youngsters.
This app immediately companions with college districts to assist college students with the next conditions:
- After Faculty care
- Constitution colleges
- Persevering with technical schooling
- Extracurricular actions
- Individualized schooling plan
- Non-public colleges
- Particular wants
- Sports activities follow
HopSkipDrive can work with accessible drivers to finalize a pickup time if mother and father or authorized guardians don’t request rides. Drivers are extra available throughout the college yr, nevertheless it’s attainable to make use of the service year-round for academic and private functions.
Senior Rides
Older people can profit from the service, as properly. HopSkipDrive collaborates with households, organizations, and nursing properties to supply transportation.
A number of the choices embody:
- Physician appointments
- Meals on wheels
- Procuring journeys
- Social outings
Along with offering rides involving disabilities and particular wants, drivers should make lodging for service animals, because the legislation requires. Make sure you embody any requests to discover a appropriate car throughout the scheduling course of.
It’s attainable to schedule these rides in the identical app as college rides. Additional, some multi-generational households use this service to schedule rides for his or her youngsters and ageing kin.
Actual-Time Updates
Every trip implements the HopSkipDrive Secure Experience Help system, offering hands-on assist to folks and trip requesters. The rideshare app gives a driver’s profile, car identification info, and real-time location particulars within the app.
If the itinerary has a number of stops, the progress web page signifies the present leg of the journey. It additionally reveals if the motive force is selecting up or dropping off different passengers.
Additional, a number of security practices are in place for extra peace of thoughts:
- Orange identification decals: Drivers place an orange decal or car to assist establish professional drivers.
- Passenger pictures: Dad and mom can add a photograph of their little one to make it simpler for the motive force to seek out the proper rider.
- Rider code phrase: The motive force and passenger will affirm a secret code phrase earlier than letting the rider into the car.
- Particular directions: Dad and mom can embody superior directions comparable to written permission to enter and signal out a toddler. Different examples are mentioning notable landmarks or the rider’s apparel to keep away from delays.
It’s additionally attainable to contact drivers by name or textual content. Nonetheless, drivers solely reply the telephone when the car is stopped. The app makes use of a third-party service to detect telephone utilization throughout movement to stop speaking or texting whereas driving.
Lastly, stay chat assist is offered immediately from the corporate day by day from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific. Telephone assist can be for pressing issues. You might take into account contacting the assist middle when the motive force can’t fulfill your wants.
As a father of 4, I discover these safeguards to be sensible. Whereas I don’t stay inside the service space, they make me really feel comfy requesting a trip for my little one, figuring out that I can confirm the motive force’s id and observe their present location whereas en path to the vacation spot.
Areas
HopSkipDrive is offered within the following metro areas:
- Arizona
- California
- Bay Space
- Los Angeles
- Northern California
- Orange County
- Sacramento
- San Diego
- Southern California
- Colorado
- Boulder
- Colorado Springs
- Denver
- Entrance Vary
- District of Columbia
- DMV (D.C., Maryland, and Virginia)
- Florida
- Indiana
- Michigan
- Missouri
- Nevada
- Pennsylvania
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Austin
- Dallas/Ft. Price
- Houston
- Midland
- Wisconsin
The service space is often a 100-mile most journey distance. This service space makes it a wonderful platform for expansive cities and distinctive conditions in outlying areas. The service presently doesn’t present airport transportation, which requires further allowing.
Fare Safety
In choose metro areas, drivers and riders could be eligible for this characteristic, which ensures a minimal driver payout. For instance, a minimal trip price helps drivers earn a aggressive wage for brief journeys.
Fare Safety additionally ensures that drivers earn not less than the estimated quantity when checking in in the beginning of the trip. The incomes potential can improve when the driving time is not less than 5 minutes longer than the estimate and exceeds the minimal base fare threshold. For instance, the minimal varies by metropolis and is not less than eight miles and 35 minutes in Phoenix.
You possibly can e-book a trip with most bank cards and debit playing cards. The app waits to cost the fee methodology as soon as the trip ends to confirm the entire journey value. This follow removes the potential of requesting refunds if the motive force cancels or no one claims your trip request.
How A lot
Beneath are many frequent charges that riders and drivers can anticipate paying. The typical trip can value between $40 and $80 with a route distance from 10 to 30 miles.
Experience Charges
The platform has a fare estimator enables you to venture fares for one-stop and multi-stop routes by plugging within the areas’ addresses. As peak hour pricing might apply, you’ll be able to choose the beginning time for a extra exact estimate.
Listed below are among the prices for pattern routes:
- $40 for 11 miles in Spokane, WA
- $45 for 13 miles within the Nashville, TN metro space
- $62 for 20 miles within the Washington, D.C. metro space
- $71 for 27 miles in Los Angeles
- $82 for 25 miles within the Nashville, TN, metro space
The above value estimates encompass a base fare measuring the gap and driving time. A reserving price and native working prices additionally apply.
Peak-hour pricing applies when the pick-up time is from 6:30 to eight:29 a.m. and a couple of:30 p.m. to 4:29 p.m.
Different incidental prices may apply, comparable to car harm, rider delays, and tolls:
- Cancellation price: 50% for cancellations between one to eight hours and 100% for cancellations inside one hour of pick-up
- Cleansing charges: Spot cleansing ($50) and full detailing ($100)
- Harm charges: Varies
- Tolls: Value of toll
- Wait time: Varies and begins 10 minutes after the scheduled pickup time
Suggestions are elective; you pay the motive force immediately as a substitute of by means of the app. Drivers preserve 100% of all ideas they obtain.
Driver Charges
Drivers gained’t encounter incidental charges, excluding regular wear-and-tear or gasoline purchases. Optionally available security tools like booster seats is likely to be non-reimbursable. One can search reimbursements for tolls, parking, and rider-responsible harm or soiling.
Not like most supply app jobs, this platform doesn’t provide same-day funds to a linked debit card, which incurs third-party charges.
HopSkipDrive Driver Necessities
The platform’s driver necessities are stricter than these of most ridesharing apps because you transport youngsters and older adults and not using a guardian companion. Particularly, you want not less than 5 years of caregiver expertise, a clear driving document, and a background test.
The fundamental driver and car necessities embody:
- Age: Are not less than 23 years previous
- Background test: It’s essential to cross multi-agency background checks and fingerprinting. This step additionally features a Little one Abuse and Neglect scan.
- Caregiving expertise: 5 or extra years of caregiving expertise, together with two years with youngsters
- Driving expertise: Minimal of three years and a clear document
- Automobile specs: Personal or lease a four-door car over 10 years previous. It should additionally cross an annual inspection from an authorized mechanic.
In most states, the certification course of takes between 25 and 60 days with numerous on-line and in-person actions.
How A lot Does HopSkipDrive Pay?
Drivers can anticipate incomes between $12 and $21 per trip, in response to current lively driver on Certainly. “It’s a must to test the app day by day to e-book rides every week out, they usually get snatched up shortly. The youngsters have been nice to date, however they count on rather a lot from drivers for little or no cash.”
Anticipate making $1,000 per 30 days or extra by finishing a number of rides every college day, in response to a number of drivers. This pay is earlier than driving bills, and you could calculate the entire journey time to estimate your efficient hourly price.
“Is dependent upon the place you reside , however the place I’m, I’m able to make 300-400 {dollars} weekly , however that’s solely doing 4-5 rides a day. It’s the good aspect gig for somebody with a gasoline environment friendly automotive. There are bonuses on rides which can be pressing, so when you have time all through the day I might undoubtedly do it. Simply ensure you plan out your day accurately, that method you might be extra environment friendly, hope this helps,” says sad-improvement-123.
Your journey pay includes a number of components:
- Base fare
- Boosts and promotions
- Further wait time and driving time
- Optionally available buyer ideas
These wages are aggressive with most supply apps, however some drivers say they’ll earn extra of their native market with a standard ride-sharing platform. Consequently, you should be comfy transporting adults who is likely to be extra troublesome when you work on nights or weekends. Nonetheless, it’s a satisfying method to earn cash out of your telephone.
The platform advertises that new drivers can earn as much as $50 per hour. This incomes potential is feasible with back-to-school promotions that assure a minimal payout after finishing a minimal variety of rides throughout the promotion interval.
HopSkipDrive Opinions
Listed below are a number of driver and buyer critiques from constructive and adverse views to assist acquire an inside take a look at the platform.
“To date so good! Very happy with the Hop Skip and drive service for my highschool son. My son additionally acknowledged that each driver that has picked him up has been glorious, dependable, affected person, courteous, respectful, pleasant, and sort,” — Sylvia S.
“This driving job is principally an “Uber” for teenagers beneath 18. Simple to make use of app and a good caring customer support staff. Nonetheless paid in full for last-minute (cancellations). Loads of alternatives in LA/Orange County areas. Scheduling children frequently is a plus and consistency and relationship with the children.” — A Los Angeles driver on Certainly.
“I’ve been a care driver for HopSkipDrive for 4 years and have discovered it to be a straightforward and fulfilling job. It’s nice that I can decide my very own rides and take day off if I must. Extremely advocate!” —A Pleasanton, CA driver on Certainly.
“After spending the time to enter all the info, my request for a driver was rebuffed stating that there weren’t sufficient drivers in our Phoenix space to assist this request. Remember the fact that I used to be putting the request 5 days prematurely, not final minute.” — AggieinAZ
“The pay is ridiculous, and reserving consecutive jobs is difficult as a result of most colleges get out on the similar time.This isn’t a daily Uber job. Many instances, it’s a must to go into colleges and meet children within the workplace. This provides to your time. If a job doesn’t get picked up, they attempt to entice you by including a “enhance’ like $2.” —A Las Vegas driver on Certainly.
“Good environment working with kiddos and offering consistency to them attending to/from college. The motive force assist is pretty good. You continue to receives a commission when it’s a no-show. Want there was all-year enterprise however often it’s simply throughout (the) college yr.” —A Madison, WI driver on Certainly.
Alternate options to HopSkipDrive
These driving aspect hustles might present extra paid alternatives in your group. You may additionally take into account these supply duties to earn cash in your free time exterior of college hours:
- DoorDash: Ship meals and merchandise from eating places and shops. This platform is offered nationwide, together with in rural areas.
- Instacart: Store for and ship grocery orders with a versatile schedule. Many supermarkets and low cost retailers take part. It’s attainable to be an in-store shopper with scheduled shifts in choose cities.
- Uber: Drivers might take into account Uber to ship passengers and Uber Eats for meals. The motive force and car necessities are extra versatile as an Uber Eats driver.
Ceaselessly Requested Questions
Listed below are a number of questions that you might have earlier than becoming a member of HopSkipDrive.
Is HopSkipDrive Secure?
The platform implements rigorous security protocols to seek out eligible drivers with related expertise and a clear background test. It additionally has a number of trip monitoring instruments for fogeys to confirm their little one safely reaches their vacation spot.
How Do I Turn into a HopSkipDrive Driver?
You possibly can apply on-line when dwelling in an lively service space. First, add the required paperwork and full the digital orientation. The ultimate steps contain an in-person background test and car inspection.
Can You Make Cash with HopSkipDrive?
Most drivers earn roughly $20 per trip and earn not less than $1,000 month-to-month by driving day by day. Drivers may have to assert trip requests a number of days prematurely on a first-come, first-serve foundation. Make sure you calculate the commuting prices and dealing time to find out if the estimated earnings is value it for a specific request.
What’s the HopSkipDrive cancellation coverage for drivers?
Drivers obtain half of the estimated fee if the mum or dad or caregiver cancels the trip between one and eight hours earlier than the beginning time. Full compensation is feasible when the requester cancels inside 60 minutes of pick-up. There isn’t any compensation if the mum or dad cancels not less than eight hours prematurely.
Abstract
HopSkipDrive is usually a protected public transit various for fogeys with one-time or recurring trip requests. It may also be a satisfying aspect hustle for impartial contractors who need to assist households and wish versatile working hours.
The app’s most vital weak point is that it solely operates in choose cities throughout the US.