- HopSkipDrive, a school ride-sharing company that aims to get children to school on time, announced it has raised $22 million in funding
HopSkipDrive, a school ride-sharing company that aims to get children to school on time, announced it has raised $22 million in funding to expand on its goal to provide transportation to people who may not have it. This is especially crucial for homeless and foster children.
The company — which was founded by Carolyn Yashari Becher, Janelle McGlothlin, Joanna McFarland — requires drivers to have 5 years of childcare experience. And a majority of the company’s 1099 contractors are women.
McFarland does not compare her company to a ride-sharing platform like Uber or Lyft. Instead, HopSkipDrive works closely with families to serve as “caregivers on wheels.”
Now HopSkipDrive has deals with school districts in 13 markets across 8 states. And the company has over 7,000 contractors on its network.
McFarland said that she started the company after working at a tech company. As McFarland was working, she was also growing her family and could not get her son to karate class at 3PM. Frustrated by that issue, she suggested putting money in a pot with other parents at a school event in order to hire a driver. And she met one of the other company co-founders during that conversation.
