Wand to drive for HopSkipDrive? What it’s like to be a CareDriver

It seems like kids always need a ride, but parents can’t always be there to drive their children to and from every appointment.

That’s where HopSkipDrive comes in: It’s a company that works with schools and government agencies to arrange rides for kids from thoroughly vetted drivers.

Driving on the HopSkipDrive platform as a CareDriver is an excellent gig to look into if you have experience caring for kids and want to earn money with your car.

Of all the rideshare and transportation apps, HopSkipDrive has the most rigorous driver screening process, which makes sense since safety is so important when driving kids.

This is a great gig for parents, grandparents, teachers, and anyone who is an experienced caregiver and wants a flexible side income.

HopSkipDrive operates in multiple metropolitan areas including Denver, Colorado Springs, Seattle and many others. Check out all HopSkipDrive service areas to see if this opportunity is a good fit for you.

Read on to learn how to drive for HopSkipDrive, and what it’s like to be a CareDriver!

Caregiving experience: You need at least 5 years, 2 years of childcare

Since HopSkipDrive works with schools, you must have caregiving experience. In addition to the rigorous background screening, you must also have experience caring for kids.

Caregiving experience that meets their requirements:

• Parents
• Teachers
• Nannies/Babysitters
• Nurses
• Camp counselors
• Have been a primary caregiver for family members or loved ones

How long does the application process take?

Because HopSkipDrive enables transportation of unaccompanied minors, it has a rigorous application process that can take 25 to 60 days to complete.

Several steps of the process take time and initiative to complete, so you will have to closely follow instructions from HopSkipDrive and take action to move the process along.

Check this page to see the certification timeline in your area to see what steps you will need to take and how long to expect.

How earnings work on HopSkipDrive

Drivers on HopSkipDrive are paid for each completed trip. The fee that you earn for a trip includes a base fare and any fare boosts or promotions. For each available ride, CareDrivers can see the estimated earnings, address for pickup and drop-off, a map of the route, any applicable promotions, and more.

Before you accept a trip, you will see an estimated payout along with complete trip details: Pickup location, drop-off location, estimated duration, number of riders, and any special rider needs (such as a booster seat).

There is also an additional payment for rides that end up longer or more time-consuming than estimated.

Learn more about the fare calculation here: CareDriver Payment By Location

After you are approved to drive, HopSkipDrive will ask you to create a Stripe account and enter your banking details.

Earnings are direct deposited on Wednesday every week.

How to select and accept rides

HopSkipDrive is not an on-demand app like Uber and Lyft. Instead of signing in to wait for ride requests to come in, you select your rides from a list of available rides.

You can create a schedule several days in advance by selecting rides ahead of time. Full control of your schedule can make your earnings and working hours more predictable.

One unique feature on HopSkipDrive is the detailed ride filters. You can set your desired pickup times and the maximum commute distance you’re willing to do, giving you more precise control over the type of rides you’ll see.

You can also set a filter for rides near your home, so you don’t have to see rides that begin too far away.

When you browse for rides in the app, there are two main categories: Single rides and Ride Series.

Single Rides

A single ride is a one-time ride. Each ride listing shows the estimated payout, pickup and drop-off locations, and pickup time.

Tap on a single ride to see full details and the ride map. You’ll see how far the pickup is from you and the distance between pickup and drop-off.

When you find a ride you want to do, you’ll add it to a cart, similar to an online store.

Once you are done selecting rides, you can finalize your cart and book your selected rides.

Ride Series

Many customers arrange repeated rides for the same locations and times. Think of daily rides to school, regular rides home from Karate practice, or a trip to a weekly music lesson.

The app bundles repeated rides into a Ride Series. You can accept all or most of the rides in a series all at once.

For example, the ride series below is for a repeated morning ride every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Each ride of the series pays $18 per ride, and the entire series pays $90 per week.

If you select at least 80% of the rides from a series, you can become the “Primary CareDriver” for the series and get exclusive access to future rides from the series.

Get exclusive access to a ride series as a “Primary CareDriver”

HopSkipDrive allows drivers to get exclusive access to reliable, consistent rides from repeat customers.

If you claim at least 80% of the rides in a Ride Series, you can become the Primary CareDriver for that set of rides.

As Primary CareDriver for a series, you get exclusive access to claim rides in that series. When new rides are released each Sunday, you get first access to view and claim new rides from the series.

But if you select less than 80% of the rides from the series, you won’t be eligible to be a Primary CareDriver. You won’t get first access to new rides from the series, and other drivers are likely to claim the rides before you.

Driving with HopSkipDrive vs Uber & Lyft

HopSkipDrive, Uber, and Lyft are all apps that let ride organizers request a ride, but the rider and driver experience of HopSkipDrive is quite different than Uber & Lyft.

Rides with HopSkipDrive aren’t on demand like Uber and Lyft. With HopSkipDrive, ride organizers arrange rides in advance, and drivers select rides from a list of rides or a calendar.

Most HopSkipDrive rides are in the morning and afternoon—the school commute. Uber and Lyft rides take place all day, with peak activity during morning & evening commutes, and weekend nights. Because most HopSkipDrive rides are for the school commute or after school activities, it is more of a part-time side hustle to earn extra income.

Benefits of HopSkipDrive

• You get full control of your schedule. You only select rides that are convenient for you
• Full upfront details mean you will always know your pay and pickup & drop-off locations
• The work can be more rewarding than other rideshare gigs if you like caring for children
• Most rides pay more than $1 per mile. After recent rate cuts, many Uber and Lyft rides pay less
• You can get repeat business from customers with Ride Series and Primary CareDriver

Potential drawbacks

• While there are rides throughout the day, ride volume is typically during the hours before and after school
• The certification process is lengthy because HopSkipDrive wants to make sure only the safest drivers have access to the platform
• Transporting children can seem daunting to some, but the rewards of helping kids in your community are great
• You can’t always directly contact the person you’re picking up, but representatives with Safe Ride Support are available to assist you

HopSkipDrive is a great side gig for people with experience caring for children

Driving with HopSkipDrive is not for everyone. Not only do you need caregiving experience, but you also need patience and understanding to work with children and their cautious parents.

But if you enjoy working with children, this might be a great driving gig. It pays as much or more than Uber and Lyft, and the scheduling feature lets you pick your rides ahead of time.

It can provide a great side income for parents, grandparents, teachers, babysitters, or anyone with extensive experience with children.