MYNORTHWEST NEWS

HopSkipDrive introduces Seattle rideshare exclusively for kids

Sep 9, 2019, 12:23 PM

Parents love telling their kids about how long they had to walk to school as kids, through rain and slush and all sorts of made-up things. Now they have yet another new convenience to hold over their children: A rideshare exclusively for kids.

HopSkipDrive launched recently in Seattle and allows parents to book an Uber-like ride for their kids, in place of using the bus or driving themselves, reports KUOW.

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The company uses extra safety features that goes beyond a regular rideshare service, creating a sort of babysitter/driver situation. Parents can read driver bios and watch live updates of the trip, and the company has a stringent hiring policy.

To become a driver, new hires must be fingerprinted, undergo a background check, have five years of care-giving experience, and have extra safety features on their car.

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That extra safety and hiring process will cost, with rides typically starting at $22, a rate meant to combine rideshare rates and childcare services. It’s why they refer to their employees as “care drivers.”

The company is currently in more than a dozen U.S. cities.

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HopSkipDrive introduces Seattle rideshare exclusively for kids