Kennett committee reviews EverDriven ride‑service for complex pupil transportation; administrators say it offers flexible pickup for displaced students

The Kennett Consolidated School District finance committee reviewed a proposed service agreement with EverDriven, a transportation vendor that provides on‑demand, vetted drivers to transport students when standard bus routing is impractical.

Administrators described EverDriven as an “Uber or Lyft for school districts” that can be used to pick up single students or small groups when a full bus route is inefficient, when students are displaced or when short‑notice special‑education placements require immediate service. Transportation director Tom Jenkins and CFO Mark Tracy said the vendor verifies driver clearances and provides a roster of vetted drivers; administrators said the district would receive required clearances before a driver would serve a Kennett student.

Use cases and costs

- Displaced students: The district highlighted the McKinney‑Vento population of displaced students and said some live well beyond district borders. Running large‑capacity buses on long, one‑off routes is expensive and operationally difficult; EverDriven would allow the district to call a certified driver to provide targeted pickups.

- Special‑education placements and outplacements: Administrators confirmed EverDriven can be used for special‑education transport and can provide additional services at added cost, including nurse escorts when medical support is required.

- Costs and comparisons: Administrators said EverDriven rates are cheaper than running a full‑size bus on a special route but more expensive than routing an existing bus when that is possible. The service is positioned as a convenience and safety net rather than a blanket replacement of contracted buses.

Parent communication and logistics

Transportation staff said they would notify parents directly with driver and vehicle information (for example, "a yellow Toyota, driver's name is Brad") when EverDriven is used for a student pickup. EverDriven provides GPS tracking, but administrators said the district would not have direct access to the vendor’s live GPS feed.

Procurement status and next steps

Administrators said the EverDriven agreement and supporting materials were posted in BoardDocs and that the vendor has references in Pennsylvania and nationally. The item is scheduled to appear on the full board agenda next Monday for approval.

Why it matters

The service targets a continuing operational challenge for many districts: how to reliably transport small numbers of students across larger distances or on short notice without incurring the high cost and logistical complexity of dedicated bus runs. Administrators emphasized the approach is intended to ensure timely school access for displaced students and to supplement existing contracted vendors when needed.