EverDriven Launches SafeOps to Elevate Safety Standards in Student Transportation
EverDriven, the nation’s leader in Alternative Student Transportation, today announced the launch of SafeOps, a dedicated safety excellence council designed to advance the company’s already industry-leading safety performance and further raise the bar for specialized student transportation nationwide. This initiative reflects EverDriven’s commitment to delivering unmatched safety, reliability, and transparency for districts, caregivers, and students alike.
With a remarkable 99.99% accident-free rate across more than two million trips in the past year, EverDriven operates at the pinnacle of safety in the student transportation sector. SafeOps is engineered to build upon this record, providing a structured framework for continuous improvement that ensures best practices are consistently applied across all 36 states in which EverDriven operates.
SafeOps: A New Era of Safety Excellence
“EverDriven sets the bar for safety in student transportation,” said Mitch Bowling, CEO of EverDriven. “SafeOps is solely focused on how we protect students and ensure the safest possible experience for every ride. As we grow, this program enables us to maintain rigorous safety standards consistently, providing districts and families with greater confidence, transparency, and trust.”
SafeOps represents a proactive, scalable approach to safety management, transforming what has traditionally been reactive or localized protocols into a unified system of continuous operational improvement. This system ensures that the highest standards are not just maintained but elevated across all regions and service types.
Key Objectives of SafeOps
SafeOps is structured as a cross-functional council with a clear mission: identify and replicate safety excellence across the organization. The council emphasizes three core pillars to achieve this mission: Operational Excellence, Technology Integration, and Training & Support. Each pillar is designed to reinforce safety, efficiency, and reliability while providing measurable outcomes for district partners.
Operational Excellence
Operational Excellence under SafeOps focuses on standardizing proven safety protocols across every region where EverDriven operates. Core initiatives include:
- Driver Screening: Enhanced background verification, ongoing monitoring, and behavioral assessment protocols ensure that every driver meets the highest safety and compliance standards before and during employment.
- Vehicle Standards: Pre-trip inspections, equipment compliance checks, and routine maintenance verification help prevent mechanical failures and maintain a consistent standard of safety across all vehicles.
- Incident Response: Structured escalation procedures, real-time coordination with district teams, and immediate reporting mechanisms ensure rapid resolution of incidents and proactive prevention of potential safety hazards.
Through these measures, districts can expect predictable service, consistent drivers for students who rely on routine, and operational reliability backed by standardized protocols applied nationwide.
Technology Integration
SafeOps leverages EverDriven’s expanding technology infrastructure to enhance oversight and safety intervention. Nearly 50% of EverDriven vehicles are now equipped with district opt-in in-vehicle cameras, deployed within the first year of rollout. Additional technological tools include:
- Real-time GPS Tracking: Continuous monitoring of routes ensures on-time service and enables proactive response to any deviations.
- Route Optimization: Advanced route planning reduces congestion, lowers risk exposure, and supports more efficient, timely service.
- Telematics Monitoring: Continuous vehicle diagnostics and performance insights provide transparency, enabling predictive maintenance and safer operational practices.
These technologies collectively reinforce accountability, improve performance visibility for district partners, and support data-driven decision-making for operational managers and drivers.
Training & Support
Training and Support are at the heart of SafeOps, ensuring that all personnel—drivers, monitors, service providers, and EverDriven field teams—operate under consistent, high-level safety standards. Programs include:
- Specialized Disability Awareness Training: Drivers and monitors receive instruction on accommodating students with disabilities, ensuring sensitivity, safety, and behavioral support.
- Ongoing Certification Refreshers: Safety certifications are continually updated to comply with evolving federal and state requirements.
- Compliance Education: District and regulatory standards are integrated into training, ensuring every ride meets legal and operational requirements.
- Service Provider Coaching: External partners receive structured guidance to align performance with EverDriven’s safety standards, ensuring consistency across all touchpoints.
These initiatives increase operational efficiency, reduce risk, and reinforce a culture of accountability that benefits students, caregivers, and districts.
SafeOps in Action
“SafeOps isn’t about identifying problems—it’s about protecting excellence as we scale,” said Adam Warner, Vice President of Field Operations and Head of Safety. “By embedding discipline and oversight into every process, region, and ride, we are able to sustain exceptional safety outcomes as our operations expand.”
District partners are already experiencing the benefits of SafeOps. Olivia Shoberg, Transportation Coordinator at Appleton School District, remarked, “Working with EverDriven has been a fantastic experience. Their dedication to student safety is evident in everything they do. The team is flexible and responsive, always taking the time to understand unique needs and find effective solutions.”
Measurable Results and Transparency
EverDriven’s most recent Safety Report highlights the effectiveness of these initiatives:
- 99.63% Trip Completion Rate: Ensures students reach their destinations reliably.
- 99.99% Accident-Free Rate: Reflects the company’s commitment to safety across millions of trips.
- 70.81% Driver Consistency for Students with Disabilities: Guarantees the same trusted adult is behind the wheel, enhancing comfort and security for students with special needs.
These metrics underscore EverDriven’s dedication to measurable, transparent safety performance that districts can trust. SafeOps ensures that these standards are not only maintained but consistently improved upon through structured oversight, continuous feedback loops, and scalable best practices.
Driving the Future of Safe Student Transportation
SafeOps positions EverDriven as a national leader in student transportation safety, demonstrating that operational excellence, technology, and training can work in harmony to provide the safest environment for students. By applying lessons learned across millions of trips and 36 states, EverDriven is establishing a model for the entire industry.
Districts, caregivers, and students benefit from:
- Enhanced Safety Measures: Through technology, training, and operational oversight.
- Reliable Service: Consistent drivers, predictable routes, and structured incident response protocols.
- Transparency and Accountability: Real-time insights, standardized reporting, and clear communication channels.
- Specialized Support: Tailored training and support for students with disabilities, ensuring a safe, comfortable experience.
EverDriven continues to set benchmarks for what safety in student transportation should look like, and SafeOps ensures these standards are scaled effectively and consistently across all regions. This program reflects the company’s mission to not just meet industry standards but to redefine them.
Conclusion
With the launch of SafeOps, EverDriven demonstrates that safety excellence is not static but a continuous, evolving practice. The combination of Operational Excellence, Technology Integration, and Training & Support ensures that every student transported by EverDriven experiences the safest, most reliable, and most accountable ride possible.
“SafeOps is a promise to families and districts alike,” said Mitch Bowling. “It represents our ongoing commitment to protect students, improve operational standards, and lead the student transportation industry with integrity, transparency, and unwavering dedication to safety.”
As EverDriven continues to expand and innovate, SafeOps ensures that safety remains the top priority—setting a new national standard for specialized student transportation and delivering peace of mind to all stakeholders.
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