EverDriven is the pioneer of supplemental and alternative student transportation. What was first established in the early 2000s in Orange County, California, has grown to gain the trust of over 400 school districts in 20 states. Our experience and dedication are unmatched in the industry and the only way to truly demonstrate that is through our stories. There isn’t a single aspect of EverDriven that makes us unique, but the collective of all of our experiences and challenges define the entire company as a whole.

John’s Story

In 2012 John Hayes found himself with a decision to make. He could continue to do what he loved, or he could help others find the same passion he had. 

John had established a reputation for himself of going above and beyond when it came to transporting individuals who were physically challenged. “I was often amazed and humbled by the accomplishments of my clients who, despite their physical challenges, had become ambassadors, inventors, educators, and business leaders in various industries. They didn’t let their physical challenges define them and it was truly inspiring to me.”

Luckily for EverDriven, John made the decision to join our Field Operations team and bring that same compassion and dedication with him. He was relocated from Orange County, California to the San Francisco area and was tasked with managing both paratransit and school accounts around the Bay. He immediately began studying what was right and what was wrong with the system.

After meeting with every paratransit passenger and client who had filed a complaint in the area, John set out to make sure the system was improved, and fast. “I determined that the key to success,” he said,” was finding and working with service providers and drivers who possessed what I called ‘The Caring Gene.’ People who placed the care of clients and passengers above money. Then I worked closely with the agencies and school districts to implement changes.”

The results were instant. Complaints dropped significantly over the following three months, and on-time performance skyrocketed to levels never seen in that area. At one point, John was asked to attend a gathering of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) paratransit board. The board was impressed with the dramatic improvement in service and asked John, on the spot, to speak to the entire group. He shared his passion with them – going the extra mile to make sure that every passenger knew they were cared about for more than the trip fare. They needed to find within themselves that same Caring Gene.

It wasn’t long after that gathering that John found himself being recruited by some of the agencies within the Bay Area. They called him “The Caring Gene Guy” and wanted him to teach them how to achieve the levels of success that he had helped EverDriven find. 

“I’m not in it for the money,” continues John. “I’m in it because I care about the people we transport. Now I work with hundreds of school districts in the eastern half of the country and I love it.” The Caring Gene is how John works with our clients and how he treats his own team internally. It has a trickle-down effect that reaches the drivers and students we work with every day.