California’s Senate Bill 88 (SB 88) has ushered in a new era of accountability, transparency, and oversight in student transportation—especially for students with disabilities, experiencing homelessness, or in foster care. As districts work to comply with this important legislation, many are realizing that Alternative Student Transportation isn’t just a convenient solution; it’s a powerful tool that directly supports SB 88’s core goals.
At its heart, SB 88 asks districts to balance two essential priorities: providing flexible, equitable access to transportation while maintaining rigorous accountability and oversight. Alternative student transportation—delivered through vetted, compliant providers—helps districts achieve both.
SB 88’s Focus: Safer, More Transparent Transportation Services
Signed into law in 2023, SB 88 requires California school districts and county offices of education to:
- Adopt annual transportation plans for students experiencing homelessness, in foster care, or whose IEPs require transportation
- Post transportation plans publicly for transparency
- Verify that non-public (contracted) transportation providers meet strict safety, driver clearance, training, and insurance requirements
- Demonstrate oversight of contracted providers to ensure ongoing compliance
The goal? To ensure that every student—especially the most vulnerable—has access to safe, reliable transportation, while holding districts accountable for the providers they choose.
Where Alternative Transportation Fits In
For students who live outside standard bus routes, require specialized accommodations, or need flexible pick-up and drop-off locations, the traditional yellow bus isn’t always the most efficient solution. Alternative transportation bridges these gaps by offering:
- Small-capacity vehicles (vans, sedans, SUVs) tailored to individual or small-group transport needs
- Flexible routing to accommodate temporary housing, foster care placement changes, or specialized programs
- Additional safety measures such as driver background checks, specialized training, and in-ride monitoring
By leveraging alternative transportation, districts can meet the unique needs of students who fall outside standard transportation routes—while ensuring full compliance with SB 88’s safety and accountability standards.
Why Flexibility and Accountability Go Hand in Hand
SB 88 doesn’t just focus on how students get to school—it focuses on how well districts oversee the safety and quality of those services. Alternative transportation providers like EverDriven offer the flexibility districts need without compromising accountability.
Here’s how:
Verified Safety Compliance: EverDriven meets SB 88 requirements by thoroughly vetting drivers, conducting background checks, and providing appropriate public education—removing guesswork for districts.
Adaptable Service Models: Whether students need door-to-door transportation, varying pick-up points, or specialized vehicle equipment, alternative transportation can flex to meet those needs—without falling outside compliance boundaries.
Oversight-Ready Partnerships: Working with a trusted, experienced provider means districts have built-in accountability systems that align with SB 88’s expectations for monitoring and oversight.
A Proven Approach to SB 88 Compliance
Districts don’t need to choose between flexibility and accountability. With the right alternative transportation partner, they can have both—providing equitable, safe access to education while meeting SB 88’s compliance demands.
As Carlos Chicas, Executive Director of Maintenance, Operations, and Transportation at Capistrano Unified School District, puts it:
“EverDriven took the guesswork out of SB 88 compliance. Their expert team ensures drivers, vehicles, and reporting are fully aligned with the new regulations. Honestly, their practices have long been the safest in the business. Long before any legislative requirements, EverDriven has had a longstanding reputation of providing safe, student-centered alternative transportation. Their proactive approach gave us confidence that we were fully compliant—long before the deadline.”
Moving Forward with Confidence
SB 88 represents an important step toward greater transparency, safety, and accountability in student transportation. By embracing alternative transportation as a complement to traditional bus services, districts can expand access and strengthen oversight—delivering on both the letter and the spirit of the law.
At EverDriven, we’re proud to partner with California districts to deliver compliant, flexible, and transparent transportation solutions that align with SB 88.
Morgan Judge is an attorney and regulatory strategist with a rare combination of legislative, legal, and private sector expertise. As Senior Director of Compliance, Regulation, and Policy at EverDriven, she leads government relations and regulatory strategy for a company operating at the intersection of technology, education, and a rapidly evolving policy landscape , overseeing multi-state legislative and compliance initiatives, managing contract lobbyists, and working across teams to advance policies that align with EverDriven’s mission and growth.
Morgan’s foundation in law and policy runs deep. She earned her law degree from Loyola University New Orleans School of Law and gained early experience through legal clerkships researching civil law, criminal procedure, and local government policy. She then spent six and a half years as a nonpartisan staff member in a state legislature, working her way from enrolling clerk to senior projects and calendar manager. In those roles she developed deep fluency in legislative process, parliamentary procedure, and the mechanics of how policy actually gets made, experience that now gives her a distinctive edge navigating state-level regulatory environments on EverDriven’s behalf.
Morgan joined EverDriven in 2021 and has grown steadily within the organization, moving from Regulatory Compliance Manager to Director to her current Senior Director role. She is a visible voice in the student transportation policy community, regularly engaging at national industry conferences and advocating for regulatory frameworks that reflect the realities of modern, technology-enabled student transportation.
