In early July, EverDriven traveled to Washington, D.C. with one goal in mind: to amplify the needs of the students and families who depend on equitable, safe, and reliable transportation. Over several days, the team met with nearly 20 congressional offices, including members of key committees and leadership roles, to advocate for stronger federal support of student-focused programs.
Advocating for Critical Funding
The meetings centered on essential education programs like Title I, IDEA, and McKinney-Vento, lifelines for the most vulnerable students in the country. EverDriven’s goal was to highlight how transportation directly influences the success and accessibility of these programs.
Each year, more than 1.3 million students in the U.S. experience homelessness, and many depend on the transportation guarantees outlined in McKinney-Vento to attend school regularly. Similarly, Title I and IDEA support students from low-income families and those with disabilities, groups that often face significant barriers to consistent school attendance.
Serving over 24,000 students during the school year, EverDriven offers a flexible and dependable alternative to traditional transportation. Its innovative, scalable model helps school districts address transportation challenges—especially those faced by underserved populations—reinforcing the idea that student transportation must be part of broader conversations about educational equity and access.
A Coalition Approach: Partnering for Greater Impact
EverDriven didn’t do it alone. As part of a unified industry push, the team joined forces with SchoolHouse Connection and other aligned organizations to present a collaborative front. This coalition effort underscored a shared commitment to ensuring that safe, consistent student transportation is part of every student’s right to education—no matter their zip code or circumstances.
Together, these groups are making it clear to lawmakers: school mobility is essential, and the private sector has viable, proven models to help meet that need.
Strengthening Presence in Washington
The D.C. visit marked a significant step in solidifying EverDriven’s role as a trusted national partner in student transportation. Federal decision-makers are taking note of EverDriven’s impact, innovation, and safety standards. The visit not only advanced current conversations but also opened new doors for future partnerships and federally funded initiatives.
“Our work in D.C. reinforces what we’ve always believed. Safe, equitable transportation is not just a service, it’s a right. We’re proud to be a voice for students and districts who need more visibility in federal policy, and we’re committed to staying at the forefront of the national conversation.” – Bridgette Brinkmann, Chief People Officer at EverDriven
Launching a New Industry Association
A major announcement from the trip: EverDriven is now a founding member of the Alternative Student Transportation Association (ASTA). This newly formed coalition brings together like-minded organizations dedicated to reshaping student transportation for underserved and at-risk populations.
As a leader within ASTA, EverDriven will help shape policy, share industry expertise, and promote best practices across the country.
What’s Ahead: A National Roundtable in September
Looking ahead, EverDriven is preparing to host a Modern Student Transportation Policy Roundtable in Washington, D.C. this fall. The event will bring together policymakers, advocacy partners, and transportation experts to explore the future of student mobility, with a focus on improving access, funding, and innovation.
Moving the Mission Forward
EverDriven’s presence in Washington reflects a broader commitment to not just providing transportation but transforming it. Through policy engagement, strategic partnerships, and ongoing advocacy, EverDriven is helping build a national dialogue around how students get to school, and why that journey matters more than ever.
To learn more about our work or to get involved, visit everdriven.com.
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.
