The demand for supplemental school transportation for students with special needs or unique challenges continues to rise across the country. Delaware is no different. Andrew McMullen, Supervisor of Transportation for New Castle County Vo-Tech School District, has had a challenging time finding reliable partners to support students who couldn’t take the school bus.
“Delaware is in desperate need of specialized transportation. Of course, there are a lot of contractors who show up at my door. They want the work, but I’m finding that there are very few that can deliver.” Without a reliable partner, McMullen spent time coordinating unreliable rides and fielding calls from frustrated parents, all the while managing 100 or more buses a day.
When EverDriven expanded to Delaware, it offered McMullen the opportunity to collaborate with a safe, reliable partner. Here’s how we’re working together to transform school transportation:
Giving EverDriven a Chance
During early conversations, McMullen immediately appreciated the level of detail and seriousness our team brought to the district. “They’re professional. It’s clear after seeing the app, the website, the drivers,” he says. But the real test was whether or not we could fulfill our promise, ensuring every student in our care made it to school safely and on time. “The biggest challenge being in the transportation business is always about trying to find reliable drivers. Normally, I’d be on the phone calling six or seven different contractors trying to find somebody new.”
Because we leverage both a national network and relationships with local service providers, we have access to educated, professional drivers who show up on time in safe, vetted vehicles. We also maintain a 10% driver surplus to scale to any demand, which makes us an ideal partner for transportation leaders like McMullen, who face unexpected challenges every day.
Our team worked closely with McMullen to understand the nuances of his district and set up rides that matched the needs of students. “I like that you have a portal where you can enter the student information,” he says, referring to TripCentral. “I’m not sending an email and missing data points. You go right to the website. You fill in that information.” From there, we confirm transportation schedules and safety equipment before enabling parents to track their child’s transportation through the EverDriven VIP app.
McMullen gave us one of their most complex transportation challenges, a special needs student, with the hopes of gauging the team’s reliability before expanding the partnership moving forward.
“It’s nice to know I don’t have to worry about specialized student transportation. I know now I can keep you guys in my back pocket. You’re always there. As we give you more and more students, the more and more trust you gain. You will be gaining more and more of my work.”
– Andrew McMullen, Supervisor of Transportation for New Castle County Vo-Tech School District
Fulfilling Its Promise to Districts, Students, and Families
Both in the case of this student and at large, we are fulfilling our promise. A vetted driver began showing up on time in a safe vehicle that fit McMullen’s request, and the student now benefits from a comfortable, convenient ride to and from school. With EverDriven, the majority of students take their ride with the same driver every day, creating continuity and ensuring reliability—not just once, but every day.
McMullen summarizes: “I’m extremely satisfied with EverDriven. I plan on utilizing you more and more. It all comes down to the service you provide. I don’t have to worry whether the vehicle is going to show up or not. You guys keep gaining traction with me.” He isn’t the only one who is satisfied with the experience. This particular student and family appreciate the ease our team brings to the school day.
McMullen said three characteristics make our approach work for his team, his district, students, and families:
Leading With Safety
EverDriven’s 360-degree approach to safety, which includes a Premium Driver Screening, a six-module education program, and a 50-point safety inspection on vehicles stood out to McMullen.
Beyond our stringent requirements, the comprehensive Camera Solution, which captures internal and external views of the vehicle with audio and high-resolution video, adds an extra layer of accountability. “I’ve never had to use the camera for anything, but it’s always there. It gives us a little bit of comfort as well,” McMullen says. “If something does happen, there’s a camera on board that explains everything, so nothing is left to interpretation.” Cameras give districts a proactive approach to risk management, offering the promise of transparency to families.
We continue to invest in industry-leading technology, raising the status quo by building the industry’s most flexible, data-driven platform to enable safety, communication, and visibility. School districts benefit from these latest breakthroughs when they partner with us.
Direct Communication and Transparency
Our emphasis on transparency also extends to daily communication. The EverDriven VIP app takes the guesswork out of student transportation, allowing parents to cancel trips and view driver information. This saves McMullen time and hassle coordinating day to day. With the app, families benefit from real-time visibility into the location of their student, which ensures peace of mind.
“This parent. She utilizes the app,” McMullen says, referring to the family of the student with special needs. “She loves it. She just sings your praises because she knows where the vehicle is. She can see where her student is. She knows when her student gets home. It’s perfect for her — especially the reliability of it.”
Not only do parents love the transparency of EverDriven’s tech, but administrators and transportation leaders love the insights they gain too. Through TripCentral, McMullen can track data on students and share it with their families. “You can access all past trips to know exactly what happened. In fact, a parent asked me the other day, ‘Oh, can you show me how many times my student was a no-show or absent?’ I was able to pull that directly from the website and send her those dates.”
Hands-On Support From Local Teams
At EverDriven, a technology-first approach goes hand in hand with personal support from our local operations teams who know local routes, schools, and drivers. Administrators, staff, and families can always reach a real person who can help them from day one. Our local operations teams confirm drivers and vehicles, assign trips with care, and troubleshoot issues in the moment.
“There are always snow days and changes in schedules. Whatever it may be, when you need to talk to a person, there’s always a person available,” says McMullen. EverDriven’s teams pride themselves on solving challenges as they arise, ensuring every student gets to school on time, ready to learn.
“There’s a good integration and balance between technology and support. Your local team is saying, ‘Okay, we got the route set up. Here’s what it looks like. Here’s the timeline.’ If there are issues, you have a direct person that you can reach back out to, which was very helpful, especially in the beginning.”
– Andrew McMullen, Supervisor of Transportation for New Castle County Vo-Tech School District
EverDriven Is for Every Student
For McMullen, the entirety of the EverDriven experience is greater than the sum of its parts. That’s why he plans to keep building the partnership with EverDriven, ensuring every student has an efficient, safe, reliable way to get to school.
To learn more about EverDriven, please reach out to us today.
Stephanie Sanders is a seasoned sales leader with more than 15 years of experience building teams, opening markets, and driving growth across SaaS and technology companies. As Regional Sales Director for the East Coast at EverDriven, she brings that track record to a mission that matters, ensuring every student has safe, reliable access to school.
Stephanie built her foundation in sales development and business development, mastering the prospecting and pipeline discipline that would anchor her leadership style for years to come. She went on to hold sales management and director roles across a range of high-growth technology companies, spanning video technology, talent management, supply chain risk, workplace software, home health, and contract management, developing broad expertise across vertical SaaS markets and both the Boston and New York corridors. Most recently, she led the full commercial operation across North America for a contract management platform, overseeing new business development, retention, and growth for three years.
Across every chapter of her career, Stephanie has demonstrated an ability to build from the ground up, scale what’s working, and lead teams through the complexity that comes with growth. She brings that same energy and discipline to EverDriven, partnering with school districts on the East Coast to deliver transportation solutions that put students first.
