Every student deserves a fair shot at learning—and that opportunity starts with something as a simple ride to school.

For students facing challenges like housing instability, disabilities, foster care, or long commutes, safe and reliable transportation is their connection to the classroom, their teachers, and the resources they need to succeed.

Transportation supports academic success, consistent attendance, and a sense of belonging. Despite its importance, it is often overlooked in attendance conversations.

It’s time to change that and put transportation equity where it belongs: at the heart of educational access.

Who Benefits Most from Transportation?

Transportation barriers affect students differently. These groups often experience the greatest challenges:

• McKinney-Vento Students Facing Housing Instability

  During the 2022-23 school year, more than 1.3 million students experienced homelessness, which was a 14% increase from the year prior. Many live in shelters, motels, cars, or move frequently between homes. Reliable transportation empowers McKinney-Vento students to:

  • Stay enrolled in their school of origin, preserving academic and social connections
  • Maintain attendance, which strengthens academic outcomes
  • Access the safety, stability, and opportunity that education provides

• Students With Disabilities or Medical Needs

  More than 7.5 million students receive special education services under IDEA. For many, transportation is a required support. The right solutions allow them to:

  • Receive therapies and IEP services without disruption
  • Avoid developmental setbacks caused by missed instruction
  • Travel in vehicles that support their safety and medical needs

• Students in Foster Care or Residential Placements

  Foster youth often face educational instability due to frequent placement changes and inconsistent transportation. According to the National Foster Youth Institute:

  • Foster youth drop out at triple the rate of other low-income students
  • Only half graduate high school
  • Fewer than 5% complete a four-year degree

  Reliable transportation helps by:

  • Maintaining school continuity, even when placements change
  • Supporting consistent relationships with peers and teachers
  • Providing dependable access to education that drives achievement

• Students in Rural or Underfunded Areas

  Nearly 10 million K–12 students attend public schools in rural areas. While this number grows, transportation solutions often lag behind. Consistent transportation brings these students:

  • Shorter and safer commutes that save time and reduce fatigue
  • Opportunities to participate in extracurriculars, tutoring, and enrichment programs
  • Safe travel despite challenging weather or road conditions

These barriers contribute to chronic absenteeism and reduce access to essential services and opportunities.

How Transportation Gaps Reinforce Absenteeism

When a child misses the bus, they miss instruction, peer interaction, therapy sessions, and sometimes their only reliable meals of the day.

Transportation challenges can lead to:

• Learning loss from chronic absenteeism or repeated tardiness
• Behavioral challenges caused by stress, anxiety, or fatigue
• Disengagement from school due to repeated barriers
• Missed opportunities for enrichment programs and specialized instruction

These ripple effects can follow a student for years. In many cases, they start with something as simple as not having a ride.

What Equal Transportation Access Looks Like in Practice

An equitable transportation system recognizes that students have different needs. Equal access means more than moving students from point A to point B. It ensures that every child, regardless of background or situation, has a safe, stable, and reliable ride to school. That looks like:

Consistency

For students experiencing housing instability or foster placement, reliability is everything. A consistent ride helps reduce absenteeism, builds trust, and supports academic progress.

Safety

Properly vetted drivers, appropriate equipment such as car seats and lifts, and GPS tracking protect students and provide peace of mind.

Flexibility

Life changes quickly for students in complex situations. Whether it’s a new shelter placement or medical appointment, transportation must be able to adjust without delay.

Collaboration

Transportation equity relies on coordination between departments—Special Education, McKinney-Vento liaisons, and student services. When these groups work together, students get timely and effective support.

What District Leaders Can Do Today

Equity starts with identifying who’s being left behind and taking steps to bring them in. Here’s how to start building a more inclusive transportation system:

1. Audit Who’s Being Missed
   Review absenteeism data, unserved McKinney-Vento students, and missed IEP services to identify gaps.
2. Advocate for Specialized Solutions
   Some students need solutions that go beyond the yellow school bus. Flexible options, including specialized providers, ensure every student is served.
3. Partner with Experienced, Equity-Focused Providers
   Work with providers who prioritize safety, reliability, and student needs.

A Ride to School Is the First Step Toward Belonging

A child’s sense of belonging starts long before they enter the classroom—it begins with how they get there.

When schools provide consistent, safe, and responsive systems, attendance improves, academic outcomes rise, and connections between students and classrooms strengthen.

Transportation equity may not always make headlines, but for many students, it determines whether they show up at all.

Courtney Pallotta

Courtney Pallotta is an energetic, customer-driven marketing executive with more than 20 years of experience leading go-to-market strategy, branding, product marketing, demand generation, and customer advocacy for startup and growth-stage companies. As CMO at EverDriven, she leads the GTM team in delivering modern, student-centered transportation solutions that meet every student’s unique needs.

Courtney has built and scaled marketing functions across some of the most dynamic enterprise technology categories, from data warehousing and analytics to cloud infrastructure, data privacy, and SaaS. She has taken companies from stealth through IPO, led acquisitions, launched open-source platforms, and consistently built marketing engines that drive pipeline and market position. Along the way, she has developed a deep belief that the best marketing is both simple and authentic, and that listening to customers is the foundation for great products and lasting communities.

Outside of EverDriven, Courtney serves as a Board Member at the Gilliam Center for Entrepreneurship, where she mentors the next generation of business leaders.