Challenge: Delivering Safe, Compliant Transportation in a Diverse Urban District with Complex Needs
Stockton Unified School District (SUSD) is one of the 30 largest districts in California, serving nearly 40,000 students across a wide geographic area that includes dense urban neighborhoods, unincorporated county pockets, and semi-rural communities.
The district is exceptionally diverse, with a student population that is majority Hispanic/Latino and includes one of the largest Cambodian and Hmong communities in the country. Stockton also serves a higher-than-average number of McKinney-Vento and foster youth; typically 60–80 students at any given time, though the number fluctuates throughout the year due to economic instability and frequent moves.
This complexity creates unique demands on the district’s transportation team, especially for vulnerable students who require safe, vetted, and reliable rides across district boundaries to get to school.
When Kathryn Baggese joined Stockton as director of transportation in August 2023, she found the district relying on small, local transportation vendors to get MKV and foster youth to school.
“They were not vetted the way I felt they needed to be vetted,” explained Baggese. “They weren’t nationally recognized, and the safety standards were not on the forefront.”
In a district with high economic need, significant foster and homeless student populations, multilingual communities, and frequent inter-district placements, transportation gaps had real consequences for student access to education.
Baggese immediately recognized the need for a reliable, scalable, safety-centered national partner for alternative student transportation.
Solution: EverDriven Becomes the First-Choice Provider for Vulnerable Students
Within her first six months at SUSD, Baggese led the district in releasing a request for proposal (RFP) from alternative student transportation providers including EverDriven, who she had worked with in a previous district. From that RFP, Stockton ended up with a pool of three providers.
EverDriven ranked at the top of the list based on four critical criteria:
- Safety and driver vetting: Given Stockton’s elevated MKV and foster youth numbers, safety and compliance requirements are non-negotiable. “I appreciate partners who put student safety at the forefront,” said Baggese. “EverDriven has always done that.”
- Capacity to scale during spikes in student mobility: Stockton predicts increases in MKV needs during the holiday season and mid-year. EverDriven’s ability to scale quickly is essential in a district where student placements can change overnight.
- Reliable communication and customer service: From route adjustments to urgent ride requests, EverDriven’s team provides fast turnaround. “I’m super impressed with EverDriven’s customer service and rapid response,” Baggese said. “Our EverDriven team has been top notch.”
- Flexibility for inter-district routing: Because Stockton spans a large region and frequently transports students placed in neighboring districts, the ability to accommodate cross-district arrangements is critical. This flexibility has allowed the district to allocate inter-district routes to EverDriven – such as from Stockton to Lodi, Galt, or Tracy – while having their internal vans handle trips within Stockton.
“EverDriven was first on our RFP, so we always go to them first,” Baggese said. “And they’ve never told us no.”
Route planner Lynn Greene manages day-to-day coordination and reports consistently smooth operations with EverDriven.
Since initially engaging with EverDriven, Stockton has acquired 10 vans and hired drivers through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) funds. However, EverDriven remains an essential partner, particularly for:
- Long-distance or cross-district trips
- Rapidly changing MKV placements
- Overflow needs during seasonal spikes
Impact: Reliable, Long-term Support for a Complex Community
In a district as large and diverse as Stockton Unified, consistent transportation is foundational to support educational equity. By ensuring that MKV and foster youth receive reliable daily transportation, EverDriven supports Stockton’s efforts to mitigate the learning disruptions linked to:
- Housing instability
- Frequent moves
- Cross-district placements
- Language barriers
- Socioeconomic hardship
For SUSD, success isn’t measured by a single metric; rather, it’s measured by consistency, compliance, and ensuring that every eligible student receives transportation without disruption.
“As long as we’re not experiencing a lack of service, that’s good,” summarized Transportation Manager Rudy Valderrama. “We haven’t had students go without the transportation they’re legally entitled to. That’s why our interaction with EverDriven has been so positive.”
Looking Ahead
Stockton is on a path to build a modern, hybrid transportation model — one that blends district-owned resources with EverDriven’s national scale and specialized expertise.
“I believe in growing our internal workforce,” Baggese said. “But I also recognize the need for supplemental services. EverDriven helps us serve students in the best way possible. I’m super happy with the service and will continue to advocate for EverDriven to other people.”
As Stockton continues serving one of California’s most diverse and high-need student populations, EverDriven remains a committed partner, supporting Stockton Unified’s highest-need students with flexible, vetted, and dependable transportation.
