Wilfred Adu-Beng was already grappling with a mountain of hardships after his father and stepmother died. Getting his younger brother — for whom he was suddenly responsible — to middle school every day proved to be one of the biggest hurdles of all.
In essence, it was impossible. Adu-Beng, a psychiatric tech at a hospital near San Bernardino, often worked swing or early morning shifts.
He lived too far from the school for his brother to take the bus. Adu-Beng feared he’d have to quit his job in order to get his brother to school.
“I didn’t know what I was going to do. Then the school said we could use (a ride-sharing service). It’s almost been too good to be true,” Adu-Beng said. “Now I can focus on work, and my brother can get to school on time. It’s been a lifesaver.”
Hundreds of school districts and child welfare agencies in California contract with private ride-sharing companies to transport foster, homeless and some special education students — the only students districts are legally required to provide transportation for — to and from school. Districts say it’s cheaper and easier than providing bus service, considering the difficulty districts have had hiring bus drivers and the expense of maintaining buses.
The trend has been a boon for ride-sharing companies like HopSkipDrive,…
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