In Chicago, a parent-led initiative known as Piggyback Network is offering a creative solution to student transportation challenges. The service, founded by Ismael El-Amin in 2023, allows families to arrange shared rides for children attending the same school. This idea arose after El-Amin noticed his daughter greeting a schoolmate on a crowded highway. The need for such services comes as traditional school bus usage has declined in the U.S. According to a survey by the Federal Highway Administration, only 28% of students used school buses in 2023, a decrease from 36% in 2017. This decline is attributed to issues such as driver shortages and logistical challenges in providing transport to students at distant schools. In Chicago, only 17,000 of the city’s 325,000 students qualify for bus services, leading many families to seek affordable alternatives.

Piggyback Network allows parents to book rides for approximately 80 cents per mile. The platform offers benefits such as real-time tracking and secure password verification to ensure safety. As the service expands to other states, it faces competition from companies like HopSkipDrive and Kango. These services also focus on providing reliable student transport while ensuring safety through rigorous driver background checks. Despite the promising solutions, challenges such as scalability and public trust still remain, which may impact the future of these services. Nevertheless, these innovations are crucial for making transportation more accessible to students, ensuring equitable access to education.