Poll: School Drop-Offs Strain Mothers’ Jobs and Personal Time

CHICAGO — Many parents, and mothers in particular, are being pushed to choose between employment and ensuring their children get to school on time, a new poll found, exacerbating financial and emotional strain for families.

The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, in partnership with HopSkipDrive, surveyed parents and found that most drive their children to school and that those responsibilities have real consequences: about one-third of parents said taking their kids to school had caused them to miss work. The poll highlights how gaps in school transportation can ripple into the labor market and household stability.

For Elizabeth Rivera of the Houston area, the impact was immediate and severe. Rivera, a 42-year-old who worked overnight shifts at an Amazon warehouse, said bus no-shows during early morning hours led her to leave work multiple times to drive her three children to school. She lost her job after leaving work early and said the loss has left her “kind of depressed” because of mounting bills and the difficulty of finding new employment.

HopSkipDrive, a company that uses artificial intelligence and a network of driver-partners to help school districts fill transportation gaps, contributed to the poll and has been part of many districts’ efforts to address driver shortages and route challenges. The survey reflects growing pressure on families as schools, districts and transportation systems face staffing shortages and logistical hurdles that have persisted since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The poll’s findings mirror reports from parents and school administrators who say traditional school-bus systems have struggled with recruitment and retention of drivers, route cancellations, and delayed or unreliable service. As a result, families are turning more frequently to personal vehicles, informal carpools and private services to make sure children arrive at school.

Experts and school officials say these shifts have uneven effects. Working parents who lack flexible schedules, paid leave or alternative childcare options are more likely to face lost wages, job instability or reduced hours when transportation fails. Mothers, who often shoulder a disproportionate share of family caregiving duties, report higher impacts on their careers and personal time.

Districts and municipalities have sought a range of responses, including offering higher pay and bonuses for school bus drivers, contracting with private transportation providers, adjusting school start times, and expanding remote learning options in extreme cases. Private companies such as HopSkipDrive argue that technology-enabled ride matching and vetted drivers can fill short-term gaps and provide families with dependable options.

Policy analysts note that while private services can alleviate immediate needs for some families, they may be cost-prohibitive for lower-income households and do not address systemic shortages in public-sector school transportation. Advocates for working families say broader policy changes — such as universal childcare, employer-provided flexibility, expanded public transit for students, and investments in school transportation infrastructure — could reduce the trade-offs parents now confront.

Parents like Rivera illustrate the stakes. After losing her job, Rivera said she must balance job hunting with ensuring her children attend school, a dilemma that carries emotional and financial costs. Poll authors say the results underscore a need for more reliable school transportation options and supportive workplace policies to prevent caregiving responsibilities from forcing parents out of the labor market.

The AP-NORC survey and HopSkipDrive’s involvement provide data and industry perspective on a persistent problem affecting families across urban and suburban communities. As districts plan for future school years, the poll suggests transportation reliability will remain a critical factor shaping parents’ ability to work, care for their children and maintain household stability.