SafeBAE brings expert youth safety insights to HopSkipDrive’s advisory board, shaping safer rides for students nationwide.

Partnering for Safer Journeys: SafeBAE Joins HopSkipDrive’s Safety Advisory Board

This week, our Executive Director, Shael Norris, traveled to Los Angeles to represent SafeBAE at HopSkipDrive’s Safety Advisory Board meeting. HopSkipDrive is a groundbreaking technology company built specifically to meet the transportation needs of young people — from kids with special needs and IEPs, to students in foster care, to families simply needing safe rides to extracurriculars.

By joining the advisory board, SafeBAE is helping ensure that safety — particularly around peer-to-peer sexual violence and child protection — stays at the center of every ride. It’s a powerful opportunity to help shape systems that protect students far beyond the classroom.

What Is HopSkipDrive — and Why Does It Matter?

HopSkipDrive was created with a clear mission. It was created with a clear mission: to safely connect children and teens to the schools, activities, and services they need, especially when traditional transportation falls short.

Their drivers — many of whom are mothers themselves — undergo extensive background checks, fingerprinting, and training before ever accepting a ride. Beyond everyday trips, HopSkipDrive partners with school districts to provide critical transportation for students with IEPs, those experiencing homelessness, youth in foster care, and others who often face barriers to getting to school.

When students can’t access school safely, they miss out on more than just classes — they lose access to meals, counseling, and even safety nets like Title IX protections. Transportation equity is education equity. And solutions like HopSkipDrive fill a vital gap that too often goes overlooked.

How SafeBAE’s Expertise Strengthens HopSkipDrive’s Mission

As a nationally recognized leader in youth safety and sexual violence prevention, SafeBAE’s Executive Director, Shael Norris, was invited to join HopSkipDrive’s Safety Advisory Board to bring a critical lens to their operations.

Shael’s role focuses on safeguarding against peer-to-peer violence, child abuse, and ensuring that every possible vulnerability a young rider might face is anticipated and addressed. From advising on ride policies to helping build protocols for multi-rider trips, Shael’s expertise ensures that the system isn’t just functional — it’s trauma-informed, survivor-centered, and genuinely protective of young people’s needs.

By collaborating with a diverse group of experts across child welfare, education, and transportation, SafeBAE is helping HopSkipDrive model what real prevention looks like: not just responding after harm occurs, but building safer systems from the ground up.

Building Safer Systems, Together

At SafeBAE, we believe that prevention isn’t just about education — it’s about designing systems that protect young people at every level. By partnering with organizations like HopSkipDrive, we’re making sure that youth safety is built into everyday services that families rely on.

When we invest in safer transportation, more students can access school, resources, and opportunities — and stay connected to the support they need to thrive.

If you believe in building a world where youth safety comes first, here’s how you can get involved:

• Donate to SafeBAE to help us continue providing youth-centered education, resources, and advocacy.
• Learn more about HopSkipDrive and how they’re reshaping student transportation with safety in mind.

Reach out to us at info@safebae.org if you want to partner, bring our work to your community, or get involved in supporting youth prevention initiatives.