Everdriven SafeRide

SafeRide Guidelines

At EverDriven, safety is everything.

Our EverDriven Safety Commitment is the gold standard to help transport students to and from school as efficiently as possible. We make sure that all SafeRide certified drivers and monitors are thoroughly trained to cater to their specific needs.

EverDriven has certain thresholds for drivers and monitors to become SafeRide Certified. Prior to providing services, all vehicle operators must be 21 years old, have two years of licensed driving experience, have a valid driver’s license for the type of vehicle being driven, successfully pass a motor vehicle record check screening, and submit proof of automobile liability insurance for their designated vehicle. Both drivers and monitors

must successfully complete all required pre-service training, have submitted to the required background and/or fingerprinting checks, demonstrate physical and mental capabilities required to carry out all assigned responsibilities, and be enrolled in a drug and alcohol testing consortium that provides for pre-employment testing as well as random, reasonable suspicion, and post-accident drug and alcohol testing.

Drivers and monitors will be courteous, patient, presentable, and helpful to all passengers. Both drivers and monitors will have an ID badge per EverDriven client contractual requirements, so they are easily identifiable to school district staff. All trips EverDriven services will adhere to federal, state, local, and district transportation requirements to ensure students have the best transportation experience. Below are EverDriven’s SafeRide guidelines

Before the Trip

Application Usage

A safe ride with EverDriven starts 55 minutes before the trip, when the driver signs into the application to view their route. The driver may review the trip details in the app to prepare for the upcoming trip. Specific student transportation requirements that come as part of the trip notes on the application will remain confidential.

Throughout each stage of the trip, there will be a coordinated check in the application that the driver will click through.

During the trip, if the driver needs to report any delays such as traffic or weather, EverDriven Dispatch can be contacted through the driver application.

Pre-Trip Vehicle Check

The vehicle servicing the trip must be connected to the driver within EverDriven’s compliance system.

The driver will check the exterior of the vehicle ensuring tires, brakes, lights, child and window locks, steering, gas levels, and safety securements are all properly in place prior to servicing a trip. The driver will check the interior of the vehicle to ensure that loose items will not be within a passenger’s reach and all emergency equipment that is required is in the vehicle to ensure that the trip will go smoothly.

EverDriven provides a windshield decal to go on vehicles servicing EverDriven trips to make them more readily identifiable to parents, guardians, and school district professionals. If required by a school district client, placards may be necessary to service EverDriven trips as well.

All EverDriven trips are smoke free of any kind. Cars should be clean and free of odor.

Firearms, alcoholic beverages, unauthorized controlled substances, or highly combustible materials may not be transported in the vehicle while servicing EverDriven trips.

Proper Securement

A safe ride with EverDriven starts with all persons being secure with a seatbelt, car seat, booster seat, wheelchair 4-point restraint, or safety restraints. Drivers will not put the vehicle in motion until everyone is properly and safely secured. If a car seat, booster seat, or safety vest is required, the driver must wait until the student is properly and safely secured before the vehicle is in operation. In addition, the driver must ensure car seats/booster seats are properly secured in place prior to operation. Drivers operating wheelchair vehicles must have demonstrated their proficiency in securing a wheelchair prior to providing services.

The driver will ensure that childproof locks and windows are in proper working condition, and they are used whenever a child is transported.

Impaired Driving

Drivers or monitors may not service an EverDriven trip when their ability to service a trip is impaired, whether through fatigue, illness, or any other impairment that would cause safety concerns for the passengers, driver, and monitor.

During The Trip

Authorized Passengers and Authorized Stops

Only the assigned driver and applicable monitor will be in the vehicle while servicing the route.

Drivers and monitors will not leave passengers unattended unless a waiver to do so has been approved by the school district. If the driver leaves the passenger unattended, the driver may set the parking brake, and leave the vehicle in a safe condition.

Drivers or monitors will not solicit or accept money from passengers, passenger guardians, or EverDriven clients. Drivers or monitors will not make explicit comments to passengers, parents, guardians, or school district officials while servicing EverDriven trips.

Loading / Unloading and Pickup / Drop Off

Drivers will park where a student does not have to cross the street to get to the vehicle or their destination. In addition, a parent/guardian/district staff member must be at the curb to receive the student(s) at the pick-up and drop-off locations. Drivers should not leave their vehicles during pick up or drop off. Drivers will wait at the curb, in their vehicles, until an authorized adult is present to place the student(s) within or remove the student(s) from the vehicle.

When loading/unloading students from the vehicle, it is EverDriven’s policy that drivers do not touch the student(s). Parents/guardians or district staff will place the student(s) in the vehicle, including in their safety, car, and/or booster seats as needed, and make sure they are properly secured.

This ensures the safety of all students by:

  • Allowing no student(s) to be left unattended in the vehicle at any time.
  • Helping to control the spread of potentially contagious diseases.
  • Confirming students are not left alone when dropped-off.
  • Supporting proper securement within the vehicle

Cell Phones

Cell phones shall not be in use while the vehicle is in motion unless a related call is required during transport in which case a handsfree device will be used. Drivers will adhere to cell phone and handsfree device laws per state. Drivers will use the EverDriven driver application to facilitate the trip, however all steps are to be completed while the vehicle is safely parked.

Drivers and monitors will not share personal contact information with parents, guardians, or district staff. Drivers and monitors will not play music or the news unless requested and pre-approved by parents, guardians, or district staff.

Adverse Weather

Adverse weather conditions may include rain, fog/smoke, fire, windstorm, earthquake, snow, and/or ice. Drivers should take additional safety precautions in any adverse weather conditions. Some of these precautions include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Driver leaves earlier in preparation for trip.
  • Driver ensures the vehicle, and all necessary equipment is safe to use under current weather conditions
  • Driver reduces speed or pulls vehicle over to a safe area on the shoulder of the road, if necessary

Post-Trip

Post-Trip Vehicle Check

The driver will check interior/exterior, tires, brakes, lights, steering, gas levels, security, and any emergency equipment that is required to be in the vehicle to ensure that the trip went smoothly.

If the driver notices any personal property belonging to a passenger in the vehicle, the driver will contact EverDriven dispatch to inform them of the property left behind and use its best efforts to safeguard the property until it can be returned to Passenger.

EverDriven Emergency Protocol & Reporting

Accident, incident, or unusual occurrence to report?

If involved in an accident while servicing an EverDriven trip:

  1. Pull over to the nearest safe area out of traffic.
  2. Check all passengers for any injuries. If there are injuries to any passengers or damage to the vehicle, immediately call 911 prior to calling EverDriven.
  3. Report the accident immediately to EverDriven Dispatch through the application.
  4. Do not allow any passengers to be picked up prior to speaking with EverDriven Dispatch. EverDriven will find a rescue driver to pick up the passenger(s) and will alert your Service Provider and the passenger guardians about the accident.
  5. If the accident involves a collision with another vehicle:
    • Exchange contract & insurance information with the driver of the other vehicle(s)
    • Take down the other vehicle’s make/model/license plate.
    • Take down the location of the collision, how the collision occurred, and take photos of the vehicles involved.
  6. Once the accident has been logged with EverDriven and your formal statement has been submitted, you will be informed of the next steps.
    If an unplanned or undesired incident/ occurrence happens while servicing an EverDriven trip:
  7. Report the incident immediately to EverDriven Dispatch at (877) 225-7750 as soon as the trip is complete.
  8. Once the incident has been logged with EverDriven and your formal statement has been submitted, you will be informed of the next steps.

*If the behavior of the passenger or any other condition impedes the safe operation of the vehicle, the driver will park the vehicle in a safe location out of traffic, notify the EverDriven, and follow incident/accident/unusual occurrence protocol.

EverDriven Field Operations will review the incident, accident, and/or unusual occurrence report and follow protocol which may include removing the driver from the trip for the next 24-48 hours. EverDriven will conduct an internal investigation, and expect a written statement regarding any incident, accident, or unusual occurrence within twenty-four (24) hours, or within one (1) hour if requested by EverDriven.

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Doctor Bird Transportation, is a professional Service Provider for Alternative Student Transportation, serving school district’s particular needs for McKinney-Vento, special needs, ESSA, hard-to-serve trips, and out-of-district students.
Our service execution is defined by our sensitivity to the needs of our student passengers and an acute attention to detail in the application of safety procedures. Vehicles are assigned according to the specific service level needs of the student passenger.
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