The Hawai‘i State Department of Education (HIDOE) is partnering with GoKid, the leading school carpooling company, to launch a carpooling option to help families get students to and from school while easing the impact of bus driver shortages and reducing traffic around campuses. Beginning this summer, families at 14 schools will gain access to GoKid’s carpooling platform as part of a pilot program for the 2025–26 school year.
Between July 27 and 30, families with children attending schools in O‘ahu’s Mililani Complex and Maui’s Kekaulike Complex received an invitation to join GoKid’s secure, school-specific platform. The system enables families to connect with other school families who live nearby and coordinate carpools through GoKid’s web and mobile apps.
This initiative provides families with a practical, community-based solution to reduce their daily transportation burden while helping address limited bus routes. Already operating in 10 states and Canada, GoKid’s expansion to Hawai‘i offers a unique opportunity to assess the impact of a carpooling platform implemented across school complexes (a high school and its feeder elementary and middle schools). Traditional school bus services will continue to operate as normal, with GoKid offered as a supplement to existing transportation options.
“With attendance being a top priority for our schools, this pilot gives families a simple, flexible way to work together on getting students to school,” Superintendent Keith Hayashi said. “By partnering with GoKid, we’re supporting families without access to bus service and helping ease traffic and congestion around our campuses.”
The program recognizes that parents often make multiple daily trips to accommodate drop-offs, pick-ups, and after-school activities. GoKid makes it easier for families to share that responsibility, saving time and strengthening neighborhood connections. By tracking CO₂ reductions and miles saved, the initiative also supports Hawai‘i’s statewide sustainability goals.
Key Features and Benefits:
- Supports Areas with Limited Bus Routes: Offers families a reliable alternative when school bus service is unavailable.
- Reduces Parent Driving Time: Helps families share the daily transportation load, cutting down on hours spent commuting and lowering fuel costs.
- Easy to Use: Families in the Mililani and Kekaulike Complex Areas will receive an invitation email from GoKid the week of July 28 with step-by-step instructions to opt in, find nearby families, and organize carpools.
- Free Premium Access: Participating families will receive complimentary access to GoKid’s premium features (a $50/year value), including ride scheduling, reminders, GPS, and real-time trip tracking.
- Community-Building: The program strengthens neighborhood connections among parents and students.
- Voluntary Participation: Families must opt in to appear on the platform and may opt out at any time.
“We’re impressed with the leadership at HIDOE for their vision to bring innovative solutions like ours to families,” said Stefanie Lemcke, GoKid Founder & CEO. “We’ve seen how communities thrive when families are empowered to work together on school transportation, and we’re excited to help families in Hawai‘i reclaim time while building stronger connections.”
Participating schools will communicate more information to families.
