Redesigning Mobility around Passenger Safety
When I describe to people what we are building here at Sheprd, the conversation always gravitates to the question of safety.
As the parent of three little ones, I empathize with this concern. And like other parents, I want to make sure that everything I do for my kids keeps them safe. There just isn’t any room for taking unnecessary risk or allowing for ‘safety variability’. At Sheprd, I’ve taken this personal concern and built it into our business. We have entrenched into Sheprd’s DNA the primary values of safety and consistency.
For us, safety isn’t just about WHO is driving — it’s also about WHAT they are driving, and WHY they are driving. We refuse to compromise on any of these topics and are exceedingly deliberate in better understanding each.
This is why we hire the best drivers and pay them living wage, buy the best vehicles, outfit these vehicles with the latest safety features and technology, and deliver our service in as simple, easy to use platform.
But for now, let’s start with who’s driving. At Sheprd, our drivers are the most public-facing people in our company; they are the ones interacting with our passengers, parents, and educators on a daily basis and the importance of this role can’t be overstated.
So we take the driver hiring process, like everything else we are doing, very seriously.
Being licensed by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles as a 7D School Bus company (small vehicle school transport for 8 or fewer passengers) implies a series of state mandated driver requirements including; criminal and sexual offender background checks, driving record reviews, pre-employment drug screening, and comprehensive medical-preparedness training.
But we believe in taking these 7D requirements to next level — that level which meets a personal standard as a parent whose kids use Sheprd. So we conduct an extended national background check and mandate all drivers have current CPR training. We further conduct in-person interviews, administer an emergency scenario test, and then I personally conduct a driving test and ask myself, in a very real sense, “would I be comfortable with this person driving MY KIDS?”
Before each driver can receive the routes for their shift, our driver app requires them to pass a breathalyzer test. At the end of this process there are no “reserve drivers” or “best-in-class” — the best drivers are our only workforce and our entire workforce.
To us, hiring the best drivers and satisfactorily answering the question “who is driving” is only half of the answer to creating a consistently safe transportation environment. The second part of the equation starts with our brand new fleet of Land Rover LR4 vehicles, each equipped with the latest in safety equipment (anti-lock disc brakes, traction and stability control , hill-descent control, hill-start assist, rear parking sensors and 360 degree cameras).
In addition to the standard safety features each vehicle has a 7D-compliant “School Bus” sign with flashing lights for pick-ups/drop-offs, safety flares/triangles, first aid kits, and a fire extinguisher. We also have two, (yes TWO), advanced telematics systems that analyze the driving habits of each driver, looking for abnormalities and inappropriate driving behavior (and alerting us immediately in the event of an abnormalities like speeding or hard braking). We have additional systems tracking each vehicle so we know where they are at ALL times (not just when the app or the car is on) and an HD camera recording both the exterior and interior images and sounds of the entire journey. We believe in these redundancies because we understand the responsibility we have in revolutionizing K-12 transportation. We want to set a new standard in consistent safety and give our customers meaningful peace of mind.
As a dad, all of this all matters to me. Each day, I live the life that we at Sheprd are trying to simplify. I too am constrained by the laws of physics and cannot be in two places at the same time. Work, 3 kids, and a wife who is busier than me, means that we are frequently making decisions about our children’s’ activities based on our schedules more than their interests. Swim lessons conflict with the music class on the other side of town — with only one driver something has to give.
Making matters even worse, just a few weeks ago, I slipped on icy stairs and dislocated my shoulder. This fall forced our family from two able-bodied drivers down to just one, and the stress of continuing to maintain the schedules of two kids at two different schools and 1 newborn under these limited resources made me yearn for the day Sheprd was up and running.
But a solution is becoming a reality. Starting in late April, parents, schools, and after-school programs who all struggle with this same problem will have a real solution. And when it arrives, we won’t just bring streamlined logistics but also consistent and reliable safety.
