Eliminate Car Line Chaos

When you log in to Carpool.School for the first time as an administrator, you'll be asked to accept our Terms of Service to enable the platform. Once enabled, you'll have access to all admin capabilities.

You can choose one of three secure methods to onboard families:

• User-Specific Access Code: Families receive a unique, one-time-use access code via email for secure registration. Our recommended option for most schools.
• School-Wide Access Code: Create a general school code to share broadly. Less secure but most open approach.

For details, see our flexible enrollment guide.

Yes, absolutely. We believe you should see value before you pay. You can launch for free to set up your portal, invite families, and gauge interest with no financial commitment. A subscription is only required after 30 days if you choose to continue.

Subscription fees are billed to a single partner organization—typically the school, PTA, or district managing the community. We never bill individual families.

In cases where a city or other third party sponsors the program, we can arrange for them to handle payment. Your school always remains our partner responsible for controlling access and verifying users.

We charge for two fundamental reasons:

• To Protect Your Community's Privacy: Our subscription model ensures we never sell family data or run third-party advertisements. We serve your school, not advertisers.
• To Keep Your Network Accurate: A subscription model helps us maintain data quality by removing dormant accounts and keeping your roster current. This ensures families connect with an active community.

We provide a complete communication toolkit with customizable templates for every phase—from initial announcements and social media posts to sign-up instructions and ongoing reminders. Download templates customized with your school branding from your admin portal.

You can self-serve most things through your admin portal. For additional support:

• Email us anytime at support@carpool.school
• Schedule a meeting from our Support page
• Dismissal plan schools receive on-call support during dismissal times and 24/7 email support

Participation is always optional. Families simply don't create an account if they prefer not to participate. Registered families can deactivate their requests or delete their account anytime via app settings.

Carpool.School works on any web browser, but we recommend our dedicated iOS and Android apps for the best experience. Mobile apps provide push notifications and real-time location tracking.

Yes. Use the bulk upload tool on the "Families" page to upload a verified user list exported from your SIS. Essential data: parent name, contact info, and child's grade level.

We don't currently offer direct automated SIS integration, but we're open to exploring custom solutions for larger districts.

Yes, the admin portal is designed to be highly customizable for dismissal management. You can:

• Set school start times, end times, and after-school activity schedules
• Create multiple schedules for different grade levels (e.g., K–5, 6–8)
• Add custom bell times and activities
• Modify schedules anytime to adapt to your school's needs
• Customize the app with your school or PTA logo and a link to program information

The Dismissal plan includes:

• Live dismissal roster with real-time visibility into pickups
• Real-time driver location tracking
• Driver arrival notifications
• Student pickup verification and confirmation
• Dismissal reporting and audit trails for compliance
• 24/7 email support and on-call support during dismissal times
• Unlimited parent users
• Full customization of schedules and activities

1. Choose your enrollment method and upload/import your family roster
2. Configure your school's dismissal schedules and activities
3. Families log in and review their pickup arrangements
4. Use the live dismissal roster to track pickups in real-time

The required data depends on your enrollment method:

• User-Specific Access Code: Parent email or phone number only. We send a unique code for each family.
• School-Wide Access Code: No family data needed. Families enter their own information when registering.

Dismissal plans include unlimited parent users. There's no limit to how many families can register.

Yes. The Dismissal plan comes with carpool features disabled by default. If you want only dismissal management, carpool tools remain hidden from families.

If you enable carpool features, the platform includes:

• Carpool request matching (map-based family suggestions based on location and schedule)
• Parent-to-parent messaging (direct, group, activity-based chat)
• Real-time driver tracking and notifications for active carpools
• Schedule coordination tools for recurring carpools
• Community impact tracking (trips saved, miles saved, carbon offset estimates)
• Participation leaderboards for active carpoolers

No. Carpool features are completely optional. Schools can disable carpool features in admin settings, enable them later if community interest grows, or choose whether to promote carpool tools to families. Families can also opt not to use carpool features even if they're available.

Yes. Parent groups and PTAs can use the Carpool plan independently ($1/user/month, capped at $50/month) without school involvement. This plan includes carpool matching, messaging, scheduling tools, and community tracking — without dismissal features.

The carpool matching feature maps families geographically by pickup/dropoff location and suggests potential carpool partners based on compatible schedules. Families review suggestions and decide independently whether to connect. Matching is suggestive only — families decide whether and how to carpool.

No. Carpool.School does not perform background checks on any users. We are a connection platform, not a vetting service. Parents are solely responsible for vetting anyone they choose to carpool with.

As outlined in our EULA, Carpool.School is a software platform, not a transportation provider. Liability for all carpooling arrangements rests with participating families. By using the service, families agree to assume all risks and release both Carpool.School and their participating school from claims or damages.

• Subscription Model: We never sell family data or run third-party ads. Revenue comes from school subscriptions only.
• Closed Community: Only families registered with your school can see other families in your network.
• Privacy by Design: Map views show approximate areas, not exact addresses. Private messages are not visible to school admins or Carpool.School staff.

Carpool.School is designed to make your daily commutes safer, easier, and more connected to your school community. Whether your school is using dismissal management or carpool coordination, the app helps streamline your transportation routines and connect with other parents.

No, individual families do not pay. Subscription fees are billed directly to your school or a partner organization (like the PTA). Your school offers this as a resource to the community.

This model ensures your school community is private. Carpool.School does not sell your family's data or display third-party advertisements in the app.

No, your school must enable the service first. This creates a private, closed network for your school's families. If your school isn't listed, we encourage you to talk to your school administrator or PTA about adopting Carpool.School.

Once your school adopts the platform, they will provide instructions. This is typically one of two ways:

• School-Wide Code: Your school may provide a general access code. You'll enter this code in the app after selecting your school to begin registration.
• User-Specific Code: Your school may send you a code via email. You'll enter this code in the app after selecting your school to begin registration.

In all cases, you will verify your phone number and set up your profile to get started.

• A Private, Verified Community: Only families verified as members of your specific school can view information or contact other members.
• No Third-Party Ads or Data Selling: Our service is funded by school subscriptions. We never sell your family's data or run third-party advertisements.
• Location Privacy: Your exact home address is never shared. Maps show only an approximate location to help you find nearby connections.
• You Are Always in Control: You decide who to interact with and what optional information you share in your profile.

Carpool.School works on any web browser. We recommend downloading our dedicated iOS and Android mobile apps for the best experience, including push notifications.

If your school uses Carpool.School's dismissal features, the app helps coordinate pickups smoothly between families and school staff:

• Confirm Your Pickup: Set up your pickup person and time in the app.
• Real-Time Updates: See live updates on driver arrival times and pickup status.
• Verification: Ensure students are picked up by the right people at the right time.
• Easy Communication: If your plans change, update them in the app.

Yes, absolutely. You can update your dismissal preferences anytime through the app. Changes take effect immediately and the school is notified automatically.

If you are running late, you can notify the school through the app. The school will see the update in their dismissal roster and can adjust accordingly. Real-time communication helps keep the dismissal process smooth.

Participation is always your choice. If you prefer not to use the app, you can still pick up your child using traditional methods. However, using the app helps the school coordinate dismissals more smoothly and safely for everyone.

If your school has enabled carpool tools, you can use them to find nearby families with similar schedules, coordinate rides, save time and money, and build community connections. Carpool features are completely optional.

After setting up your requests, find potential matches via:

• Map View: See families geographically near you
• Table View: Browse families and their details
• Messaging: Send direct messages to connect with specific families
• Groups: Join activity-based groups or create private groups to coordinate

We strongly encourage standard safety practices when forming a new carpool:

• Meet First in Person: Arrange a brief meeting in a public place before the first ride.
• Verify and Discuss: Get to know the other family. Discuss driving experience, vehicle safety, and insurance coverage.
• Confirm a "Shared Stake": Form carpools where the driving parent also has their own child in the car for each trip.
• Trust Your Instincts: Only form carpools with families you feel completely comfortable with.

No. Carpool.School is a connection platform, not a vetting service. The responsibility for vetting potential carpool partners lies with you as a parent.

Setting up a carpool request makes it possible for you to connect with other families, but whether actual carpools form depends on many factors including whether other families near you have compatible schedules, whether interested families decide to message you and coordinate, and whether everyone feels comfortable with each other. The app provides tools and suggestions to make coordination easier, but actual carpooling is entirely up to you and other families.