For Schools & PTAs
Enable Carpools.
Simplify Pickup.
Help families in your community find and coordinate carpools — and optionally add live dismissal management when your school is ready.
Features
Everything your community needs
Carpool Matching
Geographic matching by location and schedule. Families browse nearby matches on a map and connect entirely on their own terms.
Messaging & Groups
Direct parent-to-parent messaging, activity-based groups (soccer team, drama club), and private carpool circles for recurring rides.
Dismissal Management
Schools can enable live pickup coordination: real-time driver tracking, arrival notifications, identity verification, and audit trails.
Analytics & Reporting
Carpool adoption rates, family engagement, and — if dismissal is enabled — pickup confirmation rates and compliance exports.
Flexible Enrollment
Import from your SIS, send personalized access codes by email, or use a school-wide code. You control who joins the network.
Launch Resources
Customizable announcement templates, sign-up guides, and social posts. Most schools are live in under 15 minutes.
Setup
Launch in 15 minutes
Activate your school account
Sign up and accept the Terms of Service to activate your admin portal. Free for 30 days — no credit card required.
Configure your community
Set grade levels, activity schedules, and bell times. Add your school or PTA logo. Enable or disable features from your admin dashboard at any time.
Invite families
Import your family roster from your SIS, or send personalized access codes by email. Families sign up and can immediately start connecting with nearby families for carpools.
Families start carpooling — and more if you want
Carpool matching and messaging are available from day one. When you're ready for live pickup coordination, enable dismissal management with a single toggle.
FAQ
School questions
How do our families join the platform?
Choose from three enrollment methods:
- User-Specific Access Code: Families receive a unique, one-time-use code via email. Recommended for most schools.
- School-Wide Access Code: A shared code for broad distribution. Most open approach.
- Activation Link: A direct SMS link for individual family activation. Fastest for quick rollouts.
Can we import data from our Student Information System (SIS)?
Yes. Use the bulk upload tool on the Families page to upload a roster exported from your SIS. Essential data: parent name, email, phone number, and child's grade level.
Can we try the service before subscribing?
Yes. 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.
Who pays for the subscription — the school or families?
Subscription fees are billed to a single partner organization — typically the school, PTA, or district managing the community. We never bill individual families.
Can I customize the platform to fit my school?
Yes. You can set school start and end times, create multiple schedules for different grade levels, add custom bell times and activities, modify schedules anytime, and customize the app with your school or PTA logo.
Is dismissal management included by default?
No — it's an optional add-on. Carpool coordination, messaging, and family matching are available from day one. Dismissal management (live pickup roster, driver tracking, arrival verification) can be enabled separately when your school is ready for it.
Can carpool and dismissal be enabled or disabled independently?
Yes. Each feature is a separate toggle in your admin dashboard. You can run carpool-only, dismissal-only, or both — and switch at any time. Most schools start with carpooling and add dismissal management later.
What does dismissal management include?
- Live dismissal roster with real-time visibility into pickups
- Real-time driver location tracking and arrival notifications
- Student pickup verification and confirmation
- Dismissal reporting and audit trails for compliance
- On-call support during dismissal times
Is there a limit on family registration?
No. All plans include unlimited parent users — there is no cap on how many families can join your school network.
How do I track carpool adoption and dismissal performance?
The admin dashboard shows carpool adoption rates, family engagement, and geographic heat maps of carpool activity. If dismissal management is enabled, you also get real-time pickup confirmation rates, driver arrival times, and exportable audit reports.
Can we add or remove features after launch?
Yes. You can enable or disable carpool features and dismissal management independently at any time from your admin dashboard or by contacting us at support@carpool.school.
What resources do you provide to help us launch?
We provide a complete communication toolkit with customizable templates for every phase — initial announcements, social media posts, sign-up instructions, and ongoing reminders. Download templates branded with your school logo from your admin portal.
What should we do if families have trouble with the app?
Direct families to carpool.school for FAQs and video guides, or have them email support@carpool.school for direct assistance.
Where can our school get direct support?
You can self-serve most things through your admin portal. For additional help:
- Email us anytime at support@carpool.school
- Schedule a call with our team
- Schools with dismissal management enabled receive on-call support during dismissal times
Free for 30 days. No credit card required. No charge to families.