EverDriven Taps Policy Heavyweight to Reshape Student Transportation

DENVER, CO – January 13, 2026 – By Amanda Clark

EverDriven, the nation’s leading provider of Alternative Student Transportation, has appointed former Charlottesville mayor and Airbnb policy director Michael Signer as its new Chief Policy and Legal Officer. The high-profile appointment signals a deliberate strategy to move beyond simply navigating the existing regulatory landscape and to begin actively reshaping the rules that govern how millions of students get to school.

Signer, an experienced attorney and policy strategist, will take the legal helm as general counsel while simultaneously spearheading government relations. The move elevates policy to the C-suite, a clear indication that the company views influencing state and federal legislation as central to its growth and its mission of providing equitable educational access for vulnerable student populations.

“School districts are at a real turning point as they rethink how students get to and from school,” said Mitch Bowling, CEO of EverDriven, in a statement. He noted that Signer’s “rare mix of public service experience and private-sector leadership” will be essential as the company expands.

This strategic hire comes as the traditional student transportation model, symbolized by the iconic yellow bus, faces unprecedented strain from nationwide driver shortages, tightening budgets, and a system struggling to adapt to the diverse needs of modern students.

A Strategic Move in a Shifting Landscape

The North American school transportation market, valued at over $10 billion, is in a state of flux. School districts are grappling with a severe, persistent shortage of bus drivers, which forces them to consolidate routes, increase ride times, or cancel services altogether. This operational crisis is compounded by regulations often written decades ago, designed exclusively for large school buses and ill-suited for the flexible, small-scale solutions required today.

This is where Alternative Student Transportation (AST) providers like EverDriven have found a critical niche. They specialize in arranging transportation for students whose needs fall outside the scope of traditional bus routes. This includes students with disabilities requiring specialized vehicles, students experiencing homelessness covered under the federal McKinney-Vento Act, and children in the foster care system who may need to travel across district lines to maintain school stability.

By appointing a Chief Policy Officer, EverDriven is betting that the key to unlocking further growth lies in modernizing the rulebook. The company aims to work with state legislatures and departments of education to create clear, safe, and efficient regulatory pathways for AST services. This involves establishing consistent standards for driver vetting, vehicle safety, and operational transparency that acknowledge the unique nature of small-capacity, technology-enabled transportation.

“Policy, law, and mission have been interconnected throughout my career,” Signer stated, highlighting his motivation for joining the company. “What drew me to EverDriven is the company’s clear commitment to ensuring every student—regardless of circumstance—can access education safely and reliably.”

The Policy Veteran Behind the Wheel

Michael Signer’s resume suggests he is uniquely qualified for this challenge. His most recent role as North America Policy Director at Airbnb placed him at the forefront of legislative battles in another industry-disrupting sector. At Airbnb, he led policy engagement across numerous state and local jurisdictions, negotiating complex rules related to housing, taxation, and short-term rentals—often in the face of entrenched opposition.

His experience extends deep into public service. As Mayor of Charlottesville, Virginia, he navigated the city through the intense crisis of the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally, later founding a project to help other communities confront extremism. His tenure also saw a focus on economic development and support for immigrant communities. Earlier in his career, he served as counsel to then-Virginia Governor Mark Warner, handling complex legal and security matters.

This background—spanning corporate strategy for a tech giant, high-stakes public service, and intricate legal work—provides Signer with a playbook for building coalitions and driving legislative change. His task at EverDriven will be to apply those skills to the student transportation sector, helping to craft modern regulatory frameworks that both enable innovation and reinforce trust.

“I’m excited to help shape policies that expand access for districts while centering trust, safety, and equity in student transportation,” Signer said.

Beyond the Yellow Bus: Prioritizing Equity and Safety

At the core of EverDriven's mission and Signer’s new role is the issue of educational equity. Mobility inequality is a significant barrier to academic success. Students who lack reliable transportation are more likely to be chronically absent, which directly correlates with lower academic achievement. For the high-need populations EverDriven serves, this challenge is particularly acute.

A traditional bus route may be impractical or prohibitively expensive for a single student with special needs or a child temporarily housed in a shelter outside their home district. EverDriven’s model uses a network of vetted drivers and smaller vehicles to provide a more tailored service, activated in hours rather than the days or weeks it can take to arrange a new bus route.

However, the concept of using non-bus vehicles for student transport naturally raises questions of safety. To counter this, EverDriven has built its model on a foundation of stringent safety protocols and transparency. The company reports that over 2 million trips last year were 99.99% accident-free and that it maintains 100% compliance with all applicable state regulations. Its driver vetting process includes comprehensive background checks, drug testing, and continuous monitoring, going well beyond the standards of typical consumer rideshare platforms.

Furthermore, the company equips its vehicles with AI-powered cameras and offers parents and districts real-time GPS tracking through its VIP app and District Portal. This technology not only provides peace of mind but also creates a detailed record of compliance and service quality, a key selling point for risk-averse school administrators. By publicly releasing an annual Safety and Operations Report, the company aims to set a new standard for transparency in the industry.

By combining this demonstrated commitment to safety with a sophisticated policy strategy, EverDriven is positioning itself not as a replacement for the yellow bus, but as a vital, high-trust partner that complements traditional systems. The goal is to ensure that no student’s education is compromised simply because of where they live or what their needs are. Signer's appointment is the firm's most assertive step yet toward making that vision a regulatory reality across the country.