A school run is booked just like an airport transfer. You choose home as the pickup, the school as the destination, and add the way back for the afternoon.
Most families manage the school run themselves most of the time. But there are always days when it does not work: a parent away on business, an early meeting, a sick sibling, a car in the garage or a school simply too far away for the bus. On those days, a booked car with a checked driver can take the strain. Here is how it works.
1. Morning and afternoon together
Choose Return when you book and add when and where the afternoon pickup is. Each leg has its own fixed price and can be cancelled on its own. The morning and the afternoon are booked in one go.
The afternoon pickup does not have to be from the same place as the morning drop-off. If your child goes to an after-school club, a friend’s house or a sports centre, choose that as the pickup. The journey fits the day.
Because each leg has its own price and can be cancelled on its own, you can change your plans without losing the whole booking. If you can collect your child yourself in the afternoon after all, cancel that leg. The morning journey stays as it is.
Book as far ahead as you like, whether it is for tomorrow morning or for a day next month. The price is fixed when you book. See how fixed-price private hire works.
2. Child seats in the car
Add child or booster seats as extras when you book. They are fitted before your children are collected. There is no need to hand over your own seats.
The law in the UK says that children must normally use a child car seat until they are twelve years old or 135 centimetres tall, whichever comes first. The right seat depends on the child’s height or weight. Babies need rear-facing seats, and older children need booster seats.
When you book, choose the seats your children need, and they are shown in the total before you confirm. If you have more than one child, add a seat for each. The car will be ready when it arrives.
If you are unsure which seat your child needs, check the government’s guidance on child car seats. It explains the rules clearly. Getting it right matters.
3. A note for the driver
Use Add a note to say which gate to use, who is collecting or anything else your driver should know. Schools are busy places at the start and end of the day. A few words can save a lot of confusion.
Many schools have several gates, and some have separate entrances for different year groups. Tell your driver which gate to use, and where to wait. If the school has rules about where cars can stop, mention them.
For the afternoon pickup, tell your driver who will be collecting and how your child will know them. Agree a plan with your child too, so they know what to expect. It helps them feel safe.
You can also mention anything else that matters, such as a musical instrument, a sports bag or a science project to carry. The more your driver knows, the smoother the journey. It only takes a moment.
4. DBS-checked drivers
Every driver’s private hire licence and DBS check are verified before they take a journey. Read what we check. For parents, this matters more than anything.
A DBS check is a criminal record check carried out by the Disclosure and Barring Service. Drivers of private hire cars usually need an enhanced check, the most thorough level. Councils consider it when deciding whether to license a driver.
We also check each car’s private hire licence, its insurance for carrying paying passengers and its MOT. We record when each document runs out. When one lapses, that driver or car is off the road with us until it is renewed.
Talk to your child about the journey before the first one, and tell them the driver’s name and what the car looks like. Teach them to check with you or the school if anything seems wrong. Good habits keep children safe.
5. Follow the car
The driver’s name and the car’s details are on your journey page before pickup, and you can see the car on the map once it sets off. You know who is taking your child and where they are. It gives peace of mind.
In the morning, you can see when the car is on its way and when it arrives. In the afternoon, you can follow the journey home. You do not have to wonder.
Share the driver’s name and the car’s make, colour and registration with the school, if they need to know who is collecting. Many schools like to know. It makes the handover easier.
Every live journey carries an emergency alert that reaches a person rather than a queue. It is there if you ever need it. We hope you never do.
Useful for the days a parent is away, a club that finishes late, or a school that is simply too far for the bus.
Ride with ZeroLanes. A car booked ahead, at a price fixed before you confirm, with the driver and the car on your journey page before pickup. Book a school run.