Kango, a ride-sharing, child care app, will launch in San Diego this month. Using this mobile app, parents can schedule transportation and babysitting for their children from highly trained and qualified child care providers. Driver/sitters wear T-shirts that don the company’s recognizable, namesake pink kangaroo. “Kango” is a diminutive for the Australian marsupial that is known for safely transporting their young in their pouch. Additionally, this abbreviation also sounds like “can-go,” which further refers to the Kango’s ability to transport. 

“We’re not just aiming to be the lifesaving solution to logistical challenges for parents,” says Kango’s cofounder and CEO, Sara Schaer. “Kango enables everyone to be what they want to be. Parents don’t have to sacrifice their careers, and kids don’t have to give up the idea of being high level athletes or a star musician. Everyone can get where they need to go without having to sacrifice these goals.”

Schaer is a mother of two boys, and the idea to create Kango was inspired by her own transportation challenges. She initially developed an app that paired parents together to form carpool groups; but after receiving feedback from the parents who used the service, she modified the app to create Kango, the ride-sharing app where parents can choose from a database of highly qualified driver/sitters. 

In 2015, Kango started in San Francisco as a fully licensed and insured ride-sharing company. By 2016, Kango had spread across the Bay Area, and the company traveled south to Los Angeles in late 2017. Starting this month, Kango will cover a roughly 25 mile radius based in Downtown San Diego.

Similar to other ride-sharing apps like Uber or Lyft, Kango is a mobile app that facilitates effortless ride requests and cashless transactions; however, Kango differs from these ride-share apps in its scheduling, communication benefits, and safety.

Parents who use Kango are involved in choosing driver/sitters, for they can elect to have a meet-and-greet with the professional before booking a ride. Additionally, parents can curate a group of preferred driver/sitters as their children form bonds with their favorites.

In order to become a driver/sitter for Kango, candidates go through a lengthy screening process. Potential employees need several years of child care experience, and they must have a vehicle that passes vehicle inspections and meets insurance criteria. They must also undergo two interviews, two background checks, and an orientation session. After passing these steps, candidates are then eligible to work for Kango. 

And to insure the utmost safety, Kango offers open communication between parents, driver/sitters, and Kango operations members. Parents have the luxury to track the rides through the app, and Kango operations can oversee the rides to ensure that their employees answer parents’ requests. 

Schaer looks forward to introducing Kango to San Diego parents, “We treat their children just like we’d treat our own kids — with the utmost care. And we treat parents with the best level of communication and service and empathy.”

To learn more about Kango’s services, visit kangoapp.co.