LISLE, Ill. – For the holiday season, Durham School Services’ team members have once again demonstrated their continued commitment to giving back to their communities. Team members from across the country participated in various community events such as holiday food drives, fundraisers, clothing and toy drives, school bus donations, providing complimentary transportation, holiday parades, volunteering at food banks, and more.

These community outreach efforts are carried out as part of the Company’s community outreach program, Partners Beyond the Bus, which aims to raise and increase awareness of and recognize the volunteer efforts of our teams and strengthen ties with our customers and community partners.

A few highlights from the holiday season include:

Little Egg Harbor, NJ – Hosted their annual food drive to provide ten families from four different school districts with a delicious and generous variety of food for the upcoming holiday.
Hutchinson, KS – Together with their partner, Salty Cycles, collected over $5,000 in cash and toys in addition to bicycle donations for the Annual Reno County Toy Run.
California, MO – Participated in the community’s Tipton Christmas Parade and won first place with their spectacular and realistic-looking Grinch themed bus.
Grayslake, IL – Donated transportation to the Great Lakes Naval Station in North Chicago, IL to transport over 100 cadets to enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner at the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 4600.
Jacksonville, FL – Hosted a toy drive for community partner and donated six buses for National Wreaths Across America Day to transport volunteers to and from the Jacksonville National Cemetery where volunteers placed wreaths to honor and remember fallen soldiers.
San Bernardino, CA – Donated a school bus to the All-American Boys Chorus to transport the choir to and from their regular and holiday season concerts and field trips.

“I can’t praise our team members enough for their unmatched generosity and commitment to their communities year-round  particularly during the holidays when it can be especially meaningful to so many,” said Tim Wertner, CEO of Student Transportation, National Express. “It is a great honor to work amongst such giving, selfless community heroes who constantly lead by example. As a result of their example, I find myself also learning from their good deeds and actions. Thank you again to all our team members for their dedication to living the Company’s values every day and supporting their communities.”

About Durham School Services: As an industry-leading student transportation provider, Durham School Services is dedicated to the safety of our students and People. For more than 100 years, we have been committed to Excellence and upholding our mission of getting students to school safely, on time, and ready to learn. Through this mission and a grassroots approach to our operations, Durham School Services has earned recognition as a trusted transportation provider among our Customers and the Communities we serve.

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Wellington, Kansas – Durham School Services (DSS), a student transportation leader committed to serving and giving back to its communities, has donated a school bus to Freewill Baptist Church to use for transportation to community events.

Thus far, the church has utilized the donated bus for several local trips to community events, concerts, church services, and even an out-of-state youth retreat to Oklahoma. Most recently, for the holiday season, the church utilized the bus for a Christmas Home Tour and has plans to go Christmas Caroling at local nursing homes around the community to spread holiday spirit and cheer.

“We are so grateful to be able to provide transportation for our church and community! It’s been a huge blessing to our church,” said Pastor Zane Brooks, Freewill Baptist Church. “Having this bus has allowed for a much more comfortable experience for everyone while traveling to community events. Thank you again for Durham’s generosity. Numerous people have benefited from such a kind gift, and we are all very grateful!”

“As a partner of the Wellington community, we are glad to have had this opportunity to fulfill a transportation void in the community with this bus donation to the Freewill Baptist Church,” said Heather Helpingstine, General Manager, Durham School Services. “When community outreach opportunities present themselves, I am extremely proud to say that our team is always more than willing to step up and give back. This bus donation is an example of that fact. We are happy to be able to offer a helping hand to another partner in the community with whom we respect greatly and does so much for the Wellington community.”

About Durham School Services: As an industry-leading student transportation provider, Durham School Services is dedicated to the safety of our students and People. For more than 100 years, we have been committed to Excellence and upholding our mission of getting students to school safely, on time, and ready to learn. Through this mission and a grassroots approach to our operations, Durham School Services has earned recognition as a trusted transportation provider among our Customers and the Communities we serve.

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MERIDIAN, Idaho – Durham School Services recently welcomed Mayor Simison of Meridian to its new facility and introduced its advanced fleet of buses.

During his visit, Mayor Simison was given a tour of Durham’s brand-new facility by General Manager Samuel Ray while Safety Training Supervisor Terry Marinos proudly showcased a bus from Durham’s new 200+ bus fleet. The mayor was also given an in-depth overview of the safety technology and other features aboard all of Durham’s buses. This includes DriveCam (driver safety monitoring system), Zonar (pre and post trip inspection reporting), CCTV, LED lights, and more.

“This visit from Mayor Simison was an exciting experience. In addition to showcasing our facility and buses, it gave us the special opportunity to display the incredible safety technology we use to transport the students of Meridian safely, every day. It also allowed us to highlight the phenomenal hard work our team put into ensuring a successful school start-up for the school district,” said Samuel Ray, General Manager, Durham School Services. “Moreover, we were able to reaffirm our Company’s values and commitment to always providing safe and reliable service. I’d like to thank Mayor Simison for his visit and sincerity in learning about our bus operations. It was an honor.”

Durham School Services currently serves the West Ada School District, the largest district in the state of Idaho. This new five-year partnership was announced in February and consists of 200 routes. In early November, the Durham and West Ada team were recognized at the district’s board meeting for a “smooth and effective” school start-up.

About Durham School Services: As an industry-leading student transportation provider, Durham School Services is dedicated to the safety of our students and People. For more than 100 years, we have been committed to Excellence and upholding our mission of getting students to school safely, on time, and ready to learn. Through this mission and a grassroots approach to our operations, Durham School Services has earned recognition as a trusted transportation provider among our Customers and the Communities we serve.

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SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – Durham School Services, a student transportation leader dedicated to giving back to their communities, has donated three buses to the All-American Boys Chorus to transport the choir and their equipment to concerts, field trips, and other activities. The buses will be delivered in the coming weeks just in time for the holiday concert season.

These buses were donated as part of Durham’s community outreach program, Partners Beyond the Bus. The program aims to become a partner of the community beyond its main role of transporting students to and from school safely, reliably, and on time. Our San Bernardino team has served the community for over a decade and looks forward to continuing to support the community.

“Surprising as it may sound, having a bus has been a core element of the All-American Boys Chorus’ identity for decades,” said Aaron Cassaro, CEO, All-American Boys Chorus. “Traveling together on a bus is an incredible experience that allows for bonding and building camaraderie, as well as simple efficiency. This incredibly generous bus donation will allow us to keep that tradition alive, as we use these vehicles to transport members to concert performances throughout southern California, as well as to our summer camp, Leadership Summit, and several other events throughout the year. Everyone here at the All-American Boys Chorus could not be more grateful to Durham School Services for helping to keep this dream alive and thriving!”

“The All-American Boys Chorus is an admirable organization that nurtures character, confidence, and talent through music while also helping each child develop and find their individuality and voice. This is why it is a great feeling to know that these three donated buses will have a hand in creating unforgettable bonds, new memories, and experiences for the members of the chorus while they travel together to their concerts and events,” said Tim Wertner, CEO, Student Transportation Division in North America, National Express. “The dedication of our teams to uplift and positively impact the communities in which they serve is unmatched. I am proud and lucky to be part of a team and Company that values and prioritizes giving back to their communities.”

About Durham School Services: As an industry-leading student transportation provider, Durham School Services is dedicated to the safety of our students and People. For more than 100 years, we have been committed to Excellence and upholding our mission of getting students to school safely, on time, and ready to learn. Through this mission and a grassroots approach to our operations, Durham School Services has earned recognition as a trusted transportation provider among our Customers and the Communities we serve.

About All American Boys Chorus: The All-American Boys Chorus, America’s quintessential professional boys chorus, has delighted audiences worldwide for over fifty years. Based in Santa Ana, California, the Chorus is comprised of over 100 boys ages 8–15 drawn from throughout Southern California. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Wesley Martin, a veteran of Hungary’s renowned Kodaly Institute, the Chorus provides boys with comprehensive musical training and unsurpassed performance and touring opportunities.

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JACKSONVILLE, Flo. – Research shows riding a bus is the safest way for students to get to and from school. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, students are almost 70 times more likely to get to school safely when taking a bus instead of traveling in a vehicle. To highlight this fact, Durham School Services is inviting council members to “Get on the Bus: Safety Starts Here” on Oct. 8 from 2 – 4 p.m. in front of City Hall (117 W. Duval St.).

Through this “Get on the Bus” event, council members will take a ride on a bus to experience firsthand how Durham gets students to school safely, on time and ready to learn. This unique opportunity will allow city leaders to learn about and explore Durham’s latest safety and technology features such as cameras with onboard video and audio recording, electronic vehicle inspection tools and more.

“Our commitment is to our students and getting them to school safely, reliably, and on time,” said David Armitt, Senior Vice President of Operations, Durham School Services. “We are honored and excited to continue our long-term partnership with Duval County Public Schools. This “Get on the Bus: Safety Starts Here” event is a great opportunity that will demonstrate how committed and hardworking our team members are and showcase how our vehicles have evolved over the years with the state-of-the-art safety technologies on board. We pride ourselves to be the student transportation leader, and through this opportunity, we are confident that the title will be reaffirmed once again.”

“Education is one of my top priorities. Getting our students to school safely is essential to ensure they have the knowledge to succeed. I want my colleagues to see Durham School Services’ state-of-the-art buses and the job drivers do transporting our students to and from school,” said Kevin Carrico, Jacksonville City Council Vice President.

“Get on the Bus” and learn more about student transportation. Durham School Services has been part of the Jacksonville area since 2009. It has almost 400 service routes in the Arlington, Southside, Mandarin and Beaches areas.

About Durham School Services: As an industry-leading student transportation provider, Durham School Services is dedicated to the safety of our students and people. For more than 100 years, we have been committed to excellence and upholding our mission of getting students to school safely, on time, and ready to learn. Through this mission and a grassroots approach to our operations, Durham School Services has earned recognition as a trusted transportation provider among our customers and the communities we serve.

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MATANUSKA-SUSITNA BOROUGH, Ark. – Durham School Services (DSS), a student transportation leader, will begin a new partnership this fall with CCS Early Learning, a nonprofit organization that provides early childhood education programs and family services for children up to five years of age.

Durham has served the Matanuska-Susitna Borough community since 2022 through its current partnership with the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. Through its community outreach program, Partners Beyond the Bus, Durham has contributed to the community through Stuff the Bus events, Helping Hands State Fair sponsorships, school bus safety night, donation drives, Chamber of Commerce sponsorships, complimentary shuttle service, and more.

“CCS Early Learning has provided transportation for our Head Start children for over 50 years,” said Mark Lackey, Executive Director, CCS Early Learning. “Making sure that these children are safely delivered to and from school is our number one priority. Moving forward, CCS is very excited to partner with Durham School Services, a company that is at the forefront of student transportation services, and most importantly, values safety just as much as we do, in accomplishing this important work.”

“This new partnership with CCS Early Learning is a testament to the quality of our transportation service and the strong, trusting relationships our team members have built with the community,” said Lara Hobbs, General Manager, Durham School Services. “We’d like to thank CCS Early Learning for entrusting us with their most precious cargo. We look forward to providing safe and reliable transportation for the children of CCS Early Learning and meeting all of them.”

About Durham School Services: As an industry-leading student transportation provider, Durham School Services is dedicated to the safety of our students and People. For more than 100 years, we have been committed to Excellence and upholding our mission of getting students to school safely, on time, and ready to learn. Through this mission and a grassroots approach to our operations, Durham School Services has earned recognition as a trusted transportation provider among our Customers and the Communities we serve.

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