PLAINFIELD, Ill. – Durham School Services, a leader in student transportation, is expanding its footprint in Illinois with a new three-year partnership with the Plainfield Community Consolidated School District (CCSD) 202 starting this August. The Company currently serves several communities throughout Illinois, which includes schools in Lake, McHenry, Cook, DuPage, Kane, Will, Kendall, McDonough, Sangamon, Christian, Jefferson, Franklin, Williamson, and Johnson counties.

Over the course of the next three years, Durham will service approximately 108 special education (SPED) routes for the school district. Buses will be equipped with the latest safety technology such as DriveCam and Zonar Fleet Management.

Durham School Services will be holding a hiring event for prospective school bus drivers and monitors from March 31 – April 4, 2025, from 9AM – 5PM in the Media Center of Plainfield East High School located at 12001 Naperville Rd, Plainfield, IL 60585. Walk-ins are welcome.

Through this new partnership, Durham School Services aims to also contribute to the positive growth and advancement of the Plainfield community by participating in and supporting local events through its Partners Beyond the Bus community outreach program.

Michael Peterson, Director of Transportation of Plainfield School District 202 shared, “Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202 looks forward to the partnership with Durham School Services and level of service that our community expects.”

“We are delighted to be able to serve another community of students and families in Illinois through this new partnership with Plainfield School District 202,” said Janine Hilliard, Region Manager, Durham School Services. “Our team has been diligently preparing behind the scenes to ensure a successful school start-up. We look forward to living up to Durham’s 100+ year reputation of providing excellent service and delivering safe, reliable service to the students of Plainfield CCSD 202. Thank you again to the school district for giving us this opportunity and entrusting the safety of your students to us.”

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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JACKSONVILLE, Flo. – Pat King, school bus driver for Durham School Services, has been recognized as a heroine for performing life-saving CPR on her fellow bus monitor during a sudden medical emergency. Pat performed CPR for approximately 20 minutes while waiting for medical staff to arrive, and it was thanks to her quick thinking and CPR training that her fellow bus monitor and friend is recovering. As a result of her heroic actions, Pat received the “Frontline Hero Award” from Durham School Services and was also recognized and interviewed by local media.

“That’s the first thing I saw, it was that dummy that we have to do the training on,” said Pat King during an interview with local news media outlet, Action News JAX. “Her chest wasn’t moving. I listened for her heartbeat, heard nothing. She’s my friend, you know. She wasn’t breathing. I had to do something. I couldn’t just let her lay there.

All Durham School Services school bus drivers are required to participate in various safety trainings, and specifically in the state of Florida, take courses to obtain five safety certifications. The certificates include CPR/ First Aid, Identifying and Reporting Child Abuse, Seizure Training, Human Trafficking Training, and Florida Mandated Reporter Course Training. Team members are re-certified for CPR Training every two years.

“We are glad Pat is getting the recognition she very much deserves. She is a hero, and we were extremely proud to present her with an award and witness her gain further recognition from the community for her life-saving actions,” said Brad Kerrigan, Area General Manager, Durham School Services. “Instances like these prove the importance and need for safety trainings such as CPR/First Aid and further demonstrates our Company’s commitment to safety.”

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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COMPTON, Calif. – Today, the Compton Unified School District (CUSD) and its school transportation provider, Durham School Services (DSS), unveiled the school district’s brand-new fleet of 25 electric school buses and 25 newly-installed Tellus chargers, at a ribbon cutting event. The buses will begin transporting students this spring. At the event, attendees had the opportunity to tour and ride the buses.

Attendees included Lillie P. Darden (Councilwoman – District 4), Hector De La Torre (Executive Director, Gateway Cities Council of Governments), CUSD Superintendent Dr. Darin Brawley, CUSD Chief Administrative Officer Dr. Shannon Soto, CUSD Board Members Sandra Moss, Alma Taylor-Pleasant, and Satra Zurita, as well as key partners Highland Electric Fleets and Thomas Built Buses, Southern California Edison, Durham School Services team members, and fellow community members.

The 25 new electric school buses, which consist of 17 Thomas Built Type A and 8 Thomas Built Type C vehicles, mark the start of the school district’s first electric vehicle (EV) endeavor and was made possible thanks to partnerships and support from Highland Electric Fleets, Thomas Built Buses, and Southern California Edison. Funds for the new vehicles were awarded through the first round of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program. Compton Unified School District was also awarded funds by the EPA for the third round of the program and anticipates introducing an additional 25 EV school buses in the future.

“The Compton Unified School District is excited to roll out these incredible EV buses in partnership with Durham and Highland,” said Compton Unified School District Board of Trustees President Micah Ali. “These new buses not only provide for a more sustainable, healthier Compton community, they also serve as an exemplar of innovation and social responsibility for our Compton Scholars.”

“These new electric buses are an investment in our students’ future—providing safe, clean transportation as they pursue their dreams,” said Dr. Darin Brawley, Superintendent of Compton Unified School District. “Just as we are committed to sustainability, we are also committed to academic excellence, ranking #1 in LA County for graduation rates and #1 in the state among comparably sized districts. Compton Unified will continue leading the way to ensure our scholars have every opportunity to succeed.”

“We are able to celebrate this new EV chapter in Durham and CUSD’s deep-rooted 20+year partnership thanks to the EPA grant, and our mutual ambition in driving this transition early. I can’t stress enough about how vital grants like these are and the need for continued support from our partners in government at the state and federal level to fund additional grants for school districts and their transportation partners that are ready to deliver and operate zero-emission buses,” said Tim Wertner, CEO, Durham School Services. “Lastly, I’d like to give thanks to our local team of drivers, technicians, General Manager Wendy, and countless other team members, whom, without, this project would not have been possible or even half as successful. I look forward to seeing the new heights we’ll reach over the next few years as we continue our partnership with CUSD.”

“Compton Unified School District is making a real difference for its students with the launch of its first electric school buses,” said Brian Buccella, Chief Commercial Officer at Highland Electric Fleets. “These buses bring cleaner, quieter, and healthier transportation to the community, which is especially important in a county where 1 in 11 children have asthma. Highland Electric Fleets is proud to be part of this effort, and we look forward to working alongside the CUSD community to continue making a positive impact for students and families.”

In preparation for the new EV buses beginning service this spring, hands-on training sessions for technicians were held in January of this year. The two-day training sessions were led by Durham School Services maintenance leaders, Thomas Built Buses, Highland Electric Fleets, and Optimal EV and covered topics related to EV safety, charging stations, and operations.

About Compton Unified School District: Compton Unified School District, whose Superintendent is Dr. Darin Brawley, is located in the south-central region of Los Angeles County. CUSD encompasses the city of Compton and portions of the cities of Carson and Los Angeles. The district currently serves more than 17,000 students at 36 sites. CUSD is a district that is elevating, with a high school graduation rate of 93%, dramatic facilities improvements, 88% college acceptance, and a focus on STEAM throughout all schools. The mission of the Compton Unified School District is to empower leaders to lead, teachers to teach, and students to learn by fostering an environment that encourages leaders and teachers to be visionary, innovative, and accountable for the achievement of all students. CUSD schools have received numerous awards, including Golden Bell Awards, National Blue Ribbon School designations, and Top 10 LA Public Schools by Innovate LA. CUSD is also a member of the League of Innovative Schools. The District’s Superintendent, Dr. Darin Brawley, was named 2019 Superintendent of the Year by the Los Angeles County Office of Education. For more information, visit http://www.compton.k12.ca.us.

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 Highland Electric Fleets: Highland Electric Fleets is North America’s leading provider of electrification-as-a-service. Founded in 2019, Highland makes it simple and affordable to transition fleets of all sizes to electric, from school buses to public safety, municipal and commercial vehicles.

Highland led the first use of electric school buses in a commercial vehicle-to-grid (V2G) program and operates the largest electric school bus project in the U.S. With approximately 95% of school buses built in the U.S., the shift to electric drives American innovation, strengthens domestic manufacturing, and creates jobs in communities across the country in addition to reducing emissions and lowering operating costs. Learn more at www.highlandfleets.com.

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CUMBERLAND, R.I. – Blackstone Valley Prep (BVP) and Durham School Services officially unveiled their twenty-four new electric school buses at a ribbon cutting celebration on Tuesday, January 28, at 12 p.m. at Durham School Services’ transportation depot located at 1 John C Dean Memorial Blvd, Cumberland, RI 02864. Governor McKee was in attendance at the event.

The twenty-four new electric school buses have replaced part of the school district’s existing fleet of standard school buses and began serving the community in mid-December. This new Electric Vehicle (EV) venture significantly catapults BVP to the forefront as an EV leader in its community. The procurement of the new electric school buses was made possible through funding awarded to the school district from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program.

In preparation for the new EV buses, Durham School Services team members participated in training sessions provided by our regional maintenance team and were also joined by representatives from IC Bus and Highland Electric Fleets, where they received hands-on training on how to properly and proficiently maintain and operate the new vehicles, as well as the 24 newly installed Tellus chargers.

“Our team has been buzzing with excitement to finally introduce the new electric school buses to the students and community at the ribbon cutting event,” said Francisco Monteiro, Area General Manager, Durham School Services. “Blackstone Valley Prep and our team have put in a considerable amount of hard work and hours into this sustainability effort. I think I speak for everyone when I say that we feel a sense of pride and accomplishment now that the electric buses are ready to hit the road.”

Wayne Skinner, Senior Vice President of Maintenance at Durham School Services, continued, “We worked tirelessly to ensure all the proper infrastructure and charging stations were in place to make this project a success, and I’m pleased to say that we were beyond successful. This EV endeavor is representative of our Company’s values and commitment to safety and enhancing our community. I am immensely proud of our team and district partner and can’t wait for the students and community to see and experience the buses in action.”

Beth Dowd, Director of Operations at Blackstone Valley Prep, added, “By embracing this more sustainable initiative, we’re supporting the well-being of BVP scholars, our communities, and the environment, and prioritizing a healthier and more vibrant future for all.”

“Blackstone Valley Prep’s deployment of 24 electric school buses the largest in Rhode Island is a landmark achievement in student transportation,” said Matt Stanberry, VP of Market Development at Highland Electric Fleets. “This project reflects a shared commitment by BVP, Durham School Services, IC Bus, and Highland Electric Fleets to prioritize student health and wellness while embracing innovative solutions that set a new standard for schools across the state.”

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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LISLE, Ill. – Durham School Services and its sister brands are once again shining a much-deserved spotlight on its latest and greatest group of revered ASE Master Technicians and Blue Seal locations. These talented individuals continuously strive to elevate their skills and knowledge to become top maintenance experts and in turn are recognized for these efforts and skills by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) by certifying them as Master Technicians. ASE-certified technicians are considered experts in their field and at the forefront of industry standards.

New ASE Master Technicians (Sister brands are specified in parentheses)
Clement, R – Indian River, NY
Cole, N – Boise, ID – Double ASE Master Technician
Devore, R – Rochester, MI (Monroe Transportation)
Dusharm, B – Indian River, NY
Fani, P – Newtown, PA -Double ASE Master Technician
Gilbert, A – Fremont, NH – Double ASE Master Technician
Gillman, C – Pickerington, OH (Petermann)
Hauge, G – West Ada, ID- Double ASE Master Technician
Hills, J – Utica, NY
Howery, W – Robbinsdale, MN
Kunau, P – Pleasant Valley, IA
LeClair, T – North Bay, ON, Canada (Stock Transportation)
Lobo, L – Sunderland, ON, Canada (Stock Transportation)
Metivier, D – Indian River, NY
Oien, S – Bloomington, MN – Triple ASE Master Technician (Septran)
Rodriguez, A – San Bernardino, CA – Quadruple ASE Master Technician
Sanders, K – Coppell, TX – Double ASE Master Technician
Vaughn, S – Memphis Collierville, TN – Triple ASE Master Technician
Warner, M – Indian River, NY

Further, individual ASE accreditations can contribute to additional distinguishment of their team and location. ASE’s Blue Seal of Excellence is one of the highest accolades within the automotive service industry that classifies a location as an elite business and recognizes it for its industry expertise and service excellence. To achieve Blue Seal status and recognition, at least 75% of a location’s technicians must be ASE certified, and there must be ASE-certified technicians for each area of service performed.

New Blue Seal Locations (Sister brands are specified in parentheses)
Boise, ID
Indian River, NY
Pickerington, OH (Petermann)

Blue Seal Renewals (Sister brands are specified in parentheses)
Everett, WA
Macomb, IL
North Bay, ON, Canada (Stock Transportation)

“As a Company that greatly values and supports the professional development of its team members, I couldn’t be more proud of our maintenance professionals who continue to push themselves to reach new heights with their skills and knowledge,” said Wayne Skinner, Senior Vice President of Maintenance, Durham School Services. “They pride themselves on their expertise and possess a high regard for the responsibility and vital role they play in the safety of the students our buses transport to school every day.”

Skinner continued, “These distinguished individuals, who work behind-the-scenes, are second to none in the industry and are some of the best technicians in the field. Congratulations on your achievements and thank you for your laudable dedication to becoming the best-of-the-best in your craft and industry.”

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence is a non-profit organization that works to improve the quality of vehicle repair and service by testing and certifying automotive professionals. ASE Certified Technicians perform in every part of the automotive service industry.

Durham and its sister brands proudly support our technicians’ ASE certification through our internal ASE Advantage Program. This distinguished program provides free training, bonus incentives, and more for technicians who seek to be ASE certified in various maintenance categories of the transportation industry, including transit, student transportation, automotive, and inventory management. Since the establishment of its ASE Advantage Program in 2019, Durham has significantly increased its number of Certified Technicians, Master Technicians, total company ASE certifications, and Blue Seal locations.

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. For more information visit https://www.durhamschoolservices.com/

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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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