AUBREY, Texas – Durham School Services and the Aubrey Independent School District have extended their partnership for another five years through 2030. This extension signals the school district’s strong, continued trust and confidence in Durham’s transportation services.

Durham began providing transportation services to the school district over twenty years ago and currently runs 37 routes for the school. Over the last 20+ years, the team has fully integrated itself and became part of the community by participating in and supporting various community outreach events as part of its Partners Beyond the Bus community outreach program. These community outreach efforts include donating to the Aubrey Education Foundation, participating in community parades, and more.

“Aubrey ISD is excited about the expanded partnership with Durham School Services, which brings significant enhancements to student transportation through innovative tracking technology and improved scheduling,” said Eric Hough, Assistant Superintendent, Aubrey Independent School District. “The district is particularly pleased with the new three-tier system, which reduces student wait times, and the addition of RFID tracking that keeps parents informed about their children’s bus activities. With these comprehensive improvements—including enhanced field trip coordination and new activity buses—the district looks forward to providing the smoothest school start possible while continuing to elevate transportation services throughout the contract period.”

“Being able to serve Aubrey ISD the last 20+ years has been honor and we are looking forward to the next five years,” said Regional Manager Brian Gibson, Durham School Services. “The Aubrey team is an exceptional team that always strives to exceed expectations and improve their service to their students and the community. The school district also has the same sentiments and as a result of that, has continued to put their trust and the safety of their students in our hands for over two decades and counting. We truly cherish and are grateful for their unfaltering support and confidence in our team and will continue to provide the safe, reliable service they have trusted and expect.”

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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CUMBERLAND, R.I. – Blackstone Valley Prep (BVP) recently celebrated an electrifying milestone – its fleet of electric school buses surpassed 100,000 miles traveled since hitting the roads last winter. Since its introduction to the community, the new fleet of 24 electric vehicles (EV) has been met with revere and praise for their quiet nature and most importantly, the beneficial impact on the futures of their students and community.

In this major milestone for sustainable student transportation, the 100,000 miles Blackstone Valley Prep’s EV fleet has traveled is a distance that marks more than just mileage. The electric buses have prevented approximately 157,198 kgs of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere thus far, which is equivalent to taking around 33 passenger vehicles off the road for an entire year, based on conversion factors from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As illustrated by the statistics above, it is clear that these EV school buses are creating a healthier and more sustainable future where every mile driven helps reduce harmful emissions and promotes cleaner air in their communities.

Beth Dowd, Director of Operations at Blackstone Valley Prep shared, “We’re so proud to have surpassed 100,000 miles already in the handful of months we’ve been running our electric fleet! We are deeply committed to the well-being of all of our scholars and our entire community, and these numbers are showing us that this effort will make a significant impact over time.”

“Congratulations to BVP for reaching this incredibly impactful milestone. This 100K mile achievement is a testament to the real-world impact electric school buses are having on the environment and the communities they serve,” said Wayne Skinner, Senior Vice President of Fleet & Procurement, Durham School Services. “It is crucial that we recognize these EV milestones and share progress updates and data, which can then be used to support and advocate for state and federal EV funding assistance programs. BVP’s milestone is just one of many more to come, and we hope you’ll join and support us as we continue to advocate for healthier, greener futures for our students and 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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REDFORD, Mich. – Alvin Stokes Jr., bus driver for Durham School Services, has been recognized with an Excellence in Transportation Award for his dedication to going above and beyond in providing excellent service to his students and community.

Stokes initially drove for Durham during the pandemic and recently returned to drive for the company in May of last year. In the nomination submitted by his peer, they noted that Alvin “is very helpful to the students and the parents. He goes above and beyond service. If he sees anything wrong, he makes our company aware of it. He drives his bus very safely and he abides by all the rules and regulations of a bus.”

The Excellence in Transportation Award is peer-nominated and awarded annually. It aims to recognize transportation staff who go above and beyond to demonstrate service excellence, and is presented by Wayne RESA, a regional educational service agency, and the Wayne County Transportation Supervisors Association. One winner from each school district is selected by a committee and the winners are recognized at an Excellence in Transportation Banquet surrounded by peers, family, the school districts, and community members.

“Alvin is a wonderful driver who cares so much about his students and is well-deserving of the Excellence in Transportation Award,” said Melanie Hamilton, General Manager, Durham School Services. “He has a great rapport with his students and has a knack in making jokes and making them laugh, all the while ensuring he gets them to school safely every day. Moreover, he is a team player who never hesitates to lend a helping hand when needed. Our team is incredibly proud of Alvin and grateful to have him back on our team. Congratulations, Alvin, and thank you for always going the extra mile for your students and the 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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SMITHVILLE, Mo. – Six Durham School Services’ maintenance teams in Missouri have been bestowed the Patrol’s Total Fleet Excellence Award by the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) for their commitment to safety. The teams awarded were Central, Kearney, Lawson, Savannah, Smithville, and Pleasant Hill. Notably, the Smithville team has earned this award for the first time after beginning its transportation service to the community just last fall.

Every year, the Missouri State Highway Patrol conducts school bus inspections for every school bus fleet in the state as part of their annual program, which covers a thorough list of inspection areas that includes brakes, crossing control arm, seats, tires, and more. Upon completion of the inspection, if over 90% of the fleet passes the inspection with zero out-of-service defects, they are awarded the Total Fleet Excellence Award, which includes an award sticker that can be displayed on the buses and a certificate.

“Through the incredibly dedicated efforts of our team members, these respective locations were able to receive the Total Fleet Excellence Award from the MSHP in recognition of their commitment to safety,” said Philip McPherson, Regional Maintenance Manager, Durham School Services. “The award, sense of achievement, and prestige that comes with it is much deserved, and I couldn’t be more proud of each team. Congrats to our Central, Kearney, Lawson, Savannah, Smithville, and Pleasant Hill fleet teams and thank you for giving it your all behind the scenes to ensure that students are able to get to school safely, on time, and ready to learn.”

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. –Durham School Services celebrated more growth and expansion with the grand opening of its new bus yard facility in Duval County today, which will serve students from Arlington to the Beaches. Team members, school district transportation staff, and local media attended the event.

“Today was a day to have fun and recognize those who transport our most precious cargo safely, on time, and ready to learn. It was also a chance to recognize the people who keep the buses running. We have been extremely excited about the opening and what it means for our drivers, monitors and community,” said Nicoll Conden, General Manager at Durham School Services.

More than 100 drivers will operate out of the new bus yard. Durham School Services has been part of the Jacksonville area since 2009 and has almost 400 service routes in the Arlington, Southside, Mandarin and Beaches areas. As a dedicated community partner and as part of its Partners Beyond the Bus community outreach program, Durham’s team members have participated in several community events such as Wreaths Across America, back to school events and the city’s Christmas party.

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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