Durham School Services

This past St. Patrick’s Day, our Stratford, CT location took the opportunity to have a bit of fun with their team members. While no one was looking, a pair of ‘leprechauns’ boarded each bus to hide a few of their gold coins for our drivers to find. Once found, every driver had the opportunity to trade in their coins for some cool prizes. We’re definitely lucky to have such a fun crew in Stratford, CT!

As part of Distracted Driving Awareness Month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has created the campaign “Put the Phone Away or Pay”, which starts today, April 7th through April 14th. The campaign aims to “remind drivers of the deadly dangers and legal consequences of distracted driving”. As shared by NHTSA, 3308 fatalities occurred in 2022 and an estimated additional 289,310 people were injured in vehicle collisions involving distracted drivers. During the campaign week, drivers may see increased law enforcement on the roads in efforts to curb unsafe, distracting behaviors while driving. Together, let’s take the pledge to #JustDrive so that we can keep our students, families, and communities safe. #KeepEachOtherSafe. #JustDrive #DDAM

General Manager Rudy Ramirez proudly recognized his dedicated team members for their outstanding performance with Safety Awards Jackets and pins. Awesome job, Calabasas and thank you for your dedication to safety!

We’re lucky to have a community partner like the Thom McNamee Memorial Foundation! Every year, the foundation hosts their annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and donates 100% of the proceeds to non-profits that support their surrounding communities. As a Partner Beyond the Bus, our team in Carpentersville, IL, proudly participated in the event with a beautifully decorated bus and amazingly dressed team members! Throughout the parade, we passed out more than 200 hiring flyers and bags of Skittles.

According to the National Safety Council, on average, distracted driving causes nine fatalities per day! Did you know that there are three main types of distractions? They are visual, manual, and cognitive. • Visual distractions, such as looking at your cellphone, take your eyes off the road. • Manual distractions, such as eating or drinking, take your hands off the wheel. • Cognitive distractions, such as replying to a text, take your mind off of driving. Driving safely and staying focused should always be your first priority. When you’re behind the wheel, your only job is to drive. #JustDrive #KeepEachOtherSafe #DDAM Learn more here: https://ow.ly/b5M550VttP7?

As part of our community outreach program, Partner Beyond the Bus, our Hutchinson, KS team donated funds to support Hutchinson Public Schools’ activity bus wrapping project. The first of the two buses was revealed recently. Both buses will be used to transport students to and from sports events and activities. The bus wrap design was created by Hutchinson Public Schools High School students and features the school’s logo and signature colors to represent school pride. “Our school district is fortunate to have such a strong partner in Durham School Services. When Durham’s General Manager Michael Simmons approached us with the idea, my mind immediately went to our students and how we could involve them. Our students are riding in style and can take pride in the work they've put out into the community. We appreciate Durham School Services and their longstanding commitment to students in USD 308.” -Stacy Goss, Director of Communications, Marketing & Public Relations, USD 308 Hutchinson Public Schools. https://bit.ly/42gDhEW

A huge shout-out is in order for our dedicated maintenance team in McKinney, TX! As an amazing way to start the year, the team was ranked number one within our organization for their top-notch performance in January. As part of a company-wide maintenance recognition program, McKinney achieved outstanding results, including perfect scores across multiple fields. Keep up the great work! 🎊

Nothing shines brighter than a pot of gold – except for a bright yellow school bus cleaned and parade-ready! Adorned with shamrocks, balloons, garland and a leprechaun, our bus dazzled during the Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Lake Villa, IL. A big shamrock shout-out to our team and their families participating in the event.

Today marks the start of Distracted Driving Awareness Month, an initiative observed annually by the National Safety Council (NSC) that aims to bring awareness surrounding the dangers of distracted driving, especially while using a cell phone to text, talk, or browse social media. As a Company committed to safety that enforces a strict zero tolerance policy on cell phone usage while operating our vehicles, we understand the importance of focused driving and fully support the NSC’s initiative. Throughout this month, to help create greater awareness about distracted driving, we will share helpful resources, tips, and statistics from the National Safety Council and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration As we share these tips and resources, we encourage you to reshare this information with those around you. Together, let’s #JustDrive so that we can #KeepEachOtherSafe. #DDAM https://ow.ly/Bkyp50VsmHt

Our team in Cumberland, RI had quite the busy morning today preparing for their April Fool’s prank. Safety Supervisor Jackie Farrar, who was on the receiving end of the prank, was met with a balloon-filled office and was all smiles when she realized what day it was. How fun!