Durham School Services - Keeping Students Safe On The Road
When it comes to getting young people to their learning places, one name that often comes up is Durham School Services. This group, you see, is a big part of National Express School, which is pretty much the most seasoned student transport business across the United States. They've been around for quite a while, and it's almost like they know a thing or two about moving students from one spot to another with care.
For a hundred years, this company has had one main aim: making sure students get to and from school both safely and without too much fuss. They have practices that are well-tested for how they run things and how they look after their vehicles, which, you know, can really help make the most of a rather valuable asset. It's about more than just driving; it's about making sure the journey is as smooth as possible, basically.
Beyond their daily work of moving children, Durham School Services is also, in a way, showing itself to be a company that cares about the planet. They've made some good headway with their efforts to be more sustainable and by bringing in electric vehicles. This kind of dedication really helps them keep their spot as a responsible business, and that, too, is a big part of their story.
Table of Contents
- What Makes Durham School Services a Go-To Choice for Schools?
- A Century of Caring - The History of Durham School Services
- Thinking Green - Durham School Services and the Environment
- Where Can You Find Durham School Services at Work?
- Keeping Tabs - Technology and Durham School Services
- Working with Durham School Services - What's It Like?
- What Do People Say About Durham School Services?
What Makes Durham School Services a Go-To Choice for Schools?
You might wonder what makes Durham School Services stand out for so many school systems across the country. Well, for one thing, they are the initial and largest student travel brand that belongs to National Express School. This means they come with a lot of know-how and a wide reach. They're based in Lisle, Illinois, and they currently run their services in thirty-two different states. That's a pretty broad area, in some respects. Their experience, coupled with their sheer size, makes them a significant player in the field of student transport, giving schools a reliable partner, you know?
They've been around for a very long time, focusing on one thing: getting students where they need to go, both safely and in a timely manner. This single-minded approach has, apparently, helped them refine their ways of doing things over the years. They have a reputation for proven ways of working and keeping up their vehicles, which, honestly, helps schools make the most of what can be a very pricey investment. It's about making sure those big yellow buses are always in top shape and ready for their important task, which is quite a lot to consider.
How does Durham School Services keep kids safe and on time?
The core of what Durham School Services does is built around safety. They truly believe that keeping students safe is the most important thing. Parents, after all, hand over their most valued possessions—their children—to them every school day. This is a big trust, and it's one they don't take lightly. Their goal, as they often say, is getting students to school safely, on time, and prepared to learn. That's a mission they live by, and it's quite clear in how they operate, really.
For example, in places like McKinney ISD, they work closely with the school system to make sure students get to their classes in a secure and timely fashion, ready for their lessons each day. They manage a lot of routes, like eighty-four regular ones, plus extra trips, using a fleet of one hundred fifty-five buses. This kind of detailed planning and careful execution is how they handle the everyday task of moving so many young people. It's a massive undertaking, and they seem to do it with a great deal of care, as a matter of fact.
Now, sometimes things change. For instance, the Ames Community School District recently decided to go with a new bus company, which meant that Durham School Services had to let go of their staff there. The Ames district chose First Student for their transport needs instead. While this kind of shift can happen in business, it doesn't really change the main focus Durham School Services has on their overall approach to student safety and reliable service in all the other places they work. They just keep on doing what they do, in a way, focusing on their core mission.
A Century of Caring - The History of Durham School Services
Thinking about how long Durham School Services has been around is pretty interesting. They first started way back in nineteen seventeen. That means they've been in the business of school bus operations for over one hundred years. Imagine that: a whole century of helping students get to their learning spots. It's quite a long stretch of time, isn't it? From their beginnings, they've grown into a major provider of tendered pupil transport across the United States. They've really seen a lot of changes over those years, and yet, their main purpose has remained the same.
This long history means they've built up a lot of experience and knowledge about what it takes to run a student transportation service. They've learned how to adapt, how to grow, and how to keep their focus on what truly matters: the well-being of the students they serve. It's not just about driving a bus; it's about being a consistent and trustworthy presence in communities for generations. That, honestly, is a pretty remarkable thing for any business to achieve, wouldn't you say?
Thinking Green - Durham School Services and the Environment
It's pretty clear that businesses today have a role to play in looking after our planet, and Durham School Services is, in some respects, taking that seriously. They've been making real strides in their efforts to be more environmentally responsible. This includes working on their sustainability plans and bringing in more electric vehicles to their fleet. It's a way for them to show they care about more than just getting kids to school; they also care about the world those kids will grow up in, which is a good thing.
Their progress in this area is something they talk about, and it shows a commitment to reducing their footprint on the environment. Moving towards electric buses, for example, means fewer fumes and a quieter ride, which is better for everyone. It's a step towards a cleaner future, and it's something that more and more companies are, quite frankly, trying to do. So, it's not just about the daily routes; it's also about making choices that have a positive effect on the bigger picture, you know?
Where Can You Find Durham School Services at Work?
If you're wondering where Durham School Services operates, their main office is in Lisle, Illinois, at 2601 Navistar Drive. But their work stretches far beyond that one spot. They currently provide contracted student transport services in thirty-two different states all over the United States. That's a lot of ground to cover, and it shows just how widely they're involved in school systems across the nation, basically. You might find them in your own community, or perhaps in a nearby one, doing their daily rounds.
For instance, they handle all the transport services for Lake Villa School District #41. And as mentioned earlier, they team up with McKinney ISD to get students to school safely and on time. These are just a couple of examples of the many places where Durham School Services is actively providing their services. They have locations listed by state, and it appears they have a presence in places like Texas, where they generally receive a decent rating, which is quite interesting.
Is Durham School Services part of a bigger family?
Yes, Durham School Services is indeed part of a larger group. They belong to the school division of National Express LLC, often called NELLC. This means they are connected to a bigger network of transportation companies. You might even know some of the other local names that operate under this larger umbrella. These include Stock Transportation, Petermann, Matthews Bus, Septran, Smith Bus, White Plains, Trinity Transportation, Monroe School Transportation, and Quality. So, while you might see a bus with "Durham School Services" on it, it's actually part of a much broader family of transport providers, which is pretty cool.
This connection to a larger organization, in a way, gives them a lot of backing and resources. It means they can draw on the collective experience and capabilities of diverse teams that make up National Express and its related companies. It's like being part of a big, supportive group that all share the same goal of moving people safely and efficiently. That kind of support can be very helpful for a company that deals with such important daily tasks, you know?
Keeping Tabs - Technology and Durham School Services
In today's world, everyone wants to know where things are, especially when it comes to their children. Durham School Services understands this, and that's why they offer ways for parents to keep track of their student's bus. They've made available a bus tracking application called BusZone. This new app, apparently, takes the place of their older Durham Bus Tracker app. It's a simple and secure way for you to check in almost real-time to see where the school bus is.
This means you can get current bus location information, along with the planned and estimated times for the bus to arrive at your stop. It gives parents a bit more peace of mind, knowing they can quickly check on their child's ride. It's a helpful tool that shows how Durham School Services is trying to use modern solutions to make things easier and more transparent for the families they serve. It's just a little bit of extra reassurance, which can mean a lot to parents, truly.
Working with Durham School Services - What's It Like?
If you're curious about what it's like to work for Durham School Services, there are quite a few job opportunities available. You can find listings for positions near you. The average hourly pay can vary quite a bit, from around $11.64 per hour for a bus aide to about $42.43 per hour for an implementation consultant. This range shows the different kinds of roles that exist within the company, from those directly on the buses to those helping with bigger projects, you know?
The company has a significant number of people working for it. Their corporate office, located in Lisle, Illinois, has 8,476 employees. This makes them a very large employer in the transportation sector. You can even browse their office locations and see where they operate by state. It gives you a sense of the scale of their operations and the many individuals who contribute to getting students to school every day. It's a pretty big team, basically.
What Do People Say About Durham School Services?
People interact with Durham School Services in various ways, and you can see some of that interaction online. For instance, they have a social media presence where they've received over five thousand likes and had hundreds of conversations happening. This shows that people are engaging with the company and talking about their services, which is quite interesting. It gives a glimpse into the public's perception and their level of engagement with the brand, so.
A major part of what people say often revolves around the trust parents place in them. As the company itself states, parents hand over their most precious possessions—their children—to them. This is a responsibility they take very seriously. The fact that they've been doing this for so long, and continue to operate in so many places, suggests that many families and school districts feel comfortable with their services. It's all about that daily commitment to getting students where they need to be, safely and ready to learn, and that, too, is a very important part of their story.

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