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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 8, 2005
DURHAM SCHOOL SERVICES LAUNCHES DRIVE WITH PRIDE CAMPAIGN HIGHLIGHTING DRIVER SELECTION, SAFETY TRAINING
Durham School Services today announced its back-to-school campaign for the 2005-2006 school year. Durham’s stringent safety training and school bus driver selection requirements are highlighted with the theme, Drive with Pride!
“We are confident we have the best drivers on the road today,” said John A. Elliott, Durham’s President and CEO. “While we never waver on teaching and promoting student safety, we also believe it’s very important students, parents, and our customers know we do everything possible to hire and keep highly qualified people to drive our students.”
Two years ago, Durham had an overwhelmingly positive response to the introduction of the company’s black Labrador retriever mascot, Pride. Pride is now an integral part of the company’s safety culture using teaching tools and campaigns to teach students to Ride with Pride!
“If you are teaching safety rules or have the latest equipment and technology but don’t have the best people behind the wheel, there is not a comprehensive transportation program in place,” said Bob Ramsdell, vice president of safety education and development for Durham. “Our success has been based on having more training for drivers than even the states require and strict hiring guidelines,” he said. “When you take the number of teaching tools and awareness campaigns we use to teach students and add Durham’s policies for hiring drivers and the maintenance practices —everyone working together—you get Durham, a provider which delivers the safest and highest quality transportation services.”
Please click here to see the guidelines and training Durham uses to get kids to school safe, on time, and ready to learn…every day and Drive with Pride!
Please click here to see the Pride Power! School Bus Safety Rules.
As part of the campaign, Durham urges general motorists to also Drive with Pride! As you begin to see more school buses on the road, please remember to stop for the bus when the red lights are flashing—this means students are loading or unloading the school bus.Adhering to this law can prevent a serious injury or fatality. Also, while school buses are 172 times safer than other vehicles used to take children to and from school, the majority of serious accidents occur when children are in the Danger Zone—anywhere within 10 feet of the bus. It is imperative that children remember to take five giant steps ahead before crossing in front of the bus, stay three giant steps away from the sides, and never walk behind the school bus. For fun, educational school bus safety games, visit the “Kids Zone" on our website.
Durham School Services has more than 50 years experience in student transportation and currently delivers more than 250,000 students to school each day safe, on time and ready to learn…every day in more than 275 school districts across the countr
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