Highlights Latest Sustainability and Electric Vehicle Endeavors
LISLE, IL – Durham School Services continues to solidify its position as an environmentally responsible company with the substantial progress it has made in its sustainability and electric vehicle (EV)-related efforts.
As a leading school transportation provider, Durham School Services understands the impact and responsibility it has in protecting the environment. It has taken numerous actions over the years to help preserve the Earth and pledges to continue to play an active role in creating a greener and healthier future for everyone. The Company aims to have a completely zero-emission school bus fleet by 2035.
In recognition of Earth Day on Saturday, April 22, Durham has highlighted a few of its most recent sustainability efforts below, which include:
- Participating in the United Nation’s Vision 2045 campaign
- Successfully securing the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program grants for our partners
- Expanding our fleet of propane fuel-powered buses, which is a cleaner type of energy source
- Waterbury, CT – 100% propane-powered
- Newtown, PA – Will be completely propane-powered by the end of this year with its new order of 74 buses
- Norwalk, CT – 91% propane-powered
- Recycling and reclaiming parts from retired vehicles through our six Parts Reclamation Center locations to help reduce waste
- Thus far in 2023, we’ve reclaimed 2,399 parts
- 2022 – 7,997 parts
- 2021 – 6,296 parts
On a local level, our service locations have:
- Participated in the Company’s Partners Beyond the Bus (PBTB) community outreach initiative by donating retired vehicles, recycling, Adopt-a-Highway programs, cleaning up parks, and more
- Implementing our Preventative Maintenance Inspections to the highest standards
- Well maintained brake systems reduce fuel consumption and emissions
- Ensuring tires have the proper air pressure increases efficiency and reduces fuel consumption
- Optimizing routes help increase efficiency, reduce mileage, and decrease fuel consumption
- Recycling fluids such as fuel, oil, coolants, freons, and other fluids to reduce additional waste and pollution
- Using environmentally friendly cleaning solutions that do not contain harmful chemicals and replacing paper towels with reusable cleaning cloths
“We are in full anticipation of what’s to come in the near future with the official rollout of the EPA’s grant-funded school bus EVs,” said Gary Waits, CEO of National Express. “It is an exciting time for the Company because we are seeing the amalgamation of our efforts. Even on a local level, our team members are constantly participating in initiatives that contribute to the Company’s sustainability mission. The next 10-15 years for the Company will be monumental because we will be considered one of the few pioneers who positively changed the trajectory of the transportation and EV field. It is history in the making, and I can’t wait to see the results of our tireless efforts.”