Lisle, IL and Boise, ID – Durham School Services, a leader in student transportation, proudly brings industry-leading safety standards to the students of Boise School District. As part of the phased approach to return to in-person learning formed by the district, Durham began safely transporting students as of September 21.
“We are very excited to begin our partnership with Boise School District, and look forward to expanding our operations as Boise Schools advances back into in-person learning,” said Liz Sanchez, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Durham School Services’ West Region. “As their partner and dedicated transportation provider, we are committed to getting students to school safely, on time and ready to learn, and this commitment drives us to create the safest environment for the students that we transport, as well as our team members, particularly during this time.”
While operations have just recently begun, Durham has been preparing to safely transport the students of Boise since the early summer of this year, especially in light of the pandemic. In addition to hiring qualified drivers and staff, conducting extensive safety training, and creating efficient routing plans, Durham has prioritized having in place COVID-19 prevention measures by employing additional safety protocols. These safety protocols have been integrated into their daily operations to meet and exceed the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations.
These protocols consist of screening all team members for COVID-19 related symptoms, which includes temperature checks, prior to the start of their first shift. Additionally, team members are required to wear a face mask unless it causes a safety concern while driving, and buses are cleaned and sanitized twice a day, once before the morning route and again after the afternoon route, with an EPA-approved disinfectant, as well as spot-cleaned throughout the day.
“At Boise School District, we are committed to the health, happiness, and academic excellence of our students, and we take pride in having partners, like Durham, that share the same commitment to our students’ well-being,” said Coby Dennis, Superintendent of Boise School District. “We are confident in Durham’s industry-leading safety standards to help ensure the safe transportation of our students now and in the future.”
Boise School District has created a four-phased return approach to in-person learning. The goal is to have all students back to in-person learning five days a week by phase four. At which point, Durham anticipates a significant increase in ridership, with approximately 6,000 Boise students relying upon student transportation to get to and from school each day.
For more information regarding Durham’s safety protocols and COVID-19 prevention measures, please visit www.nellc.com/schoolsafety.