Durham School Services, Smithville celebrate strong school-year start

Durham School Services and the Smithville School District said their latest school year opened smoothly, backed by summer planning, safety training and fleet technology. The partnership, now in its third year, is being framed as a model for reliable student transportation and community support.

Why it matters: - Smooth school-bus operations affect daily attendance, family trust and student safety. - Durham School Services says its work with Smithville School District helped reduce first-day disruption and strengthen reliability heading into the 2026-2027 school year. - The district is also relying on the partnership for community-facing events beyond regular bus service.

What happened: - Durham School Services and Smithville School District marked a successful start to the new school year in Smithville, Missouri. - The two organizations said they prepared for the 2026-2027 school year through summer planning, communication and training. - Smithville School District Executive Director of Operations Justin Collins praised Durham General Manager Andre Richman and his team for the start-up. - Durham General Manager Andre Richman said the team’s work and 100% driver retention rate supported the successful launch.

The details: - Durham and the district aligned on priorities and expectations before school started. - The two sides kept open communication and completed safety and operational training. - Samsara technology installed across Durham’s bus fleet gave the team real-time visibility into fleet operations, safety performance and vehicle tracking during dry runs. - Smart cameras and software helped identify driving trends, support targeted coaching and shape weekly competency-based driver training. - The district said Durham’s summer preparation helped set students, staff and the community up for success on day one. - Durham is in its third year of partnership with the Smithville School District. - Durham said it supports local community events, including the annual homecoming parade and Touch a Bus events. - Durham’s stated values are Safety, Care, Transparency, Communities and Culture.

Between the lines: - The focus on dry runs, coaching and competency-based training suggests Durham is using technology and process discipline to reduce risk before students get on the bus. - The district’s praise points to a partnership built on operational consistency rather than one-time performance. - A 100% driver retention rate signals workforce stability, which can matter in student transportation where familiarity and route reliability reduce friction.

What's next: - Durham and Smithville School District expect to continue the partnership through the school year. - Durham said it plans to keep supporting the district and community with dependable transportation and local events. - The company will likely keep using fleet data and training to maintain safety and service levels.