Durham School Services recently began serving Peach County Schools in Fort Valley, Ga., which officials said is the company’s first contract in the state.

The agreement is a five and a half year contract, and with it, Durham now operates in 32 states.

“The new service has been running smoothly, with school buses making their stops on time and remaining free of incidents,” Durham Regional Manager Dave Brabender said. “We’re excited to be part of the community.”

Durham operates 38 school bus routes in Peach County, transporting 3,500 students daily to six schools. The entire fleet is equipped with Zonar GPS and EVIR systems to improve communications, route efficiencies and fuel savings.

Officials said the company also has four new buses on order at Blue Bird.

“The school district has been a great partner in enabling us to get the service up to speed in a short turnaround time,” Brabender said. “The district staff has been rehired, and we have more drivers in behind‐the‐wheel training to expand our team.”

He went on to say that Durham’s No. 1 priority is the safety of the students the company transports, and “that’s a responsibility we could not take more seriously. We work hard to give school districts and parents peace of mind.”

Other news on Durham School Services:

• Durham wins Wash., Ore. contracts

• Durham awarded 3-year contract