School transportation provider Durham School Services donated a school bus to California Rural Fire Department in Missouri for use in emergency situational training and extraction drills.

This donation was made as part of Durham School Services’ company-wide Partners Beyond the Bus community outreach program. These bus donations also help repurpose retired, non-electric vehicles from DSS’ fleets, further contributing to the company’s transition to alternative fuel-powered and zero-emission buses. Durham School Services plans to transition to an all-zero-emission fleet across North America by 2035.

The California team has been highly involved with the community for several years. They have held various donation drives, participated in community parades, and during the holiday season, garnered local media attention for their playful Grinch antics around town.

“Our team has been part of the community for many years and are dedicated to providing a helping hand whenever possible,” said DSS General Manager Darrell Knierim. “With safety as our top priority, we know how beneficial this donated bus is to the fire department, and in turn, the community. The safety trainings and drills will further ensure that the firefighters are familiar with the makeup of a school bus in the event that an emergency occurs.”

“This school bus is a valuable tool that isn’t easy to come by often, so this donation is particularly meaningful. It has allowed our team to gain further experience in responding to emergency and extraction situations related to bus incidents,” said Chief Shawn Merrill, California Rural Fire Department. “We are very grateful to Durham School Services for donating the bus to allow our team to become better prepared to keep our students and community safe.”