The year’s showcase provides a look at the operations of some of North America’s largest school bus contractors.
2011 Contractor Showcase
These drivers at the Atlantic Express terminal in Staten Island, N.Y., run special-education routes.
Cook-Illinois Corp. transports over 500,000 students and has over 200 district contracts in two states. Its fleet comprises 2,200 school buses. The company head is John Benish Jr. The company's website is www.cookillinois.com.
This mobile museum is part of the Cook-Illinois Clean Air Club. The 45-foot bus runs on biodiesel fuel and teaches children to be environmentally friendly.
Inside the Clean Air Club bus are four interactive exhibits that explain how biodiesel is made and how it helps the environment and students’ health.
Two Durham school bus drivers conduct a pre-trip inspection.
Durham operates in 30 states. Canadian affiliate Stock Transportation operates in two provinces. The company head is John A. Elliot, president and CEO. The company's website is www.durhamschoolservices.com.
First Student Inc., based in Cincinnati, safely transports 6 million students to and from school each day.
Regular fleet maintenance and inspections are essential to ensure the safety and security of all passengers.
Student Transportation Inc. (STI), based in Wall, N.J., says it is proud of its young fleet of vehicles, but is even more proud of the excellent team members who drive the buses safely every day. The company's fleet includes 7,400 school buses, which are used to transport 600,000 students under more than 200 school district contracts.
The company’s sponsorship of events like the Nationwide Tour Championship golf event helps raise money for the STA Education Foundation scholarships that it gives out annually.
The school bus drivers for Atlantic Express Transportation Corp., which is based in Staten Island, N.Y., provide service for 185 school districts.
Atlantic Express operates unique buses with left-side doors along New York City’s one-way streets.
The company transports 260,000 students daily throughout five states in the U.S.
The Atlantic Express fleet comprises a total of 5,781 school vehicles. The company head is Domenic Gatto, CEO and president. Atlantic Express' website is www.atlanticexpress.com.
Cook-Illinois Corp. of Oak Forest, Ill., has more than a dozen subsidiaries in Illinois. Pictured is Kickert School Bus Line, based in Lynwood.
This hybrid school bus, operated by Kickert, is the first in Illinois. Kickert, founded in 1915, is one of America’s oldest family-owned and-operated school bus companies.
Durham School Services, based in Warrenville, Ill., transports students from more than 350 school districts.
The company's goal is to get kids to school safe, on time and ready to learn.
Durham and Stock Transportation operate more than 17,000 school buses combined. This unit is en route in Colorado.
Cincinnati driver Anthony Smith is one of nearly 68,000 team members dedicated to safe and secure transportation.
Each driver must pass more than 50 hours of classroom and behind-the-wheel training before transporting students. Team members like Shelley DeMarchi (left), Lisabeth Gebauer and Garry Canning are well-versed in inclement weather operations.
About one in nine school buses on the roads in North America is operated by First Student. The company's fleet includes 60,000 school buses. First Student has 1,506 school district contracts and operates in 42 states and eight Canadian provinces. The company head is Linda Burtwistle, president. The company's website is www.firststudentinc.com.
First Student’s Jacksonville, Fla., team celebrates School Bus Safety Week 2010.
Despite the winter weather, STI’s staff in Ontario, Canada, finds the time every school year to earn a great reputation for service in the province. In addition to Ontario, Canada, STI operates in 12 states in the U.S.
The highly trained maintenance staff uses state-of-the-art maintenance programs to keep the company’s young fleet performing at its best.
From California to Florida, STI provides alternative fuel solutions to its customers. Pictured is a driver filling up with biofuels.
Here, a driver prepares to fill a bus with compressed natural gas. STI's company head is Denis J. Gallagher, chairman and CEO. The company's website is www.rideSTA.com.