Durham School Services and Cumberland mark safe school year start

Durham School Services and the Cumberland School Department said they completed a smooth start to the 2026 school year after weeks of planning, safety training and driver refreshers. The 21-year partnership underscores how school transportation providers are leaning on communication and safety to keep routes reliable for students and families.

Why it matters: - Safe, reliable student transportation is essential to keeping schools running on time and families confident in daily service. - The Cumberland School Department and Durham School Services said their 21-year partnership helped deliver a strong start to the school year. - The district highlighted proactive communication and problem-solving as key to protecting student access to transportation.

What happened: - Durham School Services and the Cumberland School Department said they celebrated another successful start-up for the new school year in Cumberland, Rhode Island. - The two organizations completed start-up meetings, safety training and driver refresher courses before the first day of school. - Mark Dumont, general manager at Durham School Services, said the result reflected the relationship built on open communication, collaboration and a shared commitment to student safety. - Tracy Walton, transportation coordinator for the Cumberland School Department, said she works closely with Dumont and that both sides approach transportation with safety top of mind. - Dr. Philip Thornton, superintendent of schools for the Cumberland School Department, said the district values Durham’s drivers, monitors, staff and leadership team for prioritizing student safety.

The details: - Durham School Services said its student transportation history dates back to 1917. - The company said its service model is built around proactive communication, teamwork and elevated safety standards. - Dumont said a strong start requires planning, communication, partnership and a shared commitment to the well-being of students and families. - Dumont said early and frequent communication, review of details and quick adjustments help keep the district informed and build trust with district leaders and families. - Thornton said the district’s success over the years has come from proactive problem-solving and continuous communication. - Durham also said it supports local Touch-a-Truck and Ride-Along events with an iconic yellow bus for children to explore and ride. - Durham said it has donated buses to help transport children for community events and seasonal activities such as Halloween celebrations. - The company said those community efforts help strengthen ties and support a trusted provider relationship with the district and families.

Between the lines: - The partnership appears to be as much about operational discipline as it is about transportation contracts. - Durham is using community visibility, not just school routes, to reinforce its role as a local partner. - The repeated focus on communication suggests school transportation reliability depends heavily on coordination before and during the school year.

What’s next: - Durham said it expects to continue its legacy of providing excellent service in Cumberland. - The district and Durham indicated they will keep relying on frequent communication and coordinated planning throughout the year. - Durham said it will continue community events and local engagement alongside daily student transportation.

The bottom line: - Cumberland and Durham are presenting their long-running partnership as a model for how schools can pair safety, planning and communication to deliver dependable student transportation.