Recent incidents involving Durham School Services busing
Special-needs child left alone at bus stop
West Dundee, Illinois, 2011
McFarlan, Emily. “Special needs child left alone at bus stop.” Chicago Sun-Times. 28
October 2011.
A 6-year-old girl with special needs was left wandering her neighborhood after a school
bus driver dropped her off without a parent to pick her up at the bus stop. A neighbor
found her and took her in, according to her father.
Disabled 6th-grader allegedly attacked on a DSS bus
West Dundee, Illinois 2011.
¾ Hitzman, Harry. “Suit: Dist. 300, company negligent in bus attack.” Chicago
Daily Herald. 26 October, 2011.
West Dundee school district and DSS were sued in 2010 after a disabled sixth grade girl
was assaulted on a bus to school. According to the suit, the girl was "kicked, pushed, hit
and otherwise physically assaulted by other students on the bus. At no time was a school
bus attendant provided to the bus in question." The victim’s leg was broken in the attack.
The suit says it was the district's duty to ensure the student was safe and should have
provided a bus attendant because "several of the other students riding that bus had a
history of violence."
11-year-old Sexually Assaulted on School Bus
Beaufort County South Carolina, 2011
¾ Heaton, Rachel. “2 boys, 11, charged in SC girl's assault.” The Herald (Rock Hill,
SC), 6 October, 2011.
¾ Heaton, Rachel. “Girl, 11, assaulted on school bus.” The Herald (Rock Hill, SC),
5 October 2011.
Two middle-school aged boys were charged with pinning down an 11-year-old girl on a
school bus and attempting to kiss and grope her. The victim told police the attack lasted
20 or 30 minutes and that although she screamed for help the driver did nothing to stop
the assault.
Nearly a quarter of all Durham School Services buses taken out of service in
Connecticut for safety violations
Connecticut, 2011
¾ Juliano, Frank. “DMV: 900 buses pulled off road.” Connecticut Post. 14 October,
2011
138 DSS buses were pulled off the road in Connecticut last year after inspections
revealed serious safety hazards. Detailed reports provided in response to a Freedom of
Information Act request from the Connecticut Post show that three Stratford school buses
operated by Durham School Services were pulled off the road in the week before the new
school year began for problems including a cracked frame, a cracked torque arm on a rear
axle, defective heater, broken windshield wipers and a burned out instrument panel light
that is supposed to indicate when the wheelchair lift is in use. The percentage of DSS
buses taken out of service increased from 21% to 24% during the 2010-11 school year.
Student prevents highway crash after DSS bus driver falls asleep at the wheel
Tacoma, WA 2011
¾ Cavazzo, Debbie. “Mount Tahoma senior prevents school bus crash.” The News
Tribune (Tacoma, WA) 8 December, 2011.
A 17-year-old high school student on a DSS bus carrying two dozen other students
averted a crash by waking a driver who had nodded off while driving on the interstate.
The student, seated in the third row, jumped up to grab the driver’s hand when he noticed
the bus swerving toward the median.
School bus aide allegedly beats student with belt
McKinney Texas, 2010
¾ McIlwain, Randy. “McKinney bus driver’s aide accused of hitting student.” NBC
Dallas-Ft. Worth, 20 April, 2010.
A school bus aide employed by Durham School Services was caught on video striking a
10-year-old child with a belt wrapped around his fist.