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Q & A


Incoming CEO of National Express David Duke National Express recently announced the addition of David Duke to the company’s roster as the


new chief executive officer, taking over for John Elliott who recently stepped down after coming out of retirement a couple of years ago to again help lead the organization. As a highlight to our annual contractor’s issue, STN sat down with Duke to discuss an overview of


David Duke


school bus contracting as he sees it. Taking into account lessons from past experience while look- ing ahead to the future of school busing, Duke has essentially spent his entire professional career in transportation contracting, first with Ryder Student Transportation in the 1990s, then as group director of operations and later vice president of operations. He then moved on to become region vice president and senior vice president for Durham School Services before heading back to First- Group America as senior vice president of sales for First Student, First Transit and Vehicle Services. Duke understands full well the importance of his leadership and the need at National Express


operations in the United States and Canada, at Durham School Services and Stock Transportation, respectively, for good employees. “Ours is an important job that carries with it great responsibility and I am proud of the work we


do each day,” said Duke. “To acknowledge the outstanding efforts of our employees, we recently launched our new ‘Enjoy the Ride’ employee recognition and development program. Tis innova- tive program recognizes and rewards employees who act in ways that support our company values both in and outside of the workplace.” He touched on these topics, and more, during our conversation in April.


School Transportation News: How has the economic landscape changed the way National


Express does business? David Duke: We recognize that many school districts are struggling in this tough economy, and


we are working closely with our customers to help them through this challenging time. In light of fuel cost increases, [school budget] funding decreases and [student] enrollment increases, we are working harder to find ways to help control costs without sacrificing quality of service. Whether it’s apply- ing a specific technology or more closely reviewing process improvement or resource management strategies, we will do what it takes to help our customers while remaining committed to transporting students to school safely each day. As an organization, we continue to look internally to tighten cost controls wherever we can, and [we]


have greatly expanded the operations and promotion of our charter business to help as well. Now more than ever, we must effectively educate school districts about the benefits of outsourcing.


By relying on our expertise and resources, districts often can identify savings and create efficiencies in their student transportation operations.


STN: What are some lessons you have learned in the past during your previous time with Durham


that will shape how you run the company? Duke: I realize the importance of maintaining focus for our organization. We recently completed vi-


sioning and values planning which brought our long-term vision into clear view and identified the values that will provide a consistent direction for all employees to follow to achieve that vision. Our values, which support safety, our customers, our people and our communities, guide us in how we interact each day, in all we do, to achieve our vision of earning the lifetime loyalty of our customers. What does earning the lifetime loyalty of our customers mean for our everyday business? It means


more than anything else, we value the safety of our passengers, employees and the community. We place customers at the heart of our business—nobody will try harder for our customers than we do. We enable all of our people to reach their full potential. And our policies and practices will advance the social, environmental and economic conditions in the communities in which we operate. Tis is what we are focused on.


STN: How can contractors partner with school districts to ensure the best level of service? Duke: First, I feel it’s important that both parties establish open, two-way communication which of- fers the opportunity to share essential information and build a relationship based on mutual respect.


42 School Transportation News Magazine June 2011


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