Durham CEO Responds to Chattanooga School Bus Crash
In a video statement, David Duke of Durham School Services issues an emotional apology to the families impacted by the crash, in which five students were killed.
In a video statement, David Duke of Durham School Services issued an emotional apology to the families impacted by the Chattanooga school bus crash, in which five students were killed.
In a video statement, David Duke of Durham School Services issued an emotional apology to the families impacted by the Chattanooga school bus crash, in which five students were killed.
The operator of the school bus in last week’s fatal crash in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is cooperating with investigators to determine what happened, the company’s chief executive said.
In a video statement, Durham School Services CEO David Duke issued an emotional apology to the families impacted by the crash, in which six students were killed.
“I can’t fathom the anguish of the parents whose children were involved in this horrific accident, and it involved one of my company’s buses,” Duke said. “Nothing that I can say can take away the pain and the grief for these families. What I can say is that I’m deeply sorry for the children that were taken from their families with so much life before them.”
The leader of the contracting company said that his responsibility now is to look for answers about why the crash occurred and “how we can make sure that this never, ever happens again.”
Duke said that he directed his team to cooperate fully with the investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and local authorities. He said in the statement that he couldn’t elaborate on the details of the crash or the investigations.
In a press briefing in Chattanooga on Wednesday evening, NTSB Chairman Christopher Hart confirmed that Durham has been “very cooperative” with investigators.
Hart said that according to the Motor Carrier Management Information System, Durham was operating on a conditional safety rating beginning in 2007, meaning that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration had found some deficiencies, but those were resolved to the point that the company’s rating was upgraded to satisfactory in August 2015.
“We will be exploring what were the deficiencies and what was done about those deficiencies,” Hart said. “So we’re still in the process of reviewing their operational oversight and crash history.”
Durham is a division of National Express LLC, which is the second-largest school transportation contractor in the U.S. and Canada. The company operates about 21,500 school buses, transporting more than 1 million students for about 500 school districts.
In Chattanooga, Durham provides transportation service for the Hamilton County Department of Education. In a letter to Hamilton Interim Superintendent Dr. Kirk Kelly, Durham pledged to cover funeral costs, medical bills, and other expenses related to the crash.
Watch David Duke’s video statement on the Chattanooga crash below.
More Safety
How a Texas District Built an Award-Winning Safety Culture
Rockwall ISD's Jennifer Gardella joins The Route to share lessons learned on accident prevention, driver training, coaching, technology, and team culture.
Read More →
How Rockwall ISD Built an Award-Winning Safety Culture
How did one Texas transportation team strengthen bus and traffic safety? Jennifer Gardella shares lessons on driver training, coaching, technology, and team culture. The Route is brought to you by IC Bus.
Read More →
North Carolina Student Killed While Boarding School Bus, Two Die in Utah Bus Crash
A Southern Nash High School student died after being struck by a pickup truck while approaching her school bus. In a separate incident, two people were killed after crashing into a school bus in Utah.
Read More →
Minneapolis School Zone Pilot Cuts Speeding 41% with Low-Cost Street Design Changes
In a pilot project in Minnesota, two school-area intersections had low-cost, temporary road and traffic flow improvements made to measure the impact on roadway and student safety. Here's what they found.
Read More →
Sitestream, Safety Vision Partner with Connecticut City to Launch School Bus Stop-Arm Camera Program
The new enforcement initiative combines camera technology and violation management software to document illegal school bus passing, encourage driver compliance, and enhance student safety.
Read More →
From Reactive to Proactive: Making Every Ride Visible
Smart technology only delivers its full value when it works together. See how Catalyst connects proven industry platforms to move student transportation from reactive to proactive.
Read More →
HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud Warns Motorists of Stopped School Buses
Through a transponder or Samsara connection, the product lets school bus fleets send advance warnings to approaching drivers through in-vehicle alerts.
Read More →
HopSkipDrive Reports Progress on Safety Advisory Council
More than a year after forming the council, independent safety experts have helped shape new rider-safety features and policy progress, with a new goal to address rider behavior.
Read More →
What the 2026 National School Bus Safety Month Resolution Means for Student Transportation
The bipartisan resolution highlights illegal school bus passing, student safety during loading and unloading, and the need for driver training and public education.
Read More →
School Bus Stop-Arm Violations Decline 53% Across Verra Mobility Programs
Verra Mobility shares how school bus stop-arm cameras and school zone safety programs are changing driver behavior, reducing violations, and protecting students.
Read More →