SchoolBus logo in red and orange
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

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.

November 28, 2016
Durham CEO Responds to Chattanooga School Bus Crash

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.

2 min to read


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.

Ad Loading...

“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.

Ad Loading...

“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

Fatal School Bus Accident in New York graphic dated Jan. 29, 2026, showing a close-up of a yellow school bus with cracked-glass overlay and School Bus Fleet logo.
Safetyby StaffFebruary 3, 2026

New York 5-Year-Old Killed by School Bus, Investigation Ongoing

A Rockland County child was struck by their school bus late last week. Here's what we know so far about this and other fatalities and injuries in the area over the years.

Read More →
A red, orange and yellow graphic with anti-pinch door sensor products and text reading "Maine's New Mandate: Anti-Pinch-Sensors & Bus Safety."
Safetyby Elora HaynesJanuary 29, 2026

Prevent School Bus Dragging Incidents: Anti-Pinch Door Sensors and Maine’s New Mandate

As Maine becomes one of the first states to require anti-pinch door sensors on new school buses, manufacturers like Mayser offer a look at how the technology works and why it's a critical fail-safe.

Read More →
SponsoredJanuary 29, 2026

8 Ways To Simplify and Streamline School Bus Fleet Operations

What if your fleet technology actually worked together? Learn eight practical strategies to integrate multiple systems into one platform, unlocking clearer insights, stronger safety standards, and smoother daily operations.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
an illustration of a survey on a mobile phone with a hand on it, and the words Survey Says on it
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseJanuary 28, 2026

Survey: Most Parents Want Automated Enforcement on School Buses

A recent Verra Mobility survey reports that 82% of parents support safety cameras to penalize stop-arm violators and 70% favor automated enforcement in school zones.

Read More →
Image of an extended stop-arm with text reading "School Bus Safety: Funding Provides Bus Upgrades Across Ohio."
Safetyby StaffJanuary 27, 2026

State Grant Program Advances School Bus Safety Upgrades Across Ohio

$10 million in state grants will fund safety upgrades and new features on school buses serving students across the Buckeye State.

Read More →
A white Waymo vehicle waits at a crosswalk as a family crosses.
Safetyby StaffJanuary 26, 2026

Waymo Scrutiny Intensifies as NTSB Launches Investigation

After complications in multiple cities when self-driving taxis failed to stop for school buses, the NTSB joins NHTSA in a probe to determine what's behind the tech and related safety concerns.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Transportant stop arm camera shown on an orange “new product” graphic with School Bus Fleet branding.
SafetyJanuary 20, 2026

Transportant Debuts First Full-Color Stop Arm Camera for School Buses

Transportant introduced a next-generation stop arm camera designed to improve image quality and reliability for documenting illegal school bus passings.

Read More →
SponsoredJanuary 19, 2026

3 New Ways Fleet Software Pays: ROI opportunities for modern fleet managers

Keeping buses safe, reliable, and on schedule requires more than manual processes. This eBook explores how modern fleet software supports school transportation teams with automated maintenance scheduling, smarter video safety tools, and integrated data systems. Discover practical ways fleets are reducing breakdowns, improving safety, and saving valuable staff time.

Read More →
An image of a student with a backpack walking with text reading "Walking School Bus: Grant Fuels Safer Pedestrian Routes to School in New Mexico."
Safetyby Elora HaynesJanuary 15, 2026

New Mexico District Receives $2.7M Grant to Expand Walking School Bus Programs

See how a federal grant will help Albuquerque Public Schools expand supervised walking routes and improve student safety.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Illustration showing a school bus with a standard stop arm and a deployed retractable safety barrier extending across the roadway to block passing vehicles.
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseJanuary 13, 2026

Florida Inventor Creates Retractable 10-Foot Stop-Arm

A newly developed school bus safety device introduces a retractable barrier designed to deter illegal passing during student loading and unloading.

Read More →