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Carter County officials say aging bus fleet, broken equipment hampering service; multi‑year replacement planned
Summary
District staff told the board the transportation fleet is short, older vehicles and broken ground equipment have forced costly repairs and limited service; staff outlined a four‑year replacement plan and imminent bus deliveries.
School transportation staff told the Carter County School Board that an aging bus fleet and broken ground equipment have constrained routes and raised safety concerns, and that the district has a four‑year plan to replace most buses.
At a board meeting, a transportation staff member said the district currently operates about 64 buses but estimates it needs roughly 70–80 to meet demand. The staff member said routine maintenance averages $55,100 per bus per year and noted inspection schedules add costs: “A tier 2 bus that has to be inspected twice a year…$1,500 a time,” producing roughly $3,000 a year in inspection costs for such buses.
The staff member said specific equipment failures are impeding operations. A 18‑year‑old tow motor (forklift) used to unload buses from delivery trucks is failing and has required parts and repeated repairs; staff estimated parts or transmission work can cost about $5,000 per unit. The tow motor’s unreliability has delayed unloading and forced extra labor when deliveries arrive, the staff member said. The transportation staff also described buses with brake fluid loss and recurring mechanical problems that have temporarily taken vehicles out of service.
Board members asked about funding and whether the district could instead purchase replacement ground equipment. The transportation staff said available money has been directed to buying buses and that ‘‘we put every dime we’ve had in buying buses, particularly from our budget.’’ The staff described holding off on major repairs in some cases because several new buses that have been purchased are due to arrive in the coming weeks; the staff said some buses were expected online in about two weeks and that five additional ordered buses should arrive before Martin Luther King Day.
The district’s long‑term plan, according to the transportation staff member, is a phased fleet replacement over four years that would reduce inspection and maintenance costs as older buses are retired. The staff emphasized the program is intended to reduce repeated repair costs and to improve reliability.
Board members and staff did not adopt a formal motion during the discussion, and no vote was recorded on fleet purchases or equipment replacement during the meeting.
