The Macon County’s school activity bus fleet is aging and creating growing concerns about safety, repair costs and the district’s ability to provide long-distance transportation for student groups.
At the most recent, Board of Education meeting, Mike Bale, director of transportation, discussed the condition of the district’s activity buses and warned of increasing risks associated with the vehicles’ age and mileage.
He said the buses average about 126,000 miles, while some have already reached nearly 200,000 miles. The fleet also includes buses from model years 1999-2002.
“At this time, we cannot keep offering the same services that we offer these children without some sort of capital replacement plan,” Bale said. “Until we can come up with that plan, we need to figure out how to minimize costs before something drastic happens.”
Bale proposed a gradual replacement of buses with a new policy that accounts for age and mileage and a plan for fleet upgrades before a bus breaks down.
“The problem now is we don’t have the funding to replace anything we have,” he said.
Aging buses and rising costs
Bale said some of the older Caterpillar engines have a reputation for relatively short service lives around 120,000 miles.
Several buses are already experiencing serious problems. In Highlands, for example, he said one bus could be taken out of service because of severe rust.
At the same time, it is not just repairs that are becoming more expensive. The cost of operating the buses is increasing as well. In September 2025, fuel cost about $2.42 per gallon, compared with $4.03 per gallon in May 2026 — an increase of roughly 66%
The first tank of fuel for an activity bus is paid through the district’s transportation budget. If a trip requires a second tank, the cost is covered by the corresponding student program.
A new activity bus currently costs about $169,000 and he predicted the price could reach approximately $220,000 within two years. At that price, the district might delay bus replacement.
A breakdown far from home
Bale said his greatest concern is the possibility of a breakdown at a distant location.
If a regular yellow school bus breaks down during a normal county route, the transportation department can quickly arrange assistance.
“I can have a spare bus and a mechanic dispatched, and those children can be on the way home safely within 20 minutes,” he said.
The situation is more complicated with activity buses. They are used for athletic competitions and other events that often located far outside the county and even outside the state.
“When an activity bus breaks down, it’s gonna happen at 55 miles an hour on an interstate,” he said.
Outside North Carolina, the district cannot easily rely on its support network. A serious breakdown could require commercial towing companies, local mechanics, a replacement or rescue bus, a hotel for students and chaperones, all on top of repair costs.
As an example, suppose a breakdown occurs in Orlando, approximately 563 miles from Macon County?
“It’s gonna cost you $6,000 to $10,000 to get that bus back home,” Bale said.
Heavy-duty towing can cost $150 to $500 just to hook up the vehicle, followed by a per-mile charge. That rate would be about $16 per mile.
Costs can be higher at night, on weekends or during holidays.
Out-of-network mechanics can cost approximately $120 to $175 per hour. Waiting for parts can create another problem. Sometimes, Bale said, parts can take anywhere from two weeks to a month to arrive.
“I ask myself every weekend, especially when we get to a playoff season, ‘What is your plan when you have a sports team stranded on the side of the interstate at midnight?’ That turns me gray and I lose a lot of sleep over it,” he said.
His daughter is a high school student athlete. He said he does not want transportation problems to force the district to limit opportunities for students.
In his view, the district needs to start looking for solutions now.
Decisions, decisions
Following Bale’s presentation, the board evaluated requests for overnight and out-of-district trips and the state of the busses.
Current requests included trips to student trips Indianapolis and Louisville, a cross-country competition in Spartanburg.
Board Chairman Jim Breedlove expressed serious concerns about distant trips such as Indianapolis and Louisville if the district’s current buses are used. Board member Hilary Wilkes thought the district could consider charter busses.
Ultimately, the board approved the overnight and out-of-district trip requests but planned to evaluate transportation logistics before final approval.
Teacher of the Year
Before addressing transportation concerns, the board began the meeting with a prayer for teachers and staff ahead of the new school year before moving on to recognize Macon County Schools employees.
Meg Mileti received the Teacher of the Year award.
“Ms. Mileti has demonstrated a passion for finding innovative ways to reach students, meet them where they are and help them recognize their potential,” Board member Stephanie Laseter said. “Her purpose is always the children.”
Crystal Parker was named Principal of the Year. She was recognized for her leadership, advocacy and support of students and staff.
“She sets high expectations, not only for those around her, but also for herself, and she approaches her work with a positive attitude that inspires others,” Superintendent Josh Lynch said. “She listens, she supports and she’s willing to speak up when it matters most.”
Mike Arvey received the Support Person of the Year award.
“His campus is beautiful. I would actually eat off of every floor, every evening I walk, that that school has, because of Mr. Mike’s leadership,” Lynch said.
He also recalled seeing Arvey in the hallways with students.
“There were times I would see Mr. Mike in the hall, on his knees, giving a kid just a side arm, just a little conversation, boosting them up to get them started throughout the day.”
Arvey has been nominated for the award multiple times and has also been selected as Support Person of Macon County Schools several times. Lynch described him as someone with a “servant’s heart.”
Heritage Bible Church extension
Casey Wilson, senior pastor at Heritage Bible Church, asked the board to consider another extension, which he said would give the church time to prepare the new facility..
The church, founded in September of last year, rents space at Mountain View Intermediate School, where it holds Sunday services. Wilson said the church continues to search for a permanent location and is nearly finished negotiating for another building.
The board asked him to submit a new application outlining the circumstances he described during public comment.
TruthGirlz proposed as an after-school program
Representatives from Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Center also presented the board with TruthGirlz, a program aimed at middle school-aged girls.
The program is planned for Macon Middle School after classes and would consist of a 90-minute session once a week.
The representatives explained that the program uses a participation and credit system in which greater participation gives students the opportunity to earn more.
Topics planned for discussion include defining beauty, self-perception and other issues important to teenage girls.
The representatives also said volunteers will undergo background checks and parents will sign the necessary releases.
Before final consideration, board asked for examples of the curriculum. The representatives agreed to send the first session and several additional selected lessons for review.
New rules for schools
During the meeting, the schools also presented their handbooks for the 2026-27 school year.
The board approved all of the handbooks presented.
Changes discussed during the meeting included updates to policies regarding artificial intelligence, cell phones, transportation deadlines, school-issued devices, student access to classrooms during non-instructional time and dress code.
The Highlands handbook now includes a ban on pajama pants. “Which is not going to be popular with the middle school or high school kids, but we did add to the dress code no pajama pants,” Sarah Holbrooks said.
The Macon Virtual Academy handbook was updated to reflect restructuring at the district level. The document now applies to students in grades 6-12. References to elementary school were removed, and references to academic programs were updated to reflect the new structure.
The board also approved the 2026-27 list of fees and school meal prices.
