Twenty-three school bus routes in Boone County have no driver, and the first day of school is four weeks away.

Transportation Coordinator Mark Beach said the district held a walk-in hiring event July 22, to recruit drivers for those open routes before classes begin August 19. Anyone who missed the event can apply online through the Boone County Schools Frontline Recruitment portal at applitrack.com/booneky, which listed eight open transportation positions as of July 22.

The stakes are district-wide. Boone County Schools operates more than 200 buses daily, carrying roughly 17,000 students across Florence, Union, Burlington, Hebron, and surrounding communities.

The pay starts at $21.54 per hour during training, capped at five hours a day while new hires complete their certification, according to Safety and Training Coordinator Helen Cottingim. A 53-year veteran of the transportation department, Cottingim received the Student Transportation Association of Kentucky's Lifetime Service Award in 2025, nominated by Transportation Director Nick Greer.

"I think it's a fantastic job because, as an adult, those that enjoy working with children, this is a perfect job because you drive the bus, you set the tone. You're the boss on the bus," Beach said.

The Wednesday hiring event ran from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Beach said 23 routes remain unfilled; the online portal listed eight transportation postings separately. Families looking for route information ahead of August 19 can check the district's transportation page or contact the department directly.

Classes begin Wednesday, August 19.