Every morning at 6 a.m., Austin Little checks every button, window and door of his yellow school bus before heading out on his route.

In addition to his full-time job, Austin has been working part time in the Shenendehowa School District for three years. He knows how essential bus drivers are and says he is proud to be a vital part of students day to day.

"Every kid needs to get to school, one way or another. It’s just not feasible for parents to drive their kids everywhere, so we are essential, and no matter what when schools open, we have to be here," Little said.

Across the country, school districts are desperate to fill jobs. According to the National School Transportation Association, 78% of people polled say their bus driver shortage has gotten worse.

The New York Association for Pupil Transportation estimates 15-20% of school bus drivers left their jobs since 2020.

"When the pandemic hit and the school closed, a lot of people retired or didn’t want to do it anymore, because it was a health risk, they thought," Little said.

Austin says the drivers they do have are stepping up and pulling extra routes when needed. Permanent school bus driver pay starts at $22.87 per hour, which the district says is a very competitive rate compared to other schools in the area.

They also have a "test drive a bus" initiative, where people who may be interpreted in becoming drivers can see what it’s like. That’s how Austin got his start in 2019.

From the last test drive event, seven people were hired.