The first week of classes may be done, but the work continues at Orange County Public Schools.

Orange County Public Schools placed a call to student families urging parents to drive their children to their first day of classes Thursday, if they could, in order lessen the local impact of a nationwide bus driver shortage.

Despite months of job fairs and incentives, Randy Wheeler with Osceola County Schools Transportation Services said there are currently 23 bus routes that still do not have drivers.

Lake County Public Schools announced Friday it has reached a tentative agreement with the Service Employees International Union to provide a 6% pay increase for bus drivers and other school services staff.

With the need for bus drivers remaining high, Orange County Public Schools held the first of many summer job fairs Monday at Edgewater High School.

The Osceola School District will hold a job fair to hire 40 more bus drivers and 140 additional bus attendants for the upcoming 2022-23 school year.

Growing student populations and a nationwide shortage of bus drivers is putting school districts across Central Florida under pressure and they’re finding creative ways to try and hire more.

School districts across Central Florida have struggled with a bus driver shortage and the School District of Osceola County is looking to fill positions once again.