Your Fit for This Role
Think about that number: 23 routes. Each one represents a neighborhood full of kids who need a reliable driver to get to school and back home safely every day. For Boone County Schools, filling those seats before August 19 isn't a staffing footnote — it's the whole assignment right now.
Transportation Coordinator Mark Beach frames the job in a way that might surprise people who've never thought about it. The driver is the authority on board. The tone of the morning — calm or chaotic — starts with the person holding the wheel. That's a real responsibility, and for people who thrive around kids, it's also a real opportunity.
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.Mark Beach, Transportation Coordinator
How to Become a Boone County Bus Driver
- Attend the Hiring Event — The event runs 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Boone County School District. Show up in person to meet the transportation team and start your application.
- Start Paid Training — Once you're in the pipeline, training pays $21.54 an hour, capped at five hours a day. You earn while you learn — no commercial license required upfront.
- Get Behind the Wheel — With training complete, you'll take on one of 23 open routes before school opens August 19. You'll be part of a fleet moving 17,000 kids across Boone County every school day.
- Build Something That Lasts — Safety and Training Coordinator Helen Cottingim has been with the district more than 50 years. She's driven three generations of families — and still runs into former passengers who remember her.
Helen Cottingim has seen a lot change in Boone County over five decades. The district has grown, the routes have multiplied, and the buses have gotten more sophisticated. What hasn't changed, she says, is the relationship between a driver and their kids. You become part of their routine — and they become part of yours.
Cottingim's story is a window into what this job can become. It starts with training and a route. It can end with a career that spans multiple generations of the same family riding your bus.
I transported three generations of children, so I know I had an impact on them. I hope it was positive. You know, I'll be out somewhere and run into somebody and say, 'Oh, that's my old bus driver,' and I say, 'Do you have to say that.'Helen Cottingim, Safety and Training Coordinator for Boone County Schools
How Much Do You Know About School Bus Driving?
Four questions. Test what you think you know — then see the real numbers.
How many school bus routes does Boone County need to fill before August 19?
- 8 routes — The actual number is nearly triple that. Boone County has 23 vacant routes — enough of a gap that the district is holding a dedicated hiring event to address it.
- 23 routes — Correct. Twenty-three open routes is a significant staffing challenge, especially with school starting August 19. Each unfilled route represents a neighborhood of kids without a driver.
- 45 routes — The number is 23 — still a serious shortage, but not quite that large. The district runs more than 200 buses total, so 23 vacancies represent a meaningful percentage of the fleet.
- The district hasn't said — Transportation Coordinator Mark Beach put the number on record: 23 routes need drivers before school opens on August 19.
Roughly how many miles do Boone County school buses log in a single school year?
- Around 500,000 miles — The real figure is four times higher. Boone County buses travel more than two million miles every school year — a number that reflects just how spread out the district's routes are.
- About one million miles — Close in scale, but the actual figure is more than two million miles per year. That's the combined total for a fleet of more than 200 buses carrying 17,000 students daily.
- More than two million miles — Right. More than two million miles every school year — which helps explain why finding and keeping reliable drivers is so critical to the district's daily operations.
- Somewhere around five million miles — The number is more than two million miles. Still an enormous figure for a single school district, driven by 200-plus buses running routes for 17,000 students every day.
What does Boone County pay bus drivers during their training period?
- Minimum wage only — The training wage is above minimum wage. Boone County pays $21.54 an hour during training, capped at five hours a day — so new drivers are earning while they learn the routes.
- $21.54 an hour, up to five hours a day — Correct. Safety and Training Coordinator Helen Cottingim specifically named paid training as one of the job's key benefits — you don't have to invest time without compensation.
- No pay during training — Boone County does pay during training — $21.54 an hour, for up to five hours a day. Cottingim highlighted this as a meaningful benefit for people considering the role.
- $15.00 an hour with no cap — The actual rate is $21.54 an hour, and shifts during training are capped at five hours per day. That structure gives new drivers a manageable ramp-up period with real pay.
Helen Cottingim has been with Boone County Schools for how long?
- About 20 years — Cottingim's tenure is more than double that. She has been with the district for more than 50 years — long enough to have transported three generations of families on her routes.
- More than 50 years — Correct. More than five decades with the same district. Cottingim's career is a testament to how meaningful — and lasting — a school bus driving career can become.
- Around 30 years — Cottingim has been with Boone County for more than 50 years. That longevity — and the three generations of students she's transported — is what makes her perspective on the job so credible.
- The article doesn't specify — The article is specific: Cottingim has been with the district for more than 50 years, and she now serves as Safety and Training Coordinator, shaping how new drivers learn the job.
Is the Pay Competitive? Context for Job Seekers
| Boone County Training Pay | Ohio Unemployment Rate | National Unemployment Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key Figure | $21.54/hr during training | 3.6% (June 2026) | 4.2% (June 2026) |
| What It Signals | Paid training, up to 5 hrs/day | Tight labor market in Ohio | Hiring event reflects national driver shortage |
Ohio's unemployment rate sits at 3.6% — a tight labor market where employers across every sector are competing for workers. That context matters for Boone County Schools: filling 23 routes isn't just a scheduling challenge, it's a recruiting challenge in an economy where workers have options.
The district's decision to pay $21.54 an hour during training — before a new driver has even taken their first solo route — is a signal of how seriously they're taking the shortage. With school starting August 19, every week between now and then counts.
Ready to Apply? Here's What to Know
- Hiring Event Hours: Wednesday, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Boone County School District. Show up in person to meet the transportation team.
- Paid Training: $21.54 an hour during training, not to exceed five hours a day. You're compensated from day one of the process.
- What You'll Be Part Of: A fleet of 200-plus buses carrying 17,000 students across Boone County every school day — more than two million miles each school year.
- If You Miss the Event: You can find Boone County Schools bus driver listings online through the district's job postings page. The need is ongoing — 23 routes must be filled before August 19.
Why Is There a Bus Driver Shortage?
Boone County isn't alone. School districts across the country have been dealing with bus driver shortages since the pandemic disrupted the transportation workforce. Commercial driver's license requirements, split-shift schedules, and starting pay have historically made recruiting difficult.
What Boone County is doing — hosting a dedicated in-person hiring event and leading with paid training at $21.54 an hour — reflects the approach districts are taking to compete in a tight labor market where Ohio's unemployment rate sits at just 3.6%. The August 19 school start date creates a hard deadline that makes the urgency real.