(NewsNation) — Post-Labor Day, most American students are returning to school, but in many communities, physically getting kids to and from school remains a challenge that has some parents stepping in.

San Diego father Rick Daynes became a bus driver for his son’s school.

“I’m providing a service to my community, the benefits aren’t bad, and it’s a lot of fun,” Daynes said.

For Daynes, one major benefit is getting to spend more time with his son, a special-needs 10-year-old named Eli.

As a parent, Daynes experienced the bus crisis in his district firsthand, so he became part of the solution. His flexible work schedule in sales allowed him to lend a hand.

“When I signed up, I thought I’m just going to do it in the morning. And I did it in the morning and then I just loved it so much I said, I can get free for two hours in the afternoon and drive them home. No problem,” Daynes explained.

But bus transportation remains a big problem for school districts across the country as they grapple with a shortage of drivers.

A new school year means new math to figure out how to transport just as many kids with far fewer drivers.

While the crisis has some parents adjusting their careers to literally take the wheel, another helpful hack has been used in Philadelphia, where parents are being paid to drive their own vehicles.

It’s called the flat-rate program, and it pays parents $300 a month to transport their own kids to and from school.

The district told NewsNation it has eased demands for bus service.

“Say your child goes to a school or attends a school that’s on your way to work, it’s a win-win. You can drop off the student, and then get paid, have a supplemental income for your family once a month,” said spokesperson Monique Braxton.

The driver shortage is everywhere, with an estimated 92% of school leaders reporting constraints as a result.

As with other districts, Louisville, Kentucky, is short hundreds of drivers, so a re-designed schedule debuted last month after the district realized kids were getting home extremely late due to inefficient routes.

The Jefferson County district in Kentucky canceled and adjusted routes due to the driver shortage but it was a logistical disaster, with some kids getting home at 10 p.m.

According to one parent, her child was covered in urine when they arrived home.

The district superintendent apologized to parents, citing a learning curve when implementing the new plan.

“We’ve essentially done door-to-door service over the past few decades and we want students to be close to their home when they get off at a bus stop, but we just can’t sustain that anymore,” said Superintendent Marty Pollio.

Factors leading to the driver shortage include the pandemic and older drivers retiring. Low pay is also a contributor, with drivers often making less than $21 an hour. Some districts have hundreds of openings, but people can make more money driving for companies like Amazon.

Many believe the bus crisis is adding to another crisis of absenteeism. Last year, millions of public school kids qualified as chronically absent, which is defined as missing at least 10% of the school year.

But Daynes believes a quick fix is already available within most communities.

“I think a lot of times when we have community issues people look to someone else to solve the problem. For me, why not look inside and just do it myself? Why can’t I be the solution? Why can’t everyone just chip in and be the solution?” he said.