AUSTIN (KXAN) — School districts across Central Texas have struggled to fill bus driver positions over the last few years, but this year many are seeing more people signing up.

In Lake Travis ISD, the district had to make major changes to bus operations with a shortage of drivers last year.

Paula Miller is the director of transportation in the district, she said increasing pay has helped bring back a lot of drivers.

“We have hired 15 new drivers this summer,” Miller said.

Last year the shortage of drivers meant the district had to cut some routes.

The district didn’t offer students living within two miles of a campus transportation and for everyone else they had to offer rides every other week.

“We were able to go back to filling every single seat with the 15 drivers to keep us from having to do the rotations,” said Miller.

One reason why more people have come back is an increase in pay, she said.

“We started at 23 dollars an hour last year and we are up to 25.38 this year, “ Miller said.

That’s for a first-year driver, but with experience, some people can make close to $40 an hour.

“We had some people who came through the last couple of years who said they would come back if the pay was right and this year, they have come back,” Miller said.