Waiting 26 weeks on my first unemployment payment after 18 years as a school bus driver

I was laid off as a school bus driver and filed right away, and I have been certifying every week. Any experience at all would help. The page shows my claim as open but no payment date. Is there a step I could have missed?

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it last year, and it got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.