At Durham School Services in Grayslake, Illinois, family runs deeper than the bright yellow paint on the school buses. For Operations Supervisor Robin Johnson, seeing multiple members of one family working side by side is a reminder of what the company values most: community, teamwork, and dedication to students. 

“Supervising multiple members of the same family, really, is no different than supervising anyone else,” Johnson said. “Each driver is accountable for themselves. Durham is about family, community, and our commitment to our students and schools. Having multiple members of the same family working in the same facility only strengthens the bond we share for family, friends, and our community.” 

For Lisa Wikman, who joined Durham School Services in 2002, driving a school bus has always been a family affair. When her children were young, she would bring them along on her routes, where they would ride, play, and chat with the students she transported.  

Decades later, her daughters Brooke and Bethany followed in her footsteps — Brooke joining in 2023 and Bethany in July 2025. Today, all three drive routes for the same school, sharing the same purpose their mother instilled 27 years ago. 

“Lisa brings knowledge and experience with her years of service, and we are glad that her daughters wanted to join the journey with Durham,” Johnson said. 

Teamwork on and off the Route 

At Durham School Services, the Wikmans say working together has created a strong foundation of understanding and encouragement. 

The trio agrees that one of the best parts of working together is the support system it creates. “We can talk to each other about challenges and understand where each other is coming from,” the group shared. “Being able to bounce ideas and techniques off of one another to help each other in our roles.” 

Lisa notes that the flexibility of the job has always made it a perfect fit for family life. “Having the summers off works really well because you have time to spend with your children,” Lisa said. “You can also bring your child/grandchild to work. I also like the flexibility of having nights, weekends, and holidays off.” 

Meanwhile, Bethany loves working with preschoolers: “Their faces light up when I say good morning, and they always have some story to tell.” 

The Rewards and Realities of Working with Family 

Lisa emphasizes that having family members in the same career means having people who truly understand the challenges and rewards of the job. “It gives me someone to talk to who understands the industry,” she said. 

Johnson added that, from a supervisor’s perspective, families bring added reliability and accountability.  

“When you have one great team member who then recommends a family member to join the team, you can rest assured that they will also do well and possess a similar sense of dedication,” Johnson said. “Having families within our work family is very special and helps to strengthen our bond and teamwork overall.” 

In terms of memorable moments, one stands out most for Lisa — when Brooke and Bethany both passed their CDL tests and earned their first routes, which happened to be with the same school she works for. For Brooke and Bethany, the achievement was a major highlight: “Working toward obtaining our CDL and having mom cheer us on.”  

For families thinking about joining the school transportation industry together, Lisa recommends setting clear boundaries. 

“When at work, treat family as co-workers. Personal life stays separate. Knowing that the person you bring on board is dependable and has a good work ethic is a great benefit to working with family,” Lisa said. 

Her daughters agree. 

“Always stay professional and appreciate how special the chance is to work with family,” they said.