About Us
Double 3 Transportation is proud to be Fort Atkinson’s locally, family-owned and operated school bus company since 1946
Established in the 1940's by Zeke and Betty Mertsching, the Fort Bus Company has been passed from family to family while maintaining safety, efficiency, and integrity. It wasn't until 1977 that the company name was changed to Double Three Transportation by owner, Wendall Friedel. Just over a decade later the company was taken over by another family member, Tom Friedel in 1989. In 2001, Deke Dullere purchased Double 3 and after his passing in 2018, the company was acquired by his daughter Tracy Heth.
Now the Meske family is at the wheel (2021) and quickly found out that they all have an integral role to play. Patriarch, Steve Meske has worked for Double 3 as a mechanic and school bus driver since 1990 many of which he has spent being a CDL examiner for the surrounding area. Wendy, Steve’s wife joined in 2021 overseeing the financial aspects of the company. Their son's Nathan and Teran have been mechanics and school bus drivers as well and they both work hard at maintaining the fleet of 36 vehicles. Nathan has been with the company since 2005, and he also performs classroom and on the road training for class B CDL licensing. Teran has worked at Double 3 since 2012. The mechanics team stays busy all summer preparing the fleet for passengers and state inspections.
Daughter-in-law, Lacey, has worked for Double 3 since 2022 and holds her school bus license. Lacey handles the heavy tasks that come with assigning routes and keeping everything on-time. Some might start to think driving bus is a requirement to be a Meske! Rest assured, that is not the case, but it just goes to show how dedicated the Meske's are to their new business and how motivated each member of the staff is to operate a successful and ...well-oiled machine.
Since the acquisition in 2021, the Meske's have already upped the game with newer school buses, newer vans, and have installed a new camera system and WiFi on all route buses.
"We are committed to upgrading our fleet to service the Fort Atkinson School District and surrounding area. We are so excited to be a part of such a great community and a local business of Fort Atkinson where Steve and I were born and raised."
​
- Wendy Meske