Duluth Transit Authority

Public transport agency in the Twin Ports region of Minnesota and Wisconsin

Duluth Transit Authority

Duluth Transit Authority bus in downtown Duluth

Founded| 1969
Headquarters| 2402 W. Michigan Street
Service area| Twin Ports region of Minnesota and Wisconsin
Service type| Bus
Routes| 14
Website| duluthtransit.com

The Duluth Transit Authority (DTA) is the public transit operator in the Twin Ports region of Minnesota and Wisconsin. DTA operates 15 bus routes throughout the region, serving Duluth, Minnesota; Superior, Wisconsin, and their surrounding suburbs. DTA was founded in 1969 by an act of the Minnesota Legislature, and as of 2024, provides over 2.1 million passenger trips per year.[1] In 2009, the DTA was named Transit System of the Year by the Minnesota Public Transit Association.[2]

DTA operates 14 bus routes in the Twin Ports region. Two "GO Line" routes provide frequent, limited-stop service on key corridors, and a shuttle service operates during summers to connect tourist destinations on the Duluth waterfront.

## Routes

[edit]

DTA redesigned its bus network in 2023 under the "Better Bus Blueprint" initiative. Planning began in 2017, and a final draft of the network was unveiled in 2021. Under the Better Bus Blueprint, DTA reallocated resources from its previous network of 33 routes to 14 new routes, with more frequent service on weekdays and expanded weekend service.[3][4] Implementation of the plan was delayed due to issues in retaining bus drivers, compounded by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]

Route  | Terminals  | Via  | Notes

|
|
|

101 Blue Line  | Spirit Valley

Grand Ave & 59th Ave W

| University of Minnesota Duluth

Kirby Plaza

| Downtown Duluth

Duluth Transportation Center

| Go Line routes 101 and 102 operate frequently with limited stops
102 Green Line  | Downtown Duluth

Duluth Transportation Center

| Hermantown

Walmart, Miller Trunk Hwy & Loberg Ave

| Duluth Heights

Miller Hill Mall

103  | New Duluth

Commonwealth Ave & McCuen St

| University of Minnesota Duluth

Kirby Plaza

| Lakeside

E Superior St & N 60th Ave E

104  | Downtown Duluth

Duluth Transportation Center

| E 4th St  |
105  | E 9th St  |
106  | College of St. Scholastica |
107  | Duluth Heights

Miller Hill Mall

| Lake Superior College |
108  | Duluth International Airport | Duluth Heights

Miller Hill Mall

109  | Proctor

N 2nd Ave & 5th St

| Oneota | Express service via I-35
110  | Superior, Wisconsin

Walmart, Tower Ave & N 37th St

|  |
111  | Superior, Wisconsin

Tower Ave & Broadway St

| Itasca, Wisconsin

US-53 & 50th Ave E

| University of Wisconsin–Superior |
112  | Hermantown

Miller Trunk Hwy & Burning Tree Rd

| Woodland

Woodland Park & Ride

| College of St. Scholastica, University of Minnesota Duluth
113  | Downtown Duluth

Duluth Transportation Center

| Park Point

Park Point Recreation Area

|  |
114  | Central Hillside

Skyline Blvd & 8th Ave W

|  |
Port Town Trolley  | Downtown Duluth

Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center

| SS William A. Irvin, Duluth Entertainment Convention Center, Great Lakes Aquarium | Operates seasonally from the first Sunday in June to Labor Day

## Duluth Transportation Center

[edit]

Main article: Duluth Transportation Center

Duluth Transportation Center in 2023

Duluth Transportation Center (DTC) is the downtown hub for the Duluth transit system.

The DTC was built in February 2016,[6] replacing an existing parking ramp. The building was designed by LHB Corporation and constructed by Mortenson Construction.[7]

The DTC has eight docks for boarding buses, with space for layovers. Skyways to nearby buildings were replaced during construction, improving pedestrian access.[7]

## Incidents

[edit]

On September 10, 2021, a 36-year-old bus driver fatally struck a 64-year-old pedestrian near the Miller Hill Mall. She was charged with criminal vehicular homicide; prosecutors alleged she was distracted when she struck the pedestrian.[8][9]

## Ridership

[edit]

Duluth Transit Authority is the Minnesota's third-largest transit system by ridership, after the Metro Transit and University of Minnesota Campus Shuttle systems in Minneapolis–Saint Paul.[10][11]

| Fixed route ridership[12] | Change over previous year

|
|

2005  | 2,684,804 | —
2006  | 2,692,931 | 00.3%
2007  | 2,854,467 | 06.0%
2008  | 3,219,758 | 012.8%
2009  | 3,173,484 | 01.44%
2010  | 3,171,087 | 00.0%
2011  | 3,264,479 | 02.95%
2012  | 3,261,494 | 00.0%
2013  | 3,195,020 | 02.04%
2014  | 3,100,305 | 02.96%
2015  | 3,051,665 | 01.57%
2016  | 2,804,354 | 08.1%
2017  | 2,786,702 | 00.63%
2018  | 2,760,475 | 00.94%
2019  | 2,645,307 | 04.17%
2020  | 1,794,627 | 032.16%
2021  | 1,461,418 | 018.57%
2022  | 1,874,795 | 028.29%
2023  | 2,134,071 | 013.83%

## See also

[edit]

* List of bus transit systems in the United States

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "2023 Annual Agency Profile - Duluth Transit Authority (NTD ID 50025)" (PDF). National Transit Database. Federal Transit Administration. 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
2. ^ "DTA lands award as state's best transit system". Duluth News Tribune. September 24, 2009. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
3. ^ "Duluth Transit Authority eyes better service, mainline buses every 15 minutes". Duluth News Tribune. July 11, 2021. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
4. ^ "DTA System Map" (PDF). Duluth Transit Authority. January 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
5. ^ Nelson, Shelley (August 4, 2023). "Duluth Transit Authority offers more service, but to fewer Superior neighborhoods". Superior Telegram. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
6. ^ "Duluth Transportation Center (DTC) Grand Opening Scheduled for Thursday, February 4th". Duluth Transit. Duluth Transit Authority. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
7. ^ a b Heilig, Jim. "DTA awards Build/Design Contract for Multimodal Center" (PDF). Duluth Transit. Duluth Transit Authority. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
8. ^ Hanger, Dan (December 2, 2021). "DTA Driver Charged In Death Of Pedestrian At Miller Hill Mall". KQDS-TV. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
9. ^ Olsen, Tom (July 11, 2022). "Duluth bus driver placed on probation after fatal crash". Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
10. ^ "2009 Transit System Performance Evaluation". Metropolitan Council. 2009. Archived from the original on May 19, 2010. Retrieved September 30, 2010.
11. ^ Jeremy Mattson (June 2008). "Effects of Rising Gas Prices on Bus Ridership for Small Urban and Rural Transit Systems" (PDF). Small Urban and Rural Transit Center, Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, North Dakota State University. p. 7. Retrieved September 30, 2010.
12. ^ "National Transit Database". Retrieved April 24, 2024.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Duluth Transit Authority.

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