Route Changes Coming for Duluth Transit

DULUTH, MINN. — On August 27th, the Duluth Transit Authority (DTA) starts its new vision for bus transit in the city. Ron Fournier, the General Manager of the DTA bus system said riders will be pleasantly surprised with more frequent, more reliable, and more consistent service. The largest change will be the addition of two routes known as Go lines.

Fournier said, “The Go Lines will go from West Duluth through downtown and up to the University and the Green Line will run from downtown to the Miller Hill Mall area. So two of our highest-used corridors are going to have the highest frequency of service.”

During peak hours, the frequency of the two Go lines will be every 15 minutes. These routes will provide improved access to key spots throughout Duluth including work, school, and shopping spots.

The DTA had planned on bringing its Better Bus Blueprint to the public a year ago. However, between the residual effects of the pandemic and difficulty hiring enough bus drivers, the plan had to be shelved.

“It was delayed over a year due to staffing issues,” said Fournier. “We spent this time recruiting and retaining our current drivers. Through our successful “Your Turn to Drive” events that we’ve held, we’re at a place now where we can confidently go ahead and launch this exciting new service.”

Fournier describes the Go Lines as an entry-level, or first step, for Bus Rapid Transit that’s found In other cities. He’s confident riders will like the changes, once they get used to them.

Over the next two months, signage for the Go Lines will be appearing and information about the changes will be broadly distributed. Already the DTA’s website has a great deal of information on the new service. Seven new buses are being added to the transit fleet. These buses will have a unique look that will make it clear they are part of the Go Line project.