Duluth Transit Authority
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. In 2009, the DTA was named Transit System of the Year by the Minnesota Public Transit Association.
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
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. Implementation of the plan was delayed due to issues in retaining bus drivers, compounded by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Duluth Transportation Center
Duluth Transportation Center (DTC) is the downtown hub for the Duluth transit system.
The DTC was built in February 2016, replacing an existing parking ramp. The building was designed by LHB Corporation and constructed by Mortenson Construction.
The DTC has eight docks for boarding buses, with space for layovers. Skyways to nearby buildings were replaced during construction, improving pedestrian access.
Incidents
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.
Ridership
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.
