13 October 2023
DULUTH The Duluth Transit Authority could use a few more drivers, as it works to implement a newly designed route system outlined as part of its Better Bus Blueprint initiative.
Beginning Oct. 21, weekend service will be temporarily discontinued on routes 108, 109, 112 and 114, affecting a number of neighborhoods across the city.
David Clark, the DTA’s director of marketing, said he expects the pause in service to be brief probably lasting no more than a couple of weekends.
The DTA launched its redesigned service in late August, and Clark said the organization continues to fine-tune its operations. He said some adjustments, that are slated to occur Oct. 29 “kind of retool our trips so that it requires a few less drivers at a time.”
“But in order to deploy those changes, because of our structure, with respect to our union and the process by which drivers pick their work and we’re able to schedule things, it takes a bit of time to implement any structural changes,” Clark said.
Weekend ridership is typically smaller than the DTA sees on weekdays, when more people are headed to work, educational institutions and appointments of all sorts, Clark noted.
The DTA evaluated ridership and how its various routes intersect in deciding where to temporarily pause service. As for the impacted routes, Clark said: “They’re the ones that made the most sense, in terms of affecting the least number of trips and riders.”
Ideally, the DTA would have a full complement of drivers numbering in the mid-90s, Clark said, adding that the organization is currently short by “a handful” of drivers.
“We’re currently looking for qualified candidates for the position of bus operator, and we’re eager to add to the team,” he said.
Clark said implementing a new route structure has come with certain challenges.
“There were a number of things that affected the schedules when we launched: There is the public learning how to use the system; unanticipated detours that slowed things down; and then just learning what we didn’t know about how this new system would operate,” he said.
Clark went on to explain, “There have been certain patterns of trips during peak demand that are routinely not getting there as quickly as they ought to. So, those are the kinds of things we examined, and now we’re redeploying our resources in a way that should alleviate those issues.”
On the upside, Clark said that since the Better Bus Blueprint launched ridership from certain parts of the community has notably increased.
In a statement issued Friday, the DTA said: “Our challenges are not unique, as CDL driver labor shortages persist nationwide, and cities that have redesigned networks routinely implement improvements from what is learned shortly after launch.”
For more on the DTA’s revamped bus service and up-to-date route details, visit the website below.
https://www.duluthtransit.com/home/better-dta/better-bus-blueprint/]]>