DTA History

It all began in the Twin Ports on July 6, 1883, when most of Duluth's 6,000 residents lined Superior Street to watch a horse-drawn car on rails inaugurate the area's first public transit system. The car set a brisk pace as it rolled from Third Avenue East to Eighth Avenue West, a distance of eleven blocks. So began Duluth's public transit industry, which not only grew with the city; but at times actually led the way.

During its first seven years, the original one-mile rail system grew to four miles of track. In 1890, donkeys and old gray mares were replaced by the first electric streetcar; and in the following two years all of the rail lines were electrified.

The Electric Railway System grew rapidly to almost 30 miles of line and track. While the early years had been financially successful, the enormous expenditures necessitated by the electrification and extension of line, followed by the business depression of 1893, placed too great a financial load on the company. It struggled along and finally went bankrupt in 1898.

By 1900, the population of Duluth had increased to 52,000 people and Superior's residents numbered around 31,000. At this time, the Duluth Street Railway Company and the Superior Traction Company were consolidated and reorganized following the 1898 receivership. The total system now operated on 74 miles of streetcar track throughout the Twin Ports. The fare was a nickel and it looked as though public transit was here to stay. By 1920, the transit system served area residents with over 100 miles of streetcar track.

The first gasoline powered bus appeared on Duluth streets in 1924 and the first electric trolley bus was put into service in 1931.

The transit system's mixed fleet in 1933 consisted of 110 streetcars, two electric trolley buses and nine gasoline-powered buses.

Propane buses were introduced in 1951, and discontinued in 1957. The last streetcar was removed from service in 1939 and electric trolley buses were discontinued in 1957. The first modern diesel buses arrived in Duluth on October 24, 1957.

An act of the Minnesota State Legislature created the Duluth Transit Authority (DTA) in 1969. The Authority's Board was actively formed in February 1970, and has operated the transit service to Duluth, Superior and Proctor since that time.

The old “Bus Barn” at 27th A.W. and Superior Street was replaced in 1981, when construction of the Earl Buck Operations Center was completed on Michigan Street between 24th A.W. and 26th A.W.

Today (2004), the DTA maintains a modern fleet of 65 transit buses and transports nearly 3 million passengers a year. View Drivers Website....