I am fortunate, I am able to drive a car to the grocery store for my groceries.  It wasn't always that easy, I use to live in apartment and while I could drive to the grocery store and home, I had to carry my grocery bags up three flights of stairs, locking and unlocking both my car and apartment door each time.  That STILL was easier than people who have to take a bus to the grocery store and wrestle with their grocery bags going home.  The DTA has a program called Grocery Express that has survived a year of trial and has had such success it's expanding to include Saturdays.

The first Grocery Express route was on September 1 of 2015.   It ran every Tuesday and made seven trips to and from the Super One store in West Duluth to the neighborhoods of Lincoln Park and Morgan Park.  DTA officials were hoping to see ridership increase to keep the program running and are happy to say they are adding a Saturday route.

In order to accomplish this, starting September 5, 2016 they will be changing the Tuesday service to 11:15 to 4p and adding Saturday availability from 10a to 1:30p.

What's different about this DTA bus?   It has special bins to hold grocery bags, how convenient is that?  The other difference (and this makes all the difference in the world when you're carrying heavy groceries) is, that the bus will drop people off and pick them up directly in front of the Super One store.  Eliminating the need to walk to the bus stop several blocks away.  The same fares and policies will apply as on the other DTA buses.

According to Heath Hickok, the Director of Marketing for the DTA, their goal was to get over 100 passengers a week on the Grocery Express.

While numbers haven't quite reached that proportion, they know that those that do utilize the service are grateful.  It really is cutting edge for our community, there are only two of these programs in existence in the nation, Duluth and Michigan.

Info via:  wdio.com

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