Duluth Public Schools Canceled Bus Routes Over Sick Calls

Staffing shortages have prompted route cancellations, affecting families across the Duluth Public School district.

Updated on Oct. 10, 2026 in Child Care

Gouache-painted editorial illustration of an empty yellow school bus parked on a quiet, frost-covered city street. — Duluth Public Schools has canceled 16 bus routes this year due to ongoing driver staffing shortages, forcing families to find alternative transit. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Do you trust your local school district to provide reliable daily bus transportation for students?

Duluth Public Schools has canceled 16 bus routes this school year after an unusually high number of drivers called in sick. These disruptions have impacted households relying on district transportation for daily school commutes.

Why it matters

The staffing shortage complicates morning logistics for families, particularly at sites like Lincoln Park Middle School and Piedmont Elementary School where cancellations have occurred. The district currently maintains only two extra drivers to cover its 350 total daily routes.

The district has canceled 16 of its 350 daily routes this year. Currently, only two extra drivers are employed to fill gaps left by absenteeism.

The players

Duluth Public Schools

The local school district serving families in Duluth and managing a network of 350 daily bus routes.

Voyageur Bus Company

A transportation contractor that provides busing services for the Duluth Public School district.

Duluth Transit Authority

The municipal transit provider offering alternative transportation for middle and high school students.

The details

Staffing shortages began at the start of the school year when a higher-than-normal volume of drivers called in sick. The district manages these service gaps by notifying parents directly via text message. To mitigate the impact on older students, middle and high schoolers may ride Duluth Transit Authority buses for free by showing their student identification.

Staffing gaps increased at the beginning of the school year.
Four routes were canceled in the past two weeks.
The district aims to hire two substitute drivers within the next two weeks.

The Home Front

This disruption follows a broader nationwide trend of school transportation departments struggling with chronic staffing vacancies. These shortages frequently force districts to consolidate routes or rely on municipal transit partners to fill essential service gaps.

Families should ensure they are signed up for official text alerts from the school district to receive real-time bus cancellation notices. If your student is in middle or high school, keep their student ID accessible as it serves as a pass for free local transit during route outages.

The takeaway

Reliable school transportation remains a vulnerability for many local households until the district stabilizes its driver roster. Keep a backup transit plan ready and monitor district texts to avoid last-minute morning scrambling.