From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishskeleton staff/crew/service etcskeleton staff/crew/service etcENOUGHonly enough workers or services to keep an operation or organization running The bus company is operating a skeleton service on Christmas Day. → skeleton
Examples from the Corpus
skeleton staff/crew/service etc• The doc pointed out how appropriate it was to have a Skull in a skeleton crew.• There was only a skeleton staff on duty and no one took much notice of him.• The Republicans and Democrats tick over with a skeleton staff and then hire specialist consultants for each campaign.• A skeleton staff was on duty to keep the world-wide operations of Royalbion ticking over.• The Automobile Association skeleton staff trio will be huddled in front of their personal computer screens relaying road conditions to drivers.• Without you ghost ferries would cross the Mersey manned by skeleton crews.• The skeleton staff were no match for Massenga and his team of ex-Security policemen.• Various versions were filmed on closed sets with skeleton crews and strict security. 