DASH (bus)

DASH (bus)
DASH
logo
image
A DASH Gillig Phantom at King Street – Old Town station
Parent City of Alexandria
Founded 1984
Headquarters 3000 Business Center Drive
Locale Alexandria, Virginia
Service type bus service
Alliance WMATA
Routes 9
Fleet 63 buses
Daily ridership About 14,000 per weekday
Fuel type Diesel
Operator Alexandria Transit Company
Web site dashbus.com
DASH sign on a lamppost on Duke St.

Driving Alexandrians Safely Home (DASH) is the public bus system for the city of Alexandria, Virginia, operated by the Alexandria Transit Company, a non-profit organization wholly owned by the city.

Contents

History

DASH was founded in 1984 with a fleet of 17 buses by the City of Alexandria to supplement Metrobus service within the city. In its first year of operation, DASH carried less than one million passengers. Today, DASH carries over 4 million passengers a year and has a fleet of 63 buses.

Ridership

DASH carries roughly 14,000 passengers per weekday within the City of Alexandria, Virginia. The AT 8 route, which runs through the Duke Street corridor, is DASH's busiest route with about 3,000 rides per weekday. In 2011, DASH ordered three new 40' Gillig hybrid buses, which are 5' longer than the rest of the DASH fleet. The new 40' buses will be used on the AT 8 route to reduce crowding.

Fares

DASH's current base fare is $1.50 for riders paying cash or SmarTrip. DASH still issues and accepts paper transfers, which were discontinued completely by Metrobus and many other area transit agencies on January 4, 2009. In 2007, DASH converted its buses to allow the use of the WMATA SmarTrip, an electronic debit farecard. Beginning August 8, 2011, DASH will accept Mark Center Department of Defense ID cards on its entire system.

Fleet

The DASH bus fleet roster (current as of September 2008) consists of the following (Note: all of these buses are 35' in length):

  • 1996 Gillig Phantom (40-43) - most units retired
  • 1998 Gillig Phantom (44-53)
  • 1999 Gillig Phantom (54-58)
  • 1999 Orion V (59-68)
  • 2001 Orion V (69-76)
  • 2004 Orion V (77-90)
  • 2007 Gillig Phantom (100-103)
  • 2008 Orion V (91-99) - Replaced some of the 1996 Gillig Phantoms

As of July 2011, the DASH fleet consists of 63 buses. In early 2011, 15 Gillig low-floor hybrid buses were ordered by DASH. The 2011 order included:

  • 10 buses to be used on regular DASH routes (Seven 35' buses, three 40' buses)
  • 5 buses to be used on the King Street Trolley service, which DASH expects to take over in early 2012. These 5 buses will be specially outfitted to look like trollies.

Routes

Below is a list of DASH bus routes:

  • AT1 - Van Dorn Metro/Eisenhower Avenue Metro/Seminary Plaza
  • AT2 - Lincolnia/Braddock Road Metro via Old Town
  • AT2X - Express service: King Street Metro to Mark Center
  • AT3 - Park Fairfax/Pentagon Metro to Hunting Towers
  • AT4 - Park Fairfax/Pentagon Metro to Old Town
  • AT5 - Landmark/Van Dorn Street Metro/Braddock Road Metro to Old Town
  • AT6 - Northern Virginia Community College to King Street Metro/Eisenhower Avenue Metro
  • AT7 - Duke & Ripley to Lee Center via Old Town
  • AT8 - Landmark/Van Dorn Street Metro to Old Town
  • AT10 - Potomac Yard to King Street Metro

All DASH routes run in both directions. The 2X is an express service, which has no intermediate stops between King Street Metro and the Mark Center Station transit center.

Future plans

Starting August 8, 2011, DASH will begin operating express service (no intermediate stops) between King Street Metro station and Mark Center in anticipation of the opening of the 6,400 employee Department of Defense BRAC building. DASH also plans to assume the King Street Trolley service, which the City of Alexandria currently contracts out.

External links

v · d · eTransit in Metropolitan Washington, D.C.
Agencies
Metrorail
     Red Line •      Orange Line •      Blue Line •      Yellow Line •      Green Line • List of stations
Commuter Rail
Bus
Arlington Transit • Connect-a-Ride • CUE Bus • DASH • DC Circulator • Fairfax Connector • GEORGE (suspended) • Loudoun County Commuter Bus • Metrobus (list of routes) • MTA Maryland Commuter Bus • OmniRide • Ride On • Shuttle-UM • TheBus • MetroAccess Paratransit service
Future projects
     Silver Line •      Purple Line • Corridor Cities Transitway • DC Streetcar • Pike Transit Initiative • Crystal City - Potomac Yard Transitway


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