DASH (Virginia)
DASH bus at Van Dorn Street station | |
| Parent | City of Alexandria |
|---|---|
| Founded | March 1984[1] |
| Headquarters | 3000 Business Center Drive, Alexandria, VA |
| Service area | Alexandria, Virginia |
| Service type | Bus service |
| Alliance | WMATA |
| Routes | 11[2] |
| Fleet | |
Daily ridership | 20,200 (Q1 2026)[5] |
Annual ridership | 5,300,000 (2024)[6] |
| Fuel type | Diesel, Diesel-electric Hybrid, Battery electric |
| Operator | Alexandria Transit Company |
| Website | dashbus |
DASH is the main public transit bus operator in the Northern Virginia city of Alexandria. DASH provides bus service within the City of Alexandria, connecting to local and regional public transit services in the Washington metropolitan area. DASH operates throughout the city of Alexandria, with 124 buses on eleven routes.[7] DASH buses serve all five Washington Metro stations within Alexandria city limits, with additional hubs at the Mark Center Building, the former Landmark Mall, and The Pentagon. DASH buses carry over five million passengers annually as of 2024.[8]
DASH is operated by the Alexandria Transit Company (ATC), a non-profit corporation wholly owned by the City of Alexandria. ATC is governed by an eleven-person board of directors elected by the city council.[9] The Alexandria Transit Company was formed to supplement the regional rail and bus service provided by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and to provide a local bus service to the City of Alexandria.
History
In 1981, in anticipation of the opening of the Metrorail stations and the subsequent reordering of Metrobus service, the City Council authorized a feasibility study for a city-sponsored bus system. In 1982, the study recommended a five-route system, using 18 buses.
In 1983, the City Council developed an RFP (Request For Proposal) for management companies to develop a detailed plan for the operation of transit service in the City of Alexandria. The city chose to establish a non-profit public service cooperation that would be wholly owned by the City. This arrangement provided means by which:
- The transit system could be run as a business-type enterprise, and
- City Council could retain overall policy control yet be free from the day-to-day operation of a transit system.
On October 23, 1983, the City Council set up a Transitional Task Force and, on January 24, 1984, instructed the City Attorney to proceed with the incorporation of a non-profit company. The certificate of incorporation was issued by the State Corporation Commission on January 31, and the organizational meeting of the company was held on February 6.
In January 1984, the General Manager employed by the Management Company that was awarded the management contract reported for duty and final preparations began for the opening of revenue service on March 11.
On October 19, 2020, DASH unveiled its first all-electric transit bus at the City Hall of Alexandria.[10]
In September 2021, the entire network was restructured as part of the Alexandra Transit Vision Plan to create a more useful and equitable bus network that encourages more people to get to more places using transit. All Routes were renumbered in either the 30s or 100s eliminating the AT designations.[11]
Fares
As of September 5, 2021, DASH is fare free.[12] Before the free fares, DASH's base fare was $2.00 for riders paying cash or SmarTrip.[13][14] In 2007, DASH converted its buses to allow the use of the WMATA SmarTrip, an electronic debit farecard. DASH continued to accept and issue paper transfers until they were eliminated altogether January 1, 2013.[15]
Routes
| Route/Name | Terminals | Major streets | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30/OTC Van Dorn Metro – Whiting St – Duke St – King St Metro – Braddock Rd Metro |
Van Dorn Metro | Braddock Road Metro | Duke St, S Van Dorn St | Some AM Eastbound peak trips begin at Edsall Rd & S Whiting St |
| Landmark Mall | ||||
| 31/OTC NVCC – King St – King St Metro – Braddock Rd Metro |
NVCC-Alexandria | Braddock Road Metro | King St | |
| King Street Metro | ||||
| 32 Landmark – Van Dorn Metro – Eisenhower Valley – King St Metro |
Landmark Mall | King Street Metro | Eisenhower Ave, S. Pickett St, Holmes Run Pkwy | |
| 33 King St Metro – Commonwealth Ave – Mt Vernon Ave – Potomac Yard Metro |
Potomac Yard Metro | King Street Metro | Mount Vernon Ave | |
| 34 Lee Center – S Royal St – N Fairfax St – Potomac Yard Metro |
Potomac Yard Metro | Lee Center | N. Fairfax St, S. Royal St | |
| 35 Van Dorn Metro – Yoakum Pkwy – Beauregard St – Pentagon Metro |
Pentagon Metro | Van Dorn Metro | S. Van Dorn St, N. Beauregard St, I-395 | Some late night trips terminate/begin at Park Center |
| 36A/B Mark Center – Menokin Dr/Park Place – Shirlington – W Glebe Rd – Potomac Yard Metro |
Potomac Yard Metro | Mark Center Station | Seminary Rd, Menokin Dr, King St, Valley Dr, W. Glebe Rd | |
| 102 Mark Center – Seminary Rd – Janneys Ln – King St Metro |
Mark Center Station | King Street Metro | Seminary Rd, Janneys Ln | Weekday service only |
| 103 Braddock Rd Metro – Russell Rd – Glebe Rd – Pentagon Metro |
Pentagon Metro | Braddock Road Metro | W. Braddock Rd, W. Glebe Rd, I-395 | Peak service only |
| 104 Braddock Rd Metro – Cameron Mills Rd – ParkFairfax – Pentagon Metro |
Pentagon Metro | Braddock Road Metro | W. Braddock Rd, Cameron Mills Rd, I-395 | Peak service only |
| King Street Trolley | King Street Metro | Market Square | King St | |
Fleet
DASH's bus fleet consists of 120 Diesel, Hybrid, and Electric buses produced by Gillig, New Flyer, and Proterra.
Active
| Photo | Type | Delivered | Numbers (Total) |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gillig Phantom 40' |
2005 | 101–102 (2 buses) |
||
| Gillig Low Floor HEV 35' |
2011–2017 | 200–233 (34 buses) |
| |
| Gillig Low Floor HEV 40' |
300–311 (12 buses) | |||
| Gillig Low Floor Trolley HEV 29' |
2011 | 400–404 (5 trolley buses) |
| |
| Gillig Low Floor Trolley HEV 35' |
2015 | 405 (1 trolley bus) | ||
| Gillig Low Floor 35' |
2018 | 501–514 (14 buses) |
||
| New Flyer Xcelsior XD35 |
2019–2020 | 515–530 (16 buses) |
||
| New Flyer Xcelsior XD40 |
2020–2025 | 701–721 (21 buses) |
||
| New Flyer Xcelsior CHARGE XE40 |
2020 | 801–803 (3 buses)[17] |
| |
| Proterra ZX5+ |
2021 | 804–810 (7 buses)[17] |
||
| New Flyer Xcelsior CHARGE NG XE60 articulated |
2021–2025 | 901–906 (6 buses) |
On order
| Type | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gillig Low Floor Trolley 35' |
2026 |
|
| TBA | 2026–2027 |
|
Retired fleet
| Year | Type | Numbers (Total) |
Picture | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984–1991 | Bus Industries of America Orion I |
1–33 (33 buses) |
||
| 1996–1999 | Gillig Phantom 35' |
34–58 (25 buses) |
||
| 2000–2007 | Orion Bus Industries Orion V |
59–99 (41 buses) |
| |
| 2002 | Neoplan USA AN460 (articulated) |
601–614 (14 buses) |
| |
| Motor Coach Industries D4500 |
103–105 (3 buses) |
|||
| 2007 | Gillig Phantom 35' |
100–103 (4 buses) |
References
- ^ "Alexandria Transit Development Plan" (PDF). City of Alexandria Virginia. January 1, 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2019. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
- ^ "DASH Schedules & Maps". January 1, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2019.
- ^ "FY 2025 – FY 2034 Alexandria Transit Strategic Plan (ATSP) FY 2026 Update Addendum" (PDF). Alexandria Transit Company (DASH). March 12, 2025. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
- ^ "Dash 35th Anniversary Celebration - Alexandria Living Magazine". March 3, 2019. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- ^ "Ridership - January 2026" (PDF). Dashbus. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
- ^ "Alexandria bus network celebrating new ridership record with block party | ALXnow". August 27, 2024.
- ^ "FY2022 Transit Development Plan & New DASH Network". DashBus. 2022.
- ^ Miled, Vernon. "Alexandria bus network celebrating new ridership record with block party". ALXnow. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
- ^ "Board of Directors".
- ^ "DASH Unveils Two of its New Electric Buses - Alexandria Living Magazine". October 19, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
- ^ "The New DASH Network". dashbus.com.
- ^ "Fares | DASH". dashbus.com. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
- ^ "DASH Fares". Alexandria Transit Company. October 17, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
- ^ "DASH 2019 Fare Change". Alexandria Transit Company. October 17, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
- ^ "Important DASH Pass News!". Alexandria Transit Company. October 17, 2012. Archived from the original on August 7, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
- ^ "DASH To Preview New Hybrid Low-Floor Bus And Trolley » AlexandriaNews". September 19, 2015. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
- ^ a b "Breaking News: DASH Adding Six Electric Buses to Fleet". October 5, 2020. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
- ^ "Alexandria Gets New Electric Buses — A First For Northern Virginia Transit". DCist. Archived from the original on September 14, 2022. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
- ^ "FY23 FTA Bus and Low- and No-Emission Grant Awards".
- ^ "FY23 FTA Bus and Low- and No-Emission Grant Awards".
- ^ "DASH Orion Bus to Make Final Trip on Friday, July 1". dashbus.com - DASH Alexandria Transit Company. June 28, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
- ^ Malouff, Dan. "DASH is running the first non-WMATA articulated buses in Washington area transit". Greater Greater Washington. Retrieved August 15, 2019.