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. 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 .

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. 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.

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.

Fares , DASH is fare free. Before the free fares, DASH's base fare was $2.00 for riders paying cash or SmarTrip. 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.

Routes +Fixed routes Route/NameTerminals Major streets Notes30/OTCDUKEVan Dorn MetroBraddock Road MetroDuke St, S Van Dorn StSome AM Eastbound peak trips begin at Edsall Rd & S Whiting StLandmark Mall31/OTCKINGNVCC-AlexandriaBraddock Road MetroKing StKing Street Metro32EISENHOWER VALLEYLandmark MallKing Street MetroEisenhower Ave, S. Pickett St, Holmes Run Pkwy33DEL RAYPotomac Yard MetroKing Street MetroMount Vernon Ave34OLD TOWN NORTHPotomac Yard MetroLee CenterN. Fairfax St, S. Royal St35WEST ENDPentagon MetroVan Dorn MetroS. Van Dorn St, N. Beauregard St, I-395Some late night trips terminate/begin at Park Center36A/BCROSSTOWN VIA N EARLEY/PARK PLPotomac Yard MetroMark Center StationSeminary Rd, Menokin Dr, King St, Valley Dr, W. Glebe Rd102SEMINARY HILLMark Center StationKing Street MetroSeminary Rd, Janneys LnWeekday service only103RUSSEL RUSHPentagon MetroBraddock Road MetroW. Braddock Rd, W. Glebe Rd, I-395Peak service only104NORTH RIDGE RUSHPentagon MetroBraddock Road MetroW. Braddock Rd, Cameron Mills Rd, I-395Peak service only King Street Trolley King Street Metro Market SquareKing 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 GilligPhantom 40' 2005 101–102(2 buses) GilligLow Floor HEV 35' 2011–2017 200–233(34 buses) First low floor buses for DASH. GilligLow Floor HEV 40' 300–311(12 buses) GilligLow Floor Trolley HEV 29' 2011 400–404(5 trolley buses) Operates on the King Street Trolley route GilligLow Floor Trolley HEV 35' 2015 405(1 trolley bus) GilligLow Floor 35' 2018 501–514(14 buses) New FlyerXcelsior XD35 2019–2020 515–530(16 buses) New FlyerXcelsior XD40 2020–2025 701–721(21 buses) New FlyerXcelsior CHARGE XE40 2020 801–803(3 buses) First all-electric transit buses for DASH. ProterraZX5+ 2021 804–810(7 buses) New FlyerXcelsior CHARGE NG XE60articulated 2021–2025 901–906(6 buses)

On order Type Year Notes GilligLow Floor Trolley 35' EV 2026 Partially funded by the FY23 FTA Bus and Low- and No-Emission Grant Awards. TBA 2026–2027 Partially funded by the FY23 FTA Bus and Low- and No-Emission Grant Awards.

Retired fleet Year Type Numbers(Total) Picture Notes 1984–1991 Bus Industries of AmericaOrion I 1–33(33 buses) 1996–1999 GilligPhantom 35' 34–58(25 buses) 2000–2007 Orion Bus IndustriesOrion V 59–99(41 buses) Last order of Orion buses for DASH. 2002 Neoplan USAAN460 (articulated) 601–614(14 buses) First non-WMATA-operated articulated buses in the Washington region. Motor Coach IndustriesD4500 103–105(3 buses) 2007 GilligPhantom 35' 100–103(4 buses)

References

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