Our History | DASH

Our History

History years

1981
1983
1984
1993
2009
2011
2012
2014

Feasibility study for a city-sponsored bus system
In anticipation of the opening of the Metrorail stations and the subsequent reordering of Metrobus service, the Mayor Charles Beatley and City Council authorized a feasibility study for a city-sponsored bus system. At the time, the only service available in Alexandria was the regional Metro Bus Service.
The plan to operate a transit service in the City of Alexandria was created
City Council developed an RFP 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.

Transitional Task Force created
On October 23, 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.
Certificate of Incorporation Issued
The certificate of incorporation was issued by the State Corporation Commission on January 31.

Organization Meeting
On February 6, an organizational meeting of the company was held. The City turned to Mr. William “B” Bill Hurd, an Alexandria resident who spent many years as the Administrator of the Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA), and in the 1970’s served as a transportation consultant to three other Virginia transit systems inRichmond, Roanoke, and Lynchburg and helped each of them as their municipal governments set up local bus service. Mr. Hurd went on to serve as Chairman of the ATC Board of Directors for the next 22 years and provided sound leadership and fostered a back to basics approach of clean buses, friendly and courteous drivers, and safe and reliable service that helped DASH to gain the reputation it has today.

DASH is born!
On March 11, the first DASH bus rolled down the streets of Alexandria. The system started with 30 employees and in the first year annual ridership was less than 1 million passengers covering 582,000 miles. The fledgling service not only saved the City money, but it provided for better service into the neighborhoods. The first 17 buses were smaller than the Metro Buses – only 30 feet long with 31 seats. As the system began to grow, more routes were added, more employees were hired, and the staff moved out of their trailer into their location on South Quaker Lane in Alexandria.
DASH takes over Metrobus Routes
DASH took over two Metrobus routes on Duke Street, and the City realized savings of over half a million dollars per year. After absorbing the Metro route to the Alexandria campus of the Northern Virginia Community College and the Stonegate community on Braddock Road, DASH saved the City another $200,000.
DASH opens new facility
In October, DASH opened the doors of their new building, a Gold LEED Certified operating and maintenance facility that provides opportunities for significant service expansion of new routes and service level improvements on current routes that will meet the growing transportation needs of the community and will make transit even more accessible, convenient, and attractive in the years to come. The new facility allows DASH the opportunity to add newer types of environmentally friendly vehicles, such as hybrids, to its fleet of buses, and provide service with different types and sizes of vehicles too. The facility was the first design built transit project in the Commonwealth of Virginia that includes use of use of daylight illumination in regularly occupied spaces, a Bus Washer that recycles 86% of all water used which equates to more than two million gallons or recycled water per year.
DASH debuts Alexandria’s first clean diesel hybrid electric bus
DASH purchased seven 35-foot hybrid buses, and three 40-foot hybrid buses and the City purchased five 30-foot hybrid trolleys. The 10 hybrid buses and five hybrid trolleys featured a wider body and low-floor entry with no steps, to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities and senior citizens and speed passenger boardings and alightings. The new buses also featured the first bike racks, and a simple, reliable low-maintenance wheelchair ramp instead of the older model hydraulic wheelchair lift. The 40-foot buses were placed into operation on the AT8 route, where increases in ridership led overcrowding. The trolleys went into service in April 2012, when DASH began operating the King Street Trolley. The DASH buses operate on an environmentally-friendly mix of ultra-low sulfur diesel and electricity.

AT2X Mark Center Express Service launched
In August, DASH launched their new Mark Center Express service to coincide with the beginning of the Department of Defense move to the new Mark Center Station, BRAC-133 site at Seminar Road and Beauregard Street. The new, high frequency, express bus service married with the existing DASH AT2 route and operates every 10 minutes between the Mark Center Station and King Street Metro during the weekday peak periods with no intermediate stops.
DASH began operating the King Street Trolley
In April, DASH took over operations of the free King Street Trolley. The trolley provides a free ride to and from the King Street Metro to the Potomac River waterfront and operates daily, every 10-15 minutes.
DASH launches the AT9 Crosstown Route
In July, DASH was excited to launch its first crosstown route on the DASH as part of its 30th year anniversary. The AT9 provides a crosstown connection between Mark Center, Southern Towers, Northern Virginia Community College, Bradlee Shopping Center, Shirlington Transit Center in Arlington, Parkfairfax, Arlandria and Potomac Yard. It offers residents access to shops, restaurants, and vital transit connections between DASH and Metrobus and ART service. The service dips into areas that were not being served by DASH, and is able to provide more of a direct transit access between destinations without having to go into Old Town.

MORE ABOUT DASH

The Alexandria Transit Company’s DASH system provides safe, reliable, and courteous bus service within the City of Alexandria, and connects with Metrobus, Metrorail, Virginia Railway Express, and all local bus systems. DASH serves all of the Alexandria Metrorail Stations and the Pentagon Metrorail station during morning and evening peak periods. DASH’s name symbolizes our commitment to the citizens of Alexandria, Driving Alexandria Safely Home.

DASH is recognized nationally and throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia for the DASH bus system and King Street Trolley service that it provides. DASH has won many outstanding achievement awards for outstanding marketing, service and safety programs.

DASH contributes to the quality of life and preserving the livability of Alexandria by mitigating traffic impacts, improving circulation and mobility throughout the City, and providing easier access to local businesses, retail and employment centers, residential developments, and the regional Metrorail and the Virginia Railway Express commuter rail systems.

DASH plays a key role within the implementation of the City Council’s City Transportation Master Plan (TMP), and contributes to the City’s Eco-City efforts and provides an environmentally friendly alternative to the single occupant vehicle. DASH has always been dedicated to Driving Alexandria Safely Home and will continue to Keep Alexandria Moving into the future.