Riders of Alexandria’s DASH bus service will face fare increases, service cuts or both as more Washington-area public transportation systems feel the burn of budget shortfalls.
The Alexandria Transit Company, which manages the DASH system, has proposed bumping fares from $1.25 to $1.50 per ride, and could stop Sunday service.
The agency also has proposed a 25-cent increase to the rail-to-bus transfer fare, a $5 monthly pass fare increase, and other route service reductions — all in response to expected citywide budget cuts.
“We’re looking at completely eliminating Sunday service,” said Sandy Modell, general manager of the Alexandria Transit Company. Modell said the severity of the city’s funding cuts would dictate the extent of the service reductions.
Proposed fare changes
» Per-ride fare: Up from $1.25 to $1.50
» Rail-to-bus transfer fare: Up from 75 cents to $1
» Monthly DASH pass fee: Up from $30 to $35
According to a representative from the city’s budget office, DASH funding cuts are highly likely. “Due to financial constraints, we’ve given all of the city departments a reduction target,” said Morgan Routt, a representative with Alexandria’s budget office. Although DASH is not a city department, it received roughly $7.7 million from the city this year.
Routt said that because of a projected $18.7 million budget shortfall, the city’s budget office may ask the transit company to shave roughly $600,000 from the DASH program’s bottom line. Any budget cuts would not be final until the City Council approves the next fiscal-year budget in the spring, but Modell said a $600,000 funding cut would necessitate substantial reductions to existing services. Alexandria’s DASH system is the latest casualty of the areawide budget cuts that have pinched many public transportation services. Metrorail and bus riders will pay 10 cents more per ride starting March 1, and Montgomery County’s Ride On program and the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission in Prince William County have proposed fare increases and service cuts to combat budget shortfalls. A public hearing about the bus service is scheduled for Thursday.
