Green light for Concilmember LaBonge's DASH bus pass initiative

Beginning in May, DASH riders will be able to purchase a monthly pass for $9. Photo by Buchanan-Hermit.

Councilmember Tom LaBonge’s plan to create a monthly pass for riders using the city’s DASH bus system got the green-light in the Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday. The Los Angeles Department of Transportation will begin selling the $9 monthly passes in May.

“We want to make it effortless for people to use public transit,” Councilmember LaBonge said. “Monthly passes have been very successful in other transit systems. Why not try it on the DASH lines?”

The DASH system is a popular transit option for short rides within neighborhoods. With 28 million boardings per year, it is the second largest fleet in Los Angeles County after Metro. DASH is the only transit line operated by the City of Los Angeles. It’s running in 27 Los Angeles neighborhoods, including downtown; the average trip is about one mile.

Besides providing a transit option within neighborhoods, the DASH system serves as an important link with regional rail and bus service. At 25 cents per ride, it is a bargain.

LADOT monthly passes and Metro elderly and disabled passes are already honored on DASH services. It is the success of the Metro passes that weighed in favor of trying passes on DASH.

The monthly DASH passes will be offered at the LA DOT transit store in the Los Angeles Mall, Space 18B, 201 N Los Angeles St. Los Angeles, CA 90012.