DASH Returns to 80% of Pre-COVID Bus Service in Alexandria

DASH increased their services today to 80% of its pre-pandemic service levels, and several of its routes have gone back to their regular routes.

The city’s transit service is currently seeing 35% ridership, according to Whitney Code, DASH’s marketing and communications manager.

“Of course we want to keep up with ridership and passenger loads, and as Virginia and the rest of the country opens up, we will continue to see increased ridership,” Code told ALXnow. “We want to make sure that we’re scheduling our people responsibly, and we want to make sure that we’re paying attention to the trends of other regional partners that we work with, like Metrobus and the Fairfax Connector.”

The move follows the Arlington and Fairfax bus lines resuming full service in late August.

Trips are still free for passengers, and drivers have extra face masks to give away.

“We have a limited supply of face masks that we can give our riders if they board our buses and don’t have them,” Code said. “DASH is continuing to take the coronavirus seriously and we are continuing to take the health of our customers and employees seriously.”

The King Street Trolley, which takes customers from the King Street Metro station to the waterfront, remains  suspended until further notice.

According to DASH:

• The AT1 Plus, AT2, AT3/4, AT5, AT7, AT8, AT9, & AT10 will return to regular service.
• The AT2X, AT3, AT4 and AT6 will operate on modified weekday schedules due to continued low ridership.