What's a DASH Monthly Pass Worth to You?

By Eric Richardson
Published: Thursday, March 20, 2008, at 12:53PM

Blurred Bus Eric Richardson [Flickr]

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — With the city’s December decision to quit accepting Metro most tickets and passes on DASH, one would imagine that quite a few more riders have been finding it necessary to keep some quarters on hand. Looking to make life easier for them, the city’s Board of Transportation Commissioners late last month approved a $9 monthly pass that covers all DASH services.

At $9/mon, the pass becomes cost-effective at 36 boardings. That’s a bit of a deal compared to Metro’s $62/mon pass (which becomes a bargain at 50 boardings), but it must be asked whether the pricing couldn’t be better set to maximize revenue.

This is a matter of particular interest to Downtowners, given our high share of citywide DASH service. Even though $9 isn’t particularly much, to me it sounds like something I’d have a hard time recouping via DASH use in a month. While I seldom make 20 DASH trips a month, for me $5 would have a nicer ring to it and be more likely to entice a purchase.

So, going back to Economics class for a moment, where’s the point on the demand curve that finds the right mix of price vs quantity sold to maximize revenue for transit service? Or, in more real-world terms, what amount would you be willing to pay for a monthly pass on Downtown DASH?



Comments

1
Ginny writes:

NINE BUCKS…I’m there. Now - if it only ran after 7 p.m.

# on Mar.20.2008 AT 05:17 PM
2
meekorouse writes:

I’m thinking I use the DASH plenty to make it worth my while.

# on Mar.20.2008 AT 06:43 PM
3
Don Garza writes:

Aw… Come on. I know the only reason you made this post was to have an excuse to use that great photo.

Love that photo.

Also , I found the photo I have of the Central City East Dash route.

# on Mar.20.2008 AT 07:02 PM
4
Urban Bruin writes:

Without holidays, if you took the Dash to and from work every day, you’d only save $1. That assumes a five day work week and no holidays or days off. Also, like Ginny put it, the hours end too early to get any value in the evenings.

# on Mar.20.2008 AT 07:09 PM
5
Benjamin Pezzillo writes:

Nice photograph Eric.

# on Mar.20.2008 AT 10:41 PM
6
SeanYodaRouse writes:

Ginny, when I asked Hal Bastian, “When will Downtown have a regular evening DASH route?”, he said, “When I get back to a 34 inch waistline.”

Eric, I don’t think LADOT is looking to get more people to ride the DASH (downtown or otherwise). I think that the pass is aimed at already frequent DASH users and employers who are looking for a way to reimburse their employees DASH use.

# on Mar.21.2008 AT 12:32 AM
7
jim writes: Ginny, when I asked Hal Bastian, "When will Downtown have a regular evening DASH route?", he said, "When I get back to a 34 inch waistline."

the answer is clear: if you see hal on the street, start chasing him with a baseball bat. we’ll get him to lose those inches!

# on Mar.21.2008 AT 11:10 AM

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