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Get Ready to Ride: Holiday Late Night DASH Coming Friday!

By Eric Richardson
Published: Wednesday, November 19, 2008, at 04:08PM
Late Night DASH Map LADOT

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — How's this for instant gratification? is getting announced today, and the first buses will be rolling around Downtown on Friday evening.

The six-week pilot program, to be formally announced at a press conference tomorrow afternoon, will allow riders to travel between L.A. Live, the Music Center, the Historic Core and the edge of the Fashion District from 6:30pm to 3am on Friday and Saturday nights.

Even better? The ride is free.

The pilot Late Night DASH service is timed to coordinate with the extension of hours on Metro's Red Line subway, which runs between Union Station and North Hollywood. That service, which also kicks off on Friday, extends the subway's closing time to 3am.

Late Night DASH buses will run approximately every ten minutes, with three buses circling the half-hour loop. Starting Friday, the service will run Friday and Saturday nights for six weeks and will also run on New Year's Eve, which falls on a Wednesday.

The route connects to the Red Line at 7th / Metro station. From there, riders can catch the loop in either direction. Going south, buses will travel down Flower street and connect to the Convention Center, Staples Center and L.A. Live. Going north, riders will travel east on 7th and then north on Main street through the Historic Core before riding up the hill to the Music Center and Grand Avenue. Along the way, they'll be able to access restaurants, bars, culture, shopping and even the Pershing Square ice rink.

Keep an eye out for at least one blogdowntown outing making use of our new late night service.

Like the Red Line extension, the Late Night DASH holiday pilot was made possible by private sector support. The six week program will cost $23,000 to run. Supporters hope to see a successful pilot lead to similar service continued in 2009.

Sponsors include: 213 Inc. - Broadway Bar, Casey's Irish Bar & Grill, Cole's Original French Dip, Golden Gopher & Seven Grand; The Association; Astani Enterprises; Barry Shy; blogdowntown; Brookfield Properties; City Loft Square; Historic Downtown BID; J Restaurant & Lounge; LA Live; Los Angeles City Councilmember Jan Perry; Los Angeles City Councilmember Wendy Greuel; Los Angeles Theatre; MerueloMaddux; Music Center; Pacific Electric Lofts; Patina Restaurant Group; Pete's Café; and Pitfire Pizza Co.

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Conversation

Guest 1

Ankur on November 19, 2008, at 04:14PM – #1

I cant wait!


Guest 2

Don Garza on November 19, 2008, at 04:51PM – #2

Bowling here I come. WooHOO!!!!!!!!!! Woohooo!!!!!


Guest 3

nirad on November 19, 2008, at 05:15PM – #3

that's nice, though i'd rather see the regular Dash hours extended until 8-9 PM. Many people don't get off work until 7 or later.


Guest 4

local on November 19, 2008, at 10:48PM – #4

great way to tour downtown lights at night. thanks!


Guest 5

Mark Bisaha on November 20, 2008, at 09:55AM – #5

I love the idea of the DASH service, including this late-night route, but I'm often frustrated when trying to use it because the routes generally loop in only one direction and it's often the opposite direction to what I need.


Eric Richardson () on November 20, 2008, at 10:14AM – #6

Mark: That's totally the problem with loops. This route sort of loops back to itself a couple times, though, so depending on where you are and where you're trying to go, you shouldn't end up ever having to ride the whole way around.


Guest 6

andrea on November 20, 2008, at 11:18AM – #7

This is great news!!


Guest 7

Karin Liljegren on November 20, 2008, at 09:17PM – #8

Eric - Thank you SO much - I heard you were the instigator and the closer on the DASH extension program! You rock!


Guest 8

Susana on November 21, 2008, at 08:07AM – #9

I'm trying it tonight. We usually walk to the Historic Core from South Park but the walk back is always a drag since we usually have a drink or two..

This is awesome!!! I take the dash every day to drop off my girls at school in Little Tokyo and to work at City Hall and then back home to South park in the afternoon. I've been crossing my fingers for this and filling out numerous Dash surveys about the need for late night ridership. Thank you!!


User_32

Alonso on November 21, 2008, at 12:26PM – #10

It's about time! I'm happy to see this put into effect. What's more, I hope that City officials can look towards a A-B based system rather than a loop. Namely something very similar to SF's Muni bus system. Yes, it would mean more buses, but hopefully it would decrease the amount of vehicles on the streets of downtown. And maybe they could turn these gas-run buses into electric line buses. No emissions, little to no engine noise!

Seriously, look to SF for guidance on this.


Guest 9

Manny Gutierrez on November 21, 2008, at 03:06PM – #11

Use it, use it, use it. If we don't, we'll lose it, lose it, lose it. It's as simple as that. Spread the word. If it's a success perhaps the run will be expanded.

Manny


Guest 10

Don Garza on November 22, 2008, at 12:55AM – #12

It took over 40 minutes to get the late night dash at 4th an d main , then it passed me. Had to wait another 30 minutes. It stopped only because the sign was in the middle of the street and I picked it up and held it. Then it took almost an hour to get to LA LIVE. It was quicker getting home. I stood in front of lucky strike bowling alley watching for the Late night dash , it took an hour to get there. It doesn't work. To top it off no one was even on the bus.


Guest 10

Don Garza on November 22, 2008, at 01:21AM – #13

Are you sure there were three buses running last night?

It was intense. Waiting made me so mad!!! Then that first bus passing me up. Made me even madder


Eric Richardson () on November 22, 2008, at 02:24AM – #14

I'll definitely check into it.

I just went out and rode half the loop to check things out. I did have a significantly longer wait than I should have (about 20 minutes), but the driver I rode with said she had been averaging about a half hour around the loop. That's right on target, so I don't know what to make of the wait times. I saw at least one other bus in the distance.


Guest 11

Downtowner on November 22, 2008, at 11:53PM – #15

I rode it tonight. I got on board at 7th & Metro and rode to the convention center area and LA Live. We were the only people at first, but once we got to LA Live eight people got on.

I rode it later to the historic core, and there were four people, then one got off at 7th, but then two got on when we got to Main Street. I did notice the buses passed a lot of stops (didn't slow down at all) if they didn't immediately see anyone standing there. And st one stop, I saw someone standing there but the driver apparently didn't, and the bus went past. It could be that the route is so new the drivers don't know where the stops are, and signs are easy to miss. Maybe they should have to stop at every stop whether they see someone or not. That would help.

Overall, it seemed like something that will actually work, and people were using it - I thought it was a good turnout considering there's been little but word of mouth and internet info out there about it.

Also on the later bus there were cards by door of the Dash bus with the late night Dash graphic on one side and a route map on the other. One lady saw them and then everybody else on the bus wanted one too. I think making the map more visible, or maybe having the driver point out the card holder by the door so people pick them up and become more familiar with it would help.

Anyway good job, it does work. Some kinks to be worked out and maybe two routes next year, but hey it's working, and small issues are to be expected.


Guest 10

janice on November 23, 2008, at 12:34AM – #16

I rode the bus . It is horrible. I will stay in my car.I know one of the people who paid for the bus and they aren't very happy. I hope people will tell the truth about what is happening. Please don't write what you think people want to hear or nothing will improve. If it is a waste of money we need to know.

I spoke with the supervisors yesterday and it turns out that the drivers don't need signs to know where the stops are.


Guest 11

Downtowner on November 23, 2008, at 09:07AM – #17

Janice, what was "horrible" about it? Even if not many people are riding yet in its first two days, the buses are clean and safe and well lit. "Horrible"?


Guest 12

Bert Green on November 23, 2008, at 08:20PM – #18

Janice, you actually DRIVE around downtown LA? Why then do you even live here? That's the most absurd thing I have ever heard. The DASH is maybe not your thing, but the distances involved are totally walkable.


Guest 13

Rich Alossi on November 24, 2008, at 10:29AM – #19

Lots of potential but a 25-minute wait? I hope Week 2 is more efficient.

They seriously need to start figuring out these stops, because I've seen the late-night DASH pass by two people. If the headways were actually 10 minutes, that would be one thing... but when waiting for almost half an hour, it's infuriating.

Come on DASH!


Guest 8

Susana on November 26, 2008, at 02:42PM – #20

Unfortunately all of the complains above sound too familiar. I take the dash every day. From South Park to Little Tokyo, to City Hall and the reverse in the afternoon. There is one bus driver that is just awful. He never stops on the bus stop if he doesn't see anyone in the immediate vicinity, even when he has seen me (4times) running to beat him to the stop (I am very visual running with two 3 year olds and I see him almost every day) he SPEEDS up!! The nerve. I am lucky I haven't seen him recently because I fear for my lack of absoulte control when I do. The buses are always bunched up in Little Tokyo (all 3 buses) each time I get there or leave. That is their break spot (3rd/Central). I doubt the new contractor for the Dash system will do any good next year seeing how the same bus drivers will remain. I stick to it because I promised myself I would get around Downtown without a car, seeing that I am lucky enough to live and work here and have found a school here. But every day I have to repeat to myself and my inquisitive daughter that we are not driving because it is better for the Earth. I wait patiently for a day when we have anything similar to San Francisco's public transit system.


Eric Richardson () on November 26, 2008, at 07:36PM – #21

I forwarded comments from here over to DOT this week and I think the stop issues should be much better for this second weekend. They also spoke with the contractor on ways to improve bus spacing (so that waits are more averaged) and on getting the cards with map and info out to riders. I think this weekend should run more smoothly.


Guest 14

Bert Green on November 27, 2008, at 12:05AM – #22

"I wait patiently for a day when we have anything similar to San Francisco's public transit system."

What? Except for BART, which is a suburban system, on SF MUNI it often takes an hour to go 7 miles. Nothing to envy.


User_32

Alonso on December 04, 2008, at 02:36AM – #23

Bert - You must not have been to SF recently, have you? Or maybe you were way out in Outer Sunset...

Even so, DTLA is not 7x7. DASH drivers are unfortunately surly around peak hours, and often lazy at other times. Like SF (long shot, but not too long), DOT should allow drivers to break designated at the end of their routes every hour, maintaining operation between breaks. There has to be a way to fix the bunching. Maybe a tracking system would help, ala subway transit.

Nevertheless, they should not be missing stops. Ever.



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