Eric Richardson []

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — The City's ongoing budget issues have claimed another victim: free DASH transfers. As early as March 1, riders will no longer be able to board one Downtown DASH line for $0.25 and get a paper transfer to another bus. LADOT expects the move to save the department approximately $130,000 per year.

In a note posted on its website, LADOT explains the cuts and offers the recently introduced monthly passes as an alternative:

The City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation intends to end its program of issuing one free transfer, upon request, with each paid fare on all six DASH Downtown Los Angeles routes. Due to the City’s financial crisis, LADOT needs to identify strategies to increase revenues in order to minimize potential transit service reductions to the public. The current low DASH cash fare of 25 cents (10 cents for seniors and persons with disabilities) makes it extremely affordable to ride DASH and will remain the same.

LADOT has recently introduced a new $9.00 monthly DASH pass that allows the holder to make unlimited trips on any DASH Downtown Los Angeles route or any of the other 27 DASH routes throughout the City. In addition, DASH also accepts LADOT monthly passes and the County-wide EZ transit passes as payment of fare on all DASH services.

Please let us know if you have any questions or comments regarding the proposed policy change by Wednesday, February 18, 2009. Contact us at:

Even before the city's current woes, LADOT was facing serious deficits in the funding sources used to pay for DASH services.

Update (4pm): Original story had said that the transfers would end March 1 (as mentioned on the DOT site). LADOT has clarified that no date is yet final.