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Downtown DASH Testing Website that Offers Live Status, Arrival Times

By Eric Richardson
Published: Wednesday, October 21, 2009, at 12:11PM
Screenshot from New Realtime DASH Website dtdash.com

A new website now under testing offers live bus locations and arrival times for Downtown DASH lines.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Standing at a Downtown bus stop and want to know when your DASH will arrive? Just pull out your cell phone.

A healthy injection of high-technology has made arrival times and bus locations on Downtown's favorite circulator system accessible via a web browser, phone call or text message.

The system, currently being tested by the City's Department of Transportation and vendor is powered by the new GPS units that were recently installed in DASH buses.

Since the information is all driven by live data from the buses themselves, it is extremely accurate.

By logging on to , curious riders can see a live map showing the location of each DASH bus or see when buses will be arriving at their favorite stop. The same information is accessible to those accessing the site with a mobile device such as an iPhone.

That same information is available over the phone by calling .

Frequent riders may want to memorize the identification numbers given to their regular stops. Use of the stop number allows a caller to short-circuit the phone system's menu and get directly to their information. The stop number can also be used to receive arrival time information via text message. To find easy instructions, just pull up your stop on the website.

Take the same DASH each morning? Everyday riders can register to have arrival times sent to them as a text a few minutes before their scheduled departure.

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Conversation

Guest 1

gkam on October 21, 2009, at 12:16PM – #1

finally!


() on October 21, 2009, at 12:30PM – #2

Wonder how long before the bus driver's union sues the city over this.


Guest 2

Bartleight on October 21, 2009, at 12:58PM – #3

This is great news! I love it as I take the B Dash everyday, twice a day, and sometimes three if you count lunch.


Guest 3

Tornadoes28 on October 21, 2009, at 02:19PM – #4

That's damn cool.


Guest 4

cj on October 21, 2009, at 03:05PM – #5

Is it really necessary though? I take the D Dash 2-4 times a day and I am always a half block away when one pulls up to and then away from my stop, but another one is never too far behind.


Guest 5

AL on October 21, 2009, at 04:06PM – #6

This is excellent. I can tell you that the A and B dash have been pretty bad lately, especially A after they changed its route. Glad to hear not all the routes have been having issues, but I think this service will definitely help with the 2 lines I use.


Guest 6

JM on October 21, 2009, at 07:23PM – #7

Niiiice! Any chance they can do the same with the Commuter Express buses??


Guest 7

bromike666 on October 22, 2009, at 06:49AM – #8

Thats pretty damn cool. I've never taken the Dash but I might have to try it on one of my morning bank trips to Little Tokyo. Maybe I'll take a day and me and my iPhone will try and ride all the buses and see how they connect and where they go.

I never really thought about it but I might be able to use the Dash to pick up small supplies at all of our local shops. All's I'd have to do is walk to 5th and Central.


Guest 8

Xavier Grobet on October 22, 2009, at 08:21AM – #9

What a great tool, things like this make it easy for people to not be afraid of taking public transportation, there is an ipod application for Metro trains as well.


Guest 9

Tom on October 22, 2009, at 09:57AM – #10

It looks like you can get the info by texting too! Excellent for those without web access from their cell phone (like me). I wish MTA would do this too. (I know about rapidbus.net and nextrip - I'm talking about getting the info via texting.)


Guest 10

JM on October 22, 2009, at 02:15PM – #11

Are MTA and LADOT still having a turf war?


Guest 2

Bartleight on October 22, 2009, at 03:50PM – #12

I love this! I've been using it since you posted this and it has saved me tons of wait time. Dash B is especially busy during lunch and I love that I can call and get real-time arrival info. Thanks for posting!


Guest 11

Nick on October 22, 2009, at 10:20PM – #13

Usually the limitation to this is the GPS (AVL) devices themselves. But METRO buses have them; you can see the map and where you are on most buses...this is the next logical step. Commuter Express needs this as well...

Funny that LADOT still doesn't have a direct link to this site yet.


Eric Richardson () on October 22, 2009, at 10:30PM – #14

Nick: My understanding is that they will have an official launch next month, and do press about it then. Our readers just get an extra few weeks in the know. :)



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