Cuts Proposed for Central City East, South Park DASH Service
Ed Fuentes
A DASH bus is prepped outside Disney Hall to kick off 2008's Late Night DASH holiday pilot, which was privately funded.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Three DASH routes Downtown are proposed for elimination as part of LADOT's attempts to balance its transit budget for 2010. If the recommendations are approved by the department, the Central City East DASH, DASH C (South Park) and DASH DD (weekend) would be discontinued and fares would double by 2011.
The moves are necessitated by a massive deficit in funding for the department's transit services, which include Commuter Express and City Ride. Most of that funding comes from Proposition A, a 1980 ballot measure whereby voters approved a half-cent sales tax for transit improvements (much like 2008's Measure R). A portion of that revenue went to local agencies to fund transit operations.
In recent years, though, Prop A revenue has failed to keep pace with the growing cost to provide service. LADOT is projecting a $23 million shortfall in 2010, and a $260 million gap over the next 10 years.
According to LADOT, the moves proposed will generate $28 million in savings and new revenue for 2010 and $30.5 million starting in 2011. That's enough to balance the budget for the next two fiscal years, but starting in 2012 the department still expects a $10 million shortfall.
The three DASH lines targeted have long struggled for ridership. Central City East DASH was launched in September of 2008, and as of December of that year the service was only averaging six riders per hour.
Fares on DASH lines are proposed to rise from the current $0.25 to $0.35 in year one and $0.50 in year two.
While the proposal is far from finalized and community input is still requested on the consultant's website, comments are unlikely to change the budget situation. The proposed cuts would balance the 2010 transit budget, according to the department.
There is a chance of new money. The budget assumes no revenue from the Measure R local return fund, a pool that the city has not yet decided how to allocate. It also assumes no rise in "formula" funds from Metro. While Downtown DASH and three Community DASH lines receive the state-distributed funds, most Community DASH lines do not thanks to agreements made long ago.
Findings will go to City Council before implementation.
General Jeff on January 11, 2010, at 05:13PM – #1
Unbelievable!!
I contacted LADOT on several different occasions and in multiple ways regarding the Central City East Dash that primarily travels through Skid Row.
Many of us folks in Skid Row are highly insulted by the CCE Dash's ridiculous route. For those that don't know, the route basically travels in a circle around Skid Row with a few stops in Little Tokyo.
Why would anyone want to pay to go in a circle? Is the LADOT implying that the residents in Skid Row don't have anywhere important to go? Did they think that we would simply enjoy it like a Disneyland ride and have fun traveling in circles like a merry-go-round for grown-ups?
I suggested that they alter the route to continue west on 7th to the 7th/Metro Subway connector. On the way back traveling east, they could stop at Macy's Plaza and help to ease the congestion of passengers at that high-traffic area.
Instead, when traveling west, the bus turns north on Main street and begins the circled path.
Maybe they felt insulted when I sent them an e-mail asking what genius came up with THAT idea? And what committee voted to approve it?
People in Skid Row have places to go and things to do. Maybe not the homeless, but there are rent-paying residents that don't own cars and depend greatly on public transportation. (At least the kind that will take you somewhere).
How dare they release statistics of poor ridership as if Skid Row wasn't using that line so they're going to cut the service as if we don't need it. What we need is affordable public transportation( such as the Dash) that can actually take you somewhere.
Message to LADOT- don't blame Skid Row for your own ineptness!!!
Don Garza on January 11, 2010, at 05:41PM – #2
hear , hear , General Jeff!!!
The Route was flawed from the beginning.. when I rode it many who would have ridden , were those waiting on 7th street heading west to Broadway and if that route would have extended to the City Center , the ridership would have been much greater. What is needed is to extend it to American Apparel..
What I did see were single mothers with children utilizing the Central City East Dash bus to get to and from services instead of traversing the mess of skid row ... It will be up to the skid row community to fight for continuing service..
I did witness many parked vehicles impeding the stops , like the stop next to the Midnight Mission ,,,
on another note, because it didn't come every 15 minutes like the other routes , people couldn't wait on that bus..many social service provider employees were expecting a 15 minute DASH , instead they got the 45 minute one.. and it was useless to them..
General Hobson on January 11, 2010, at 08:14PM – #3
Another General Jeff knows all post.
"Unbelievable!!" Why? Given the state of the economy I'm surprised more of this hasn't happened already. The LADOT has to take a larger, more macro view and I'm sure they're in a better position to evaluate the needs of the city as a whole than us. Let's commend them for what they've done right and not be so quick to assume that we understand better than they do.
Ginny Brideau on January 11, 2010, at 08:37PM – #4
Eric~ Are you able to elaborate on your last point? Do you think the Measure R local return funds would be able to provide for the funding shortfall? If that's the case, then I would strongly encourage everyone to start contacting the council offices and make that push.
There are portions of Downtown Los Angeles that without DASH are void of any public transit.
I can draft a letter - if you want me to see it - email me offline at gincase@gmail.com and I'll send you a copy of it.
xavier Grobet on January 11, 2010, at 09:06PM – #5
How about redoing one of the few lines left in service to the future street car line rout.
Don Garza on January 11, 2010, at 09:12PM – #6
why don't we get rid of these one way streets and no one will need the Downtown Dashes anymore...
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on January 11, 2010, at 10:21PM – #7
Ginny: The city deciding to allocate measure R funding would change DOT's budget number, allowing them to reassess the cuts. They don't want to make the cuts, but they've been talking about how bad this deficit was getting for a long time now.
JDeluis on January 11, 2010, at 10:55PM – #8
It's going to be sad to lose Dash C. They could never figure out what route to keep. I myself used that line more frequently when it stopped in front of the Public Library. Now the farthest it goes is Macy's Plaza.
General Jeff on January 11, 2010, at 11:14PM – #9
General Hobson,
Ha Ha Ha Ha!!! That's funny! "Another General Jeff knows all post"!!! Ha Ha.....
Thanks for "checking me"!
Dude, from one General to another, if you really knew me, you'd know that's the farthest thing from the truth.
I say "unbelievable" because it wasn't that long ago that LADOT issued a press release stating that they were seeking community input to "save" some of the troubled lines, such as the CCE Dash line. They implied that this line was all but exempt from the axe because it was relatively new and needed some fine-tuning instead.
Now, after all that wasted "outreach"( I wonder how much money was spent on that?), and after all the reassuring statements, they still swung the axe.
General Hobson, I don't know if you know the whole story with this particular line, but that was my personal reaction.
Can't I share my feelings? Would you prefer I keep quiet? Evidentially, it's not me who knows everything, it's General Hobson that knows everything. Especially everything that goes on in Skid Row!
Can you PALEEZE( please) take my place? I need a day off. In fact, Why don't you stay a while and help to fight for the Skid Row residents, including the homeless. Then, I can go back to living my own life.
Thank you in advance!
Ha Ha Ha.....I'm still chuckling!!!
Bernard Hobson on January 12, 2010, at 12:08AM – #10
"Can't I share my feelings?" Of course, I didn't imply otherwise.
General Jeff on January 12, 2010, at 12:38AM – #11
Thanks, "General" Hobson, or should I now call you Bernard.
Anyway, I was serious about me taking a vacation. When are you coming to take my place. You didn't respond to that part.
Please hurry, my travel agent is on the other line!
I can be on a tropical beach with my legs and feet stretched out on a lounge chair all the while sipping on some exotic drink and working on my tan by noon tomorrow!
She gets me great deals. I wouldn't even take my laptop!
Jasmijn on January 12, 2010, at 07:22AM – #12
I took the "C" frequently on my way to LATTC for the last few months of 2009: it stops at California Hospital and then turns northwards again. It's the only line to pass through certain areas but it's true that there were rarely more than 4 people riding. I know there's a certain general overlap in the southern neighborhoods with the D and F lines, but I'd still be sad to see it go. It's only ONE bus with ONE driver who makes the circuit loop in around 20 minutes.
LAofAnaheim on January 12, 2010, at 11:54AM – #13
General Jeff....you weren't the only ones insulted with the DASH route through Skid Row...
We here in South Park, were insulted with the ridiculous short route of the C DASH. It primarily stayed in South Park with a small dip onto Wilshire blvd in the financial district. But, this sucker should have continued northbound to the Grand Avenue buildings or the Old Bank District. It's a shame and embarassment to the people in South Park that we had a DASH that was ludicrous. So, you're not the only neighborhood that felt "cheated" on a DASH route.......other neighborhoods felt the same sting.
Ravi on January 12, 2010, at 03:47PM – #14
Up to know, my sweetie and I call the DD Dash a unicorn. It exists only in myth. When we see one, we rush to take a picture of it. With that said, I want to express that WE COULD REALLY USE A WEEKEND DASH SERVICE! Of the times I've taken it, there are plenty of tourists and Downtown newcomers fresh from Union Station studying maps and juggling luggage. Me? I'm just juggling my briefcase hoping to shorten my 2-mile-walk to work. I also see plenty of elderly juggling grocery bags from the Little Tokyo Asian grocery markets.
What a way to incent public transportation: eliminate service and charge us double. Man, I'm sad.
cj on January 12, 2010, at 05:17PM – #15
The C DASH is pretty useless; F and D are so close by and take you much further. Most of the few times I would wait for the C, I probably could have walked and gotten to 7th street faster.
I can't really speak for CCE since I rarely ride that line, but riders in that area could have connected to the E if they wanted to get to 7th st metro. Although now that the line is recommended for elimination, I don't know how people will get around just in that area.
DD was useless as well because since it was just one huge loop, I would have to ride it all across downtown and Chinatown just to get from South Park to Little Tokyo. And even then, it was quite the unicorn.
While I enjoy having the D come by to where I am without ever having to wait more than 5 minutes, I rarely see those buses more than half full, while the E and B lines are so packed, they regularly have to bypass stops with people waiting to get on. Maybe it also has something to do with the amount of other traffic along those lines, but I think DOT is moving in the right direction with altering frequency schedules. And they should go even further.
Everyone who rides should give their input. These are our lines. I wish the survey were more structured, though, instead of having a general comment box.
And $0.35 seems like it would be really awkward. you have to have nickels in your pocket/purse. I hope it doesn't go past 50 cents though; seems like anything higher would be cost prohibitive for lower income folks who depend on DASH to get around.
General Jeff on January 13, 2010, at 02:36AM – #16
LAofAnaheim,
WOW! I'm shocked to hear that South Park residents/ stakeholders also were disappointed in your Dash line. Thank you for sharing.
I truly hope that the folks over at LADOT( the higher-ups) somehow know about this blog site and read these informative comments that should help them to better judge what the Downtown community collectively wants.
Keep speaking up, people!
cyn on January 19, 2010, at 12:39AM – #17
I was a daily rider for a few months on the CC route. I live and work in downtown and the CC route is perfect for me to get to and from work. I have recently decided to stop taking the dash and it has nothing to do with the route or homeless people. I couldn't handle riding the dash with a driver(same one everyday) that was extremely rude to all of its passengers. And even more rude to transients. I plan on filing a formal complaint on this individual through LADOT.