The Alexandria Transit Co. (ATC) Board of Directors approved the elimination of the add value option aboard DASH buses effective April 1, at its monthly board meeting. This initiative will make the DASH system the first in the region to take the process of adding value to a SmarTrip card off of the bus.
By eliminating the add value function on the bus, riders will experience a more convenient ride on DASH with less hassle, ease in boarding, and reliable departures and arrivals. The Plan Ahead…Pay it Forward Campaign will provide many useful tools for riders to learn about the numerous ways that they can add value to your SmarTrip Card without the need of adding it on the bus.
The Plan Ahead…Pay it Forward initiative will include a comprehensive marketing and education campaign that will focus on transitioning riders as seamlessly as possible by educating them as to the many add value locations found off the bus. The campaign will include a significant education piece that identifies all the add value locations throughout the City and also shows how easy it is to add value online or with your smartphone. Plan Ahead…Pay it Forward will also promote the benefits that all DASH riders and the system will derive from taking the add value feature off the bus.
“The original goal of the SmarTrip program was to speed boarding and reduce dwell times. Unfortunately, the onboard add value component has actually increased dwell times and negatively affected reliability and on-time performance,” stated Sandy Modell, DASH’s general manager. “I believe that our riders overall will be pleased with this change.”
ATC plans to go where the riders are in order to make this initiative a success. Community outreach through informational transit fairs at Alexandria Metro Stations, transit centers, and bus stops will be a key component, along with, transit ambassadors who will be riding DASH buses to assist customers during the transition.
