Alexandria Transit Company (ATC) is this year’s recipient of the Virginia Transit Association (VTA) Outstanding Program Award. Alexandria’s DASH system was presented with the award during an awards ceremony held on Wednesday, May 25, in conjunction with VTA’s annual statewide transit conference in Fredericksburg, Virginia. DASH was selected by the Association for its “Plan Ahead…Pay it Forward” marketing campaign and outreach efforts. The Plan Ahead…Pay it Forward campaign made DASH the first system in the region to take the process of adding value to a SmartTrip card off of the bus. ATC made a bold initiative to eliminate the add value option aboard all DASH buses on April 1, 2015. By eliminating the add value function on the bus, riders are now enjoying a more convenient ride on DASH with less hassle, ease of boarding, and reliable departures and arrivals.
A selection committee made up of transit professionals from around the Commonwealth chose “Plan Ahead…Pay it Forward” based on the program that was considered exceptional and innovative, and improved public transportation, the services and processes of the transit system.
“The original goal of the SmarTrip program was to speed boarding and reduce dwell times. Unfortunately, the onboard add value component actually increased dwell times and negatively affected reliability and on-time performance,” stated Sandy Modell, DASH’s general manager. The elimination has significantly reduced bus dwell times, improved overall on-time performance on all routes, reduced the amount of cash fare on board buses, minimized fare evasion and fraud with electronic fare media, and altercations at the fare box for DASH buses and performance.
The initiative included a comprehensive marketing and education campaign that focused on transitioning riders as seamlessly as possible by educating them to the many add value locations found off the bus. Plan Ahead promoted the benefits that all DASH riders and the system derived from taking the add value feature off the bus. DASH riders have been extremely pleased with the elimination of the add value function.
