The launch of DASH Pacoima by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) gives those in the Northeast valley a new bus route.
To celebrate the launch of the new DASH Pacoima route, rides will be free for all of May. Afterwards, the fare will be $0.50 cash and $0.35 with a Transit Access Pass (TAP) card.
This new route will provide convenient and sustainable transportation for the Pacoima community, connecting residents to essential destinations and major transit hubs, including Metro bus and rail lines and the existing DASH Panorama City route.
“Residents will now have access to a more reliable, cleaner and sustainable all-electric local bus service that also promotes greater access for all to visit the San Fernando Valley in the coming years,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “The new DASH Pacoima route represents our continued investments in the San Fernando Valley for healthy and climate resilient infrastructure.”
DASH Pacoima was made possible through a partnership with Greening Together Collaborative and nonprofit Pacoima Beautiful.
“This is an exciting moment for Pacoima and for LADOT,” said LADOT General Manager Laura Rubio-Cornejo. “This new DASH route will provide a key connection to neighborhood amenities and our wider transportation network that is accessible and affordable. It is just one more example of our commitment to investing in our communities and ensuring that all Angelenos have access to safe and reliable transportation.”
DASH Pacoima will be fully served by battery-electric buses, a major step toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality in the neighborhood. A joint application to the Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) grant program funded the purchase of 14 battery-electric buses and the installation of new charging infrastructure at LADOT’s North Region Bus Yard.
“The launch of DASH Pacoima is a huge step toward transportation equity for Arleta, Panorama City and Pacoima,” said Councilmember Imelda Padilla. “This all-electric route connects residents to where they need to go – schools, jobs, parks and grocery stores – while cutting emissions and improving air quality in communities that have borne the brunt of pollution for far too long.”
Councilmember Monica Rodriguez added, “Closing the service gaps and expanding access to safe, reliable public transportation remains a priority, which is why I secured funding to deliver this second DASH route to our community with targeted stops near schools, and key destinations, to ensure residents – especially students, families and seniors – have the convenience of an affordable transit system that prioritizes their needs in Pacoima.”
I hope that council member Imelda Padilla will follow council member Monica Rodriguez lead and expand the DASH bus service in council district 6, particularly in Sun Valley where transportation is scarce.