People at the bus stop
The City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) is using funds from the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program to provide free, safe, and reliable transportation to students across Los Angeles. The “DASH to Class” program allows all K-12, college, and vocational students with a Student Reduced Fare pass to ride free on LADOT Transit’s DASH buses—even for non-school related trips.
“A lack of reliable transportation should never be a roadblock between students and their dreams,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “Free DASH passes will help students get to class on time, save money for families who are struggling to make ends meet, boost school attendance, and empower young people to get involved with clubs or take a job that previously felt out of reach.”
Transit fares can often be a barrier to education: approximately 30 percent of LA Community College District - College Promise students report struggling to pay for transportation. Over 20 percent of these students report having to miss or stop attending classes due to the cost or lack of access to reliable transportation. DASH to Class program provides a free transportation option to these students, as well as the students of nearly 300 LA Unified School District K-12 schools that are within a quarter-mile of LADOT DASH bus stops.
Based on current ridership trends and projections, LADOT estimates that providing free DASH passes to students across the city will increase annual student ridership from 3.9 million rides to 4.3 million rides. In other U.S. cities that have implemented similar initiatives, more than 90 percent of students have reported benefits from free bus passes, including better class attendance and improved grades.
"Free transportation on LADOT’s DASH buses connects students to learning in and outside the classroom,” said LADOT General Manager Seleta Reynolds. “When we reduce barriers to education, we bridge students to opportunities, which are the brick and mortar of a more resilient Los Angeles."
People holding a “Dahs to Class” sign in front of a bus