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Council subcommittee seeks data on DASH bus use as potential school-transport option for ACPS high school students
Summary
The City Schools Subcommittee and staff mapped a three-month program to collect data on DASH, ACPS school-bus ridership, safety and cost factors to determine whether city transit could supplement high-school transportation; no decision was made.
The Alexandria City Schools Subcommittee told the City Council that it will collect ridership, safety and cost data over the next several months to evaluate whether city-run DASH buses could be used to transport Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) high school students.
"The memo did not make a decision, it did not make a recommendation, there was no vote," Mayor Aaliyah Gaskins said, summarizing last month's memo and explaining the subcommittee's approach. "Instead, it really asked for how can we get the data we need in order to make an informed decision between our two bodies."
What staff will do: The subcommittee agreed to a three-part information program. Month one will provide route, utilization and ridership data for DASH and ACPS buses. Month two will examine safety considerations. Month three will review maintenance, labor and cost data to allow joint recommendation development to full council and the school board.
Why it matters: Using existing transit to carry students could affect ACPS operations, city transit scheduling, cost allocations and student safety. Council members emphasized the request for data before any policy shift; no policy decision was made at the meeting.
Next step: The subcommittee will receive the first tranche of data this month and continue staggered briefings as staff compiles the requested information; council and ACPS will use the data to determine any changes to transportation services.
