The Department of Transportation will open a new DASH route in Pacoima Saturday, providing convenient and sustainable transportation for residents to get to grocery stores, schools, work and other major transit hubs, Los Angeles city officials said.
In celebration of the new route, DASH Pacoima will offer free rides starting Saturday through May 31. The route will be fully served by 14 electric battery-powered buses funded by the state’s Transformative Climate Communities grant program, which also supported charging stations at DOT’s North Region Bus Yard.
“With this brand new 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,” Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement. “The new DASH Pacoima route represents our continued investments in the San Fernando Valley for healthy and climate resilient infrastructure.”
According to the department, the new route was made possible through a partnership with Greening Together Collaborative and Pacoima Beautiful.
On Friday, DOT General Manager Laura Rubio-Cornejo described the new route as an “exciting moment” for Pacoima. The general manager joined City Council members Monica Rodriguez and Imelda Padilla, who represent northeast San Fernando Valley neighborhoods, to celebrate the initiative.
“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,” Rubio-Cornejo added.
Rodriguez stated that she worked to secure funding for this second DASH route with specific 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.”
Padilla noted they are laying the groundwork for Metro’s future East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project, a 6.7-mile rail segment with 11 new stations to be built on Van Nuys Boulevard. The aim is to further enhance transit opportunities in the area to Metrolink, Amtrak, Metro’s G (Orange) and B (Red) line.
Metro recently began construction on its G Line Improvements Project, which will upgrade the existing line with grade separations and a new aerial station at Van Nuys, as well as better signal priority technology and a new gating system.
Such transit projects are to prepare Los Angeles for the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.