The Alexandria Transit Company (DASH) will retire its remaining Orion buses with a ceremonial final trip on Friday, July 1. To celebrate this milestone with the community and recognize the vital role these buses have played in serving Alexandria’s transit needs, there will be a final ceremonial Line 30 trip.
The ceremonial final trip will begin at the Pentagon at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, July 1, stopping at Braddock Road Metro Station at 2:55 p.m and completing the ceremonial trip at King Street Metro at 3:25 p.m. The public is invited to join DASH in celebrating this milestone by riding this final trip or saying farewell at the King Street Metro Station.
“Orion buses have been with us since the very first day of DASH service and are a favorite among our veteran operators,” said CEO/General Manager Josh Baker. “They have served our system well throughout the years and helped us provide the reliable, quality, and safe service our community has come to expect. We are excited to finally retire the oldest diesel buses in the fleet as they have been replaced with fully electric, zero emission buses. We welcome the community to join us in celebrating the nearly 40 years of service these buses have provided.”
DASH has operated Orion buses since the agency first formed in 1984 and while the durability, reliability and longevity of Orion buses have earned them a reputation as the workhorses of the fleet, they also have the lowest fuel efficiency, generate the most pollution and are the least accessible buses in operation. They require multiple steps for passengers to board and are not as accessible for passengers with limited mobility or mobility aids. With this retirement, DASH will not only continue to lead the industry in the transition to zero emissions electric buses but will also now have a fleet comprised exclusively of low-floor accessible buses.