City budget office to review DASH labor costs before vote on bus cuts

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The city's budget office will review DASH's labor and benefit costs this week, ahead of the transit agency's board decision on Nov. 12 on whether to cut bus service, DASH told The Alexandria Brief on Tuesday.

DASH said its $5.9 million shortfall estimate has not changed so far, but that it could as the review continues. The agency also said an independent reviewer is examining how it developed its fiscal 2027 budget assumptions. It said it built its fuel budget on a September 2025 federal forecast that "predicted lower diesel prices," before prices rose in the spring.

Josh Baker, DASH's general manager and CEO, sent the statements in written responses to The Alexandria Brief by email through the agency's communications staff.

The responses follow the DASH board's 7-4 vote last week to send a $2.5 million package of service cuts to public comment and a Nov. 12 hearing. Under the package, Line 31 would stop running through Old Town and Line 30 would end at the West Alexandria Transit Center. No line would be eliminated.