DASH Honors Transit Equity Day

DASH Honors Transit Equity Day

February 4, 2025

This year, DASH proudly honors and pays tribute to the life and legacy of Rosa Parks, a central figure in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. She is celebrated twice a year: on December 1, the anniversary of her courageous act of resistance, and again on February 4, her birthday, also recognized as Transit Equity Day.

In observation of Transit Equity Day, we celebrate the progress made, reflect on the work still to be done, and honor those who helped to ensure that Rosa Parks’ vision lives on. Make sure to catch a ride on DASH’s Commemorative Transit Equity Day Bus throughout February to learn more about Rosa Parks and the fight for equitable access in public transportation.


How is DASH Supporting Equity in Alexandria

At DASH, we are deeply aware of Alexandria’s complex history, including the struggles of people like Kate Brown, who faced unimaginable violence and injustice. While we recognize the challenges of the past, our work is grounded in a commitment to create a more equitable and inclusive Alexandria, and we remain dedicated to removing barriers that hinder access to opportunities, especially for marginalized communities.

We take pride in operating by our mission, vision, and values every day, as we strive to serve all members of our community.

Current & Recent Initiatives:
The “New DASH Network”

Our transformation of the DASH transit network is a key part of our efforts to improve connectivity throughout Alexandria. We’ve redesigned our transit system to reach more parts of the city and provide better access to the destinations that matter most to our riders.

  • With our all-day service, we now provide accessible transportation to 81% of low-income residents, 78% of minority residents, and 69% of aging residents in Alexandria.
DASH’s Fare-Free Program

In September of 2021, we eliminated fare-collection on all DASH buses, becoming the first transit agency in the Washington D.C. metro area and the Commonwealth of Virginia to establish a multi-year fare-free program. We are proud to take a significant step toward reducing barriers in transportation, ensuring that all residents have the freedom to travel without the worry of fare costs. 

  • The median household income reported for DASH riders is $39,000. 
  • 64% of riders are below the poverty level, as compared to 18% of all city residents. 
  • 37% of DASH riders live in zero-vehicle households. 
Ongoing Community Engagement and Feedback

Over the past few years, we’ve actively engaged with residents to hear their experiences, concerns, and suggestions for improvement. By working with the community, we can continue to build a transit system that is responsive, inclusive, and reflective of the diversity of Alexandria.

  • As part of the Alexandria Transit Strategic Plan (ATSP), DASH annually solicits community feedback to proposed changes from tweaking bus routes to adjusting schedules to ensure we’re meeting the needs of those we serve. 
Sustainability and the Future

Looking ahead, DASH is also focused on environmental sustainability, and our role as an industry leader in the adoption of zero-emission bus technology. DASH is on track to convert the entire DASH fixed-route bus fleet to 100% zero emissions technology by the year 2037.

  • As of today, our fleet is comprised of 14% Zero Emissions Battery Electric, 46% Diesel-Electric Hybrid, and 40% Clean Diesel. 

Our work is never done. We are constantly evaluating and improving our programs, expanding our network, and finding new ways to serve our riders. We will continue to ensure that every person in our community has access to the opportunities and resources they deserve.

With a focus on removing barriers, promoting fairness, and fostering connection, DASH is proud to be part of Alexandria’s ongoing journey toward a more equitable future for all. 


What is Transit Equity Day?

Inspired by the “First Lady of the Civil Rights Movement,” Transit Equity Day is celebrated each year on February 4, Rosa Parks’ Birthday.

Parks is most widely known for her brave act of resistance on December 1, 1955, refusing to give up her seat on the bus to a white passenger. This moment set in motion one of the largest social movements in U.S. history, known as the Montgomery Bus Boycott. However, by the time she boarded the bus in 1955, she was a well-recognized leader and organizer in the Civil Rights Movement.

The commemoration is an annual reminder that disparities in transit access still exist, often disproportionately affecting low-income communities, people of color, and those with varying abilities. It recognizes fellow transit activists and organizations and serves as a call to action for communities and policymakers to continue advocating for equal rights, access, and opportunities in public transportation.

What Does Transit Equity Mean, and How Does it Look?

According to the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, transportation equity means “…to facilitate social and economic opportunities by providing equitable levels of access to affordable and reliable transportation options based on the needs of the populations being served, particularly populations that are traditionally underserved.”

However, StreetsBlog USA’s article “How the Next Generation of Mobility Justice Leaders Are Fighting For Transportation Equity,” highlights a couple of different ways to think about the topic with thoughts from the National Organizations for Youth Safety’s (NOYS) 2023 National Youth Transportation Equity Fellows.

In the conversation, facilitated by Jacob Smith, NOYS Executive Director, they asked “what does the term ‘transportation equity’ mean to you, and what’s one thing that you wish sustainable transportation advocates in general knew about the transportation equity movement, specifically?’ Here are a couple of their responses:

“As a person with disabilities who uses a mobility device — [in my case], a power wheelchair — I’m dependent on transit service. So what mobility justice means for me is funding for sidewalks, transit, bike lanes in the same way that we fund highways.

If you ever want to expand a highway, it’s not difficult to get funding. You don’t need to pass a levy or a bond; the DOT can just approve it. However, if you want to build a sidewalk, build a transit network, or make a bike lane, you often have to fund it through voter-approved sales taxes, which disproportionately impact lower income people…In 2023, we’re still making horrible decisions for the world and for younger generations.”

– Prem Subedi, National Youth Transportation Equity Fellowship 2023 Cohort

“I think of it as having equal access to move throughout your city, regardless of the neighborhood you live in, or your background, or your income, or whether or not you have a car…For me, it’s definitely about being able to access the things that we care about. I think that a lot of times the conversation is [focused] on just jobs and employment. But access to arts and culture, to family and community, to parks and recreation — all of those different things [matter too].”

– Mia Lewis, National Youth Transportation Equity Fellowship 2023 Cohort

“And I would also add that I think it’s the freedom to feel safe, while taking different modes of transportation, and while being whoever you are. It’s about having the dignity, having the safety, having the freedom to move in whatever way most now, appealing to you. Having that be a true choice would be equity in my eyes.”

– Fatima Elkott, National Youth Transportation Equity Fellowship 2023 Cohort

Read the full StreetsBlog USA’s article here.

You can also learn more about the National Organizations for Youth Safety here.

Why is it Important to Honor & Celebrate Activists?

The act of recognizing and celebrating the activists of the civil rights and transit equity movements goes beyond simply honoring their work and the progress they helped achieve. It serves as a potent reminder that the struggle for inclusive, equitable transportation systems is far from over.

While much has been accomplished, Martin Luther King, Jr. reminds us that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Change takes a long time and is rarely won without people fighting for it. By celebrating their contributions, they inspire us to keep pushing for the world we want to live in.

Below are three activists you may or may not be familiar with; each played a significant role in the fight for transportation equity:

Kate Brown (1840 – 1883)

Kate Brown’s act of defiance on February 8, 1868, stands as one of the earliest known protests against racial segregation on public transportation, and it happened here, in Alexandria, VA.

At the time, she worked as a U.S. Senate employee and was traveling back to work in Washington, D.C. from Alexandria. She boarded a railroad car that was designated for white women only, a common practice in the post-Civil War South. When she was ordered to vacate the train car, Brown refused, asserting, “I bought my ticket to go to Washington in this car…before I leave this car I will suffer death.”

Brown’s resistance, however, was met with brutality and violence. Railway employees physically dragged her off the train and threw her onto the platform, continuing the altercation until broken up by a fellow Senate employee. Brown later sued the railroad company, taking her case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Although Brown’s story is largely overlooked, outside the occasional mention reference to Railroad Company v. Brown in legal texts, her act of defiance brought the Supreme Court its first case addressing racial segregation in public transportation.

Claudette Colvin (1939 – )

Claudette Colvin’s act of bravery in 1955 was a precursor to the larger movement that would follow, laying the groundwork for others, including Parks, to take a stand.

On March 2, 1955, Colvin, a 16-year-old high school student in Montgomery, AL, made a courageous stand against racial segregation, nine months before Rosa Parks’ more famous protest. After finishing school that day, Colvin boarded a city bus and sat in the “colored” section. When a white passenger boarded, the bus driver demanded she give up her seat. Colvin, determined to assert her rights, refused, telling the driver, “It’s my constitutional right to sit here as much as that lady. I paid my fare, it’s my constitutional right.”

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) initially considered using Colvin’s arrest as a way to challenge segregation laws in the courts, but they ultimately decided against it. They believed Colvin’s youth and the fact that she had become pregnant would make her an unpopular figure in a public legal battle, potentially overshadowing the cause and generating negative publicity.

Despite her role as one of the first to stand up against racial segregation on the buses, Colvin’s story was largely forgotten. Her contributions have started to receive more attention, becoming recognized as an important, though often overlooked, moment in the Civil Rights Movement.

Brad Lomax (1950 – 1984)

Brad Lomax, a civil rights leader and disability rights activist, played a pivotal role in merging the fight for racial justice and the rights of disabled individuals into one united front. 

Lomax’s activism began in his teens when he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a condition that bound him to a wheelchair and would shape much of his later work. Before moving to Oakland, CA, he founded the Washington, D.C. chapter of the Black Panther Party and organized the first African Liberation Day demonstration in 1972.  

Once in Oakland, Lomax found himself unable to access public buses without being physically lifted onto them, a clear example of the systemic barriers faced by people with differing abilities. This experience ignited his passion for advocating not only for racial justice but also for the rights of people with disabilities, sparking his involvement in disability rights activism. 

Though Lomax tragically passed away at 33, his legacy has endured and influenced both the civil rights and disability rights movements. His work laid the foundation for the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, which expanded upon the protections established by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and further ensured access to public accommodations, transportation, and employment for people with disabilities.