City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: NOVEMBER 6, 2025
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
THROUGH: JAMES F. PARAJON, CITY MANAGER
FROM: EMILY BAKER, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER AND INTERIM DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of a Resolution to Update the Fares for DOT Paratransit Service.
BODY
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ISSUE: Whether to adjust the DOT Paratransit fare structure by increasing fares, adding a new fare zone, and adding a peak-hour surcharge.
RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council adopt the resolution (Attachment 1) to approve the recommended changes to the DOT Paratransit fares.
BACKGROUND: DOT Paratransit fares are regulated by federal law, which limits fares to no more than twice the fare charged by the fixed-route public transit system. Since DASH service is currently free, the fare for ADA-mandated paratransit service, ¾ mile from fixed route transit, must also be zero. For many decades, DOT has gone beyond the minimum service requirements set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), offering broader geographic coverage and greater service flexibility. In 2020, this commitment was expanded further with the inclusion of Washington, D.C. as part of the paratransit service area (Zone 3).
DOT Paratransit currently operates under a three-zone fare structure (see Attachment 2):
• Zone 1 - ADA Mandatory Service Area: Free
• Zone 2 - Up to 5 miles from the City boundary in Virginia: $4
• Zone 3 - Over 5 miles from the City boundary in Virginia and into Washington, D.C.: $6
The most recent fare increase occurred in 2020, when fares were raised by $1 across Zones 2 and 3.
DISCUSSION: In response to City Council direction to explore cost-saving measures and operational efficiencies for the DOT Paratransit program, staff have reviewed the existing fare structure and developed a set of proposed changes aimed at improving service availability while aligning fares more closely with regional peers and accounting for inflation since the last fare adjustment in 2020.
1. Fare Increase and New Zone
To reflect the cost of longer trips and rising operational expenses, staff propose the following changes to the fare structure:
• Zone 1 (ADA Mandatory Service Area): Remains free
• Zone 2 (up to 5 miles from the City boundary in Virginia): Increase from $4 to $5
• Zone 3 (over 5 miles from the City boundary in Virginia, including Washington, D.C.): Increase from $6 to $7
• New Zone 4 (10+ miles from the City boundary): $10
The creation of Zone 4 is not a new service area but rather splits the existing Zone 3 into two separate zones. Zone 4 targets the longest and most resource-intensive trips, typically those extending well beyond the dense urban core where most riders travel. Importantly, this change does not affect access to key medical destinations, including INOVA Mount Vernon and Virginia Hospital Center (remains Zone 2), or INOVA Fairfax and GW University Hospital (remains Zone 3). A detailed map of the proposed zones is included as Attachment 2.
2. Peak-Hour Surcharge
To address concentrated demand during weekday peak periods for DOT-morning and afternoon-staff propose a $2 surcharge for any trip scheduled during those windows in Zones 2, 3, or 4. Zone 1 trips would remain free and unaffected. The goal of the surcharge is to encourage scheduling flexibility, where possible, which could help reduce vehicle strain during peak hours and improve overall system efficiency.
Ridership and Potential Impact
In FY 2025, the DOT Paratransit program provided approximately 43,083 trips. Of those trips:
• Zone 1 (ADA-Mandated, remains free): 30,613 trips (71% of total trips)
• Zone 2 (currently $4, proposed $5): 6,951 trips (16% of total trips)
• Zone 3 (currently $6, proposed $7): 3,967 trips (9% of total trips)
• Proposed Zone 4 (currently part of Zone 3, new fare of $10): 1,552 trips (4% of total trips)
In FY 2025, 7,474 trips (17% of total trips) occurred in the morning peak (7-9 a.m.) and 9,732 trips (23% of total trips) occurred in the afternoon peak (2-4 p.m.). Specifically, the following trips occurred in each zone during these periods:
• Zone 1
o 12,252 trips
o 28% of all trips
• All paid zones:
o 4,954 trips
o 11% of all trips
These proposed adjustments aim to balance financial sustainability with continued equitable access. Notably, the updated fare structure would remain competitive within the region. Adjusting the fares in Zones 2, 3, and 4 would bring pricing more in line with inflation since the last adjustment in 2020 and better align DOT Paratransit fares with those of neighboring jurisdictions, such as Arlington’s STAR program (fares for each STAR zone are noted on Attachment 3). For comparison, MetroAccess fares are $4.50 for all trip distances.
FISCAL IMPACT: Based on FY 2025 ridership, if all the same trips were taken in FY 2026, there would be an increase in revenue of $17,126 with the implementation of the increased fares and the creation of the $10 fare zone.
Predictions on the impact of the $2 peak pricing are hard to model as the goal of this policy is to shift trips away from the peak times and therefore reduce the number of trips that would pay the $2 fare. Staff estimate approximately 25-50% of trips in Zones 2, 3, and 4 would shift to a non-peak trip time, meaning this surcharge could result in $5,000-$7,500 in revenue.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution
2. Existing and Proposed 4 Zone Map
3. Arlington STAR Fare Zones
4. Presentation
STAFF:
Hillary Orr, Deputy Director, T&ES
Katye North, Division Chief, Mobility Services, T&ES
Owen Albrecht, Paratransit Program Manager, T&ES
Lindsay Dubin, Assistant City Attorney