LADOT provides quality transit services.

The City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) offers fast, secure, and comfortable express-bus service between Downtown Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, Westside, Beach Cities, and the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

From the modest beginning of operating a commuter shuttle between a park/ride lot in Encino and Downtown Los Angeles, the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) has become the second largest public transit provider in Los Angeles County. Here are some ways LADOT is "Keeping LA on the Move:

COMMUTER EXPRESS offers fast, secure, and comfortable express-bus service between Downtown Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, Westside, Beach Cities, and the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Over 80% of riders have rated COMMUTER EXPRESS "excellent" or "very good" in 1991 and 1992 surveys.

Three new COMMUTER EXPRESS routes, partly funded by a Metropolitan Transportation Authority grant, link the San Fernando Valley with Santa Clarita, Westwood/Century City, LAX/El Segundo, and Burbank/Glendale/Pasadena. A brand new COMMUTER EXPRESS route service began serving Simi Valley on September 27.

DASH is Downtown Los Angeles' local transit service. During morning and afternoon commuter hours, 77 buses operating over five routes bring Metrolink, Blue Line, COMMUTER EXPRESS and other regional-system commuters to and from their workplaces. Throughout the day, the same DASH buses carry Downtowners to meetings, shopping, lunch, etc.

DASH also provides direct, all-day transit service connecting local destinations in Hollywood, Midtown, Crenshaw, Fairfax, Pacific Palisades, Van Nuys/Studio City, Pacific Palisades, and Watts. A new DASH provides mid-day service in Warner Center.

The Downtown Los Angeles Metrolink Shuttle provides non-stop service between Union Station and Bunker Hill during popular morning and afternoon commuting hours. COMMUTER EXPRESS buses are used to provide this commuting option. A similar Metrolink Shuttle connects the Van Nuys Metrolink station with central Van Nuys and Valley College using a DASH bus.

LADOT also operates the City Ride system, which provides special low-cost transit service to seniors and persons with disabilities -- using taxicabs, lift vans, dial-a-ride vehicles and public transit vehicles.

For more information about any LADOT services, call [phone].

Philip Aker is the Supervising Transportation Planner for the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation. For more information about any LADOT services, please call [phone].