Montgomery County bus riders can take advantage of free rides on Tuesday, April 22 in celebration of Earth Day, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) said.
To mark the 55th anniversary of Earth Day, MCDOT will waive fares on all county-operated buses, including Ride On, Ride On extRa, Ride On Flex and the Flash Bus Rapid Transit system.
Observed annually on April 22, Earth Day commemorates the launch of the modern environmental movement in 1970.
According to EarthDay.org, this year’s theme, “Our Power, Our Planet,” calls on communities worldwide to unite behind renewable energy and triple global clean electricity generation by 2030.
County Executive Marc Elrich encouraged residents to take part in the Earth Day initiative and support the county’s ongoing climate efforts.
“By choosing to walk, bike or take public transportation, you are helping to reduce carbon emissions and traffic congestion, as well as saving money and improving your health,” Elrich said in a press release. “We have expanded access to public transportation with innovative transit solutions such as Flash BRT and Ride On Flex, and by upgrading our infrastructure to create safer pathways for cyclists and pedestrians. I encourage our residents to take advantage of the free fare and support sustainable transportation in celebration of Earth Day.”
MCDOT provides a free transit planning tool, the Ride On Trip Planner app, which allows users to navigate options across Ride On, Metro, and Bikeshare systems.
The app provides real-time arrival estimates, fare information, and suggested routes.
For those interested in using the on-demand Ride On Flex service, which operates on weekdays in Rockville and Wheaton, the Ride On Flex app is available for free in the Apple and Google app stores.
Riders can also contact the call center at 240-301-3842.
Flash BRT buses, which currently serve the U.S. 29 corridor from downtown Silver Spring to Burtonsville during rush hours, offer faster service through features like level boarding, USB charging and off-board fare payment.
“MCDOT is excited to once again to offer free fare in celebration of Earth Day,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “Last year we experienced a 20% growth in ridership over the previous fiscal year and hope to encourage even more people to switch to public transit. We recently released the results of our Ride On Reimagined study, which will guide our efforts to transform our transit system to provide faster, more reliable bus service serving more people in more areas. Now is an excellent time to try public transit.”
The Ride On Reimagined Bus Service and Implementation Plan reflects over two years of planning and outlines short- and long-term goals for improving public transportation.
The plan includes rerouting existing lines and launching new services to enhance connectivity and efficiency.
Key features of the long-term plan include eight new Flash BRT lines, four Ride On extRa lines and 19 new Ride On Flex zones.
It also calls for converting nearly 400 Ride On buses to zero-emission vehicles to align with the county’s climate action initiatives.
Photo Courtesy MCDOT
