Ride On (bus)

Ride On is the primary public transportation system in Montgomery County, Maryland. Ride On serves Montgomery County as well as the community of Langley Park in Prince George's County and Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C. In fiscal 2018, it operated on a US$112.3 million budget.[2]

Ride On

A Gillig compressed natural gas bus at Shady Grove station in the most recent paint scheme.
Parent	Montgomery County
Founded	March 31, 1975
Headquarters	101 Monroe Street, 5th Floor, Rockville, Maryland, U.S.
Service type	Local, express, and limited stop bus service, paratransit, demand responsive transport, bus rapid transit
Routes	81
Fleet	350
Daily ridership	73,300 (Q1 2017)[1]
Annual ridership	23,438,000 (2017)[2]
Fuel type	CNG, diesel, diesel-electric hybrid, battery electric
Website	www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dot-transit/

Ride On operates 81 routes, including operating two Metrobus routes on weekends.[3]

History

The former Ride On logo, used as the primary logo from the late 1990s until mid-2009. It is still used on some older buses.

1970s–1990s

Ride On began service on March 31, 1975. Starting in 1983, single front door TMC City Cruisers entered service. These buses were part of a joint order with Frederick City Transit, and shared the same paint livery. In 1988, OBI Orion I 30' foot buses were introduced. In 1989, 57 30-foot Gillig Phantom buses, the first buses in the second-generation blue-and-white scheme, went into service. These buses retired in 2014 due to the arrival of the Gillig Advantage CNG

In the spring of 1996, Ride On's first CNG buses, the 1996 35-foot Orion V buses, went into service. These buses have since retired.

2000s

In September 2001, Ride On buses were used to transport Montgomery County firemen to the Pentagon in Virginia to assist in search and rescue operations after the September 11 attacks.[4]

In early 2004, Ride On's first low-floor buses, the 2003–04 35-foot Orion VII CNG buses (5900–5932), went into service. They replaced all of the remaining 1989 30-foot Gillig Phantom buses (which were also Ride On's last buses without wheelchair lifts), therefore resulting in an all-accessible fleet.

In 2006, Ride On started accepting SmarTrip cards. All of the buses would be equipped with SmarTrip-compatible fare boxes by August of that year.

Also in 2006, Ride On's first five hybrid-electric buses, the 2006 40-foot Gillig Low Floor aka Gillig Advantage buses (5300-5304), went into service. The following year (2007), eight additional 40-foot Gillig Low Floor hybrid-electric buses (5305-5313) went into service.

Between summer and fall 2008, Ride On's first low-floor diesel buses, the 2008 29-foot Gillig Advantage (5001-5006) and 2008 40-foot Gillig Advantage buses (5726–5746), went into service. They are the last buses in the second-generation blue-and-white paint scheme.

In 2009, Ride On introduced a new logo and blue-yellow-green paint scheme with the delivery of new Gillig Advantage clean diesel and hybrid buses.

2010s

In autumn 2011, Ride On's 12 40-foot Gillig Low Floor hybrid buses (5349–5360) and one clean diesel bus (5758) went into service. All 13 of these buses were purchased with funds from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. Seven additional 40' Gillig Low Floor hybrid buses (5361–5367), which were also purchased with stimulus funds from the ARRA, went into service in mid-2012.

In July 2012, Ride On retired all 62 of its 2007 Champion cutaway buses due to fires and replaced them with 30 1998 30-foot Orion V buses. All 30 of these units were formerly operated by Washington's WMATA.

On September 19, 2013, 12 new 40-foot Gillig Low Floor clean diesel buses (5759–5770) went into service. A week later (September 26, 2013), 28 new 29-foot Gillig Low Floor clean diesel buses (5032–5059) also went into service. Also, the 2013 29-foot Gillig Low Floor clean diesel buses replaced all of the 2003 model shuttle transit vehicles (STV) that were formerly operated by Pittsburgh's Port Authority of Allegheny County.

In April 2014, 19 brand-new 2014 40-foot Gillig Low Floor CNG buses (5837–5855) entered service. They are Ride On's first new CNG buses in almost a decade (2005 35' Orion VII CNG buses, which went into service in 2006).

Between September and October 2014, 32 new 29-foot Gillig Low Floor clean diesel buses (5060–5091) went into service and replaced all of the 1998 30-foot Orion V buses that were formerly operated by WMATA.

Ride On celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2015, with 3 buses (1 from each of the 3 bus divisions) wrapped in the transit agency's 40th anniversary ad.

Between April and May 2016, 40 new 40' Gillig LF clean diesel buses (4000-4039), 1 29' Gillig LF clean diesel bus (2000) and 16 40' Gillig LF CNG buses (4040-4055) entered service. And with the new buses came the new five-digit numbering system for Ride On, along with the addition of suffixes denoting engines with a ("C" for compressed natural gas, "D" for diesel, "E" for electric and "H" for hybrid).

Ride On extRa, a new limited-stop bus service along Maryland Route 355, began on October 2, 2017 between Lakeforest Transit Center and Medical Center Metro Station. As of September 17, 2018, the route serves 13 stops. Ride On added 59 Gillig 40-foot buses in summer and the fall 2017; 42 buses replaced some of the oldest vehicles in the fleet. Seventeen buses (4056D-4072D) are specially branded and used exclusively for Ride On's new extRa service that began October 2, 2017. This limited-stop service runs along Route 355 from Lakeforest Transit Center to Medical Center Metro Station. All of the 59 buses are manufactured by Gillig; 25 run on clean diesel (4056D-4080D) and 34 use compressed natural gas (4081C-4114C).[5] Four additional 40-foot CNG buses (4115C-4118C) entered service in the winter of 2018.

Ride On was award a $1.75 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration to purchase the county's first four electric buses and charging stations. Ride On is partnering with Proterra, the bus manufacturer, and the Center for Transportation and the Environment, a nonprofit that develops technologies and implements solutions to achieve energy and environmental sustainability. The Montgomery County Department of General Services, which purchases and maintains the Ride On buses, greatly assisted with the grant application. The four Proterra Catalyst 35 ft electric buses are scheduled to serve Route 18 in Takoma Park starting in 2019. The county has applied for a separate grant to help buy 10 more electric buses through FTA's Bus and Bus Facilities Infrastructure Investment Program. The county expects to hear back around the end of the year if its application was approved.[6][7]

MCDOT Ride On received a $4.365 million grant from the FTA to replace diesel buses with 10 new, electric buses on October 1, 2018.[8]

Ride On added 26 Gillig 40-foot buses in spring 2019; replacing all the remaining Orion VII's. These buses introduced a brand new paint scheme with a wave pattern and are painted blue, dark blue, light green, and a touch of white.[9] 23 use compressed natural gas (4119C-4141C) and 3 run on clean diesel (4142D-4144D).

On April 28, 2019, Ride On announced Ride On Flex, an on-demand bus service that runs in three major metropolitan areas in the county using new, 11-passenger cutaway buses.

2020s

On September 4, 2020, Ride On's first four fully-electric buses (3000E-3003E) entered service on routes 18 and 25 in Silver Spring/Takoma Park. They are manufactured by Proterra and can run on a single charge all day long. [10]

On October 14, 2020, Ride On launched its brand new BRT Flash service on US 29. The orange route operates between Silver Spring and Briggs Chaney every 15 minutes daily while the blue route operates between Silver Spring and Burtonsville every 15 minutes only during peak hours (5:30-8:30am and 3:30-7:00pm) Monday-Friday. Ride On's very first articulated (60 ft) buses (6000D-6015D) operate on the Flash service.

Additional Service Types

Along with standard bus service, Ride On operates two additional services, Ride On extRa and Ride On Flex. Ride On is also adding Ride On Flash in 2020.

Ride On extRa

Logo of Ride On extRa

Ride On extRa, a new bus service that started on October 2, 2017, is a limited stop service via Maryland Route 355 between Medical Center station on the Washington Metro's Red Line and the Lakeforest Mall Transit Center. This bus route has free WiFi, USB charging ports, and more padding in the seats compared to traditional Ride On services. The fare charged is the same as on other Ride On buses, although fare loading on the bus is not permitted. As of September 17, 2018, Ride On extRa serves a new stop at Templeton Place in Rockville, increasing the number of bus stops to 13.

Ride On Flex

Logo of Ride On Flex

Ride On Flex is an on-demand bus service that began serving Montgomery County on June 26, 2019 and runs in and around Rockville, Glenmont, and Wheaton using new, 11-passenger cutaway buses.[11] Passengers are able to request a bus using an app. The new service does not charge a higher fare, and accepts the same payment methods as standard Ride On buses with no onboard fare loading allowed.[12]

Flash BRT

Logo of Flash BRT

Flash is a bus rapid transit network that began service on October 14, 2020.[13][14] The first route runs between Silver Spring and Burtonsville along MD Route 29.[15] Additional routes are in development and will likely run along MD 355 between Clarksburg and Bethesda and MD 586 between Rockville and Wheaton.[15][16] Flash has dedicated stops with prepayment machines and operates in a mix of mixed-traffic and dedicated lanes using articulated buses equipped with Wi-Fi and USB ports.[17]It is the second operational BRT system in the Washington metropolitan area and the first to be located in Montgomery County.

Fares

Ride On's current one-way fare is $2.00 regardless of payment method. Senior citizens and persons with disabilities ride free on weekdays between 9:30 AM and 3:00 PM, and on Saturdays between 8:30 AM and 4:00 PM; at all other times, a reduced fare of $1.00 is charged. As of July 1, 2019, children ages 5 and up can ride Ride On, as well as Metrobus routes originating in Montgomery County, for free until they graduate from high school by using a Youth Cruiser SmarTrip card.[18] Ride On offers a $0.50 discount for bus fares that transfer from the Washington Metro.

As with all other transit providers in the Washington Metropolitan Area, as of January 4, 2009, Ride On stopped the issue or acceptance of paper transfers. Riders wanting transfer credit must use a SmarTrip card to get the rail-to-bus or bus-to-rail discount or to transfer free from bus to bus.

Fleet

Ride On operates a fleet consisting of Diesel, CNG, Diesel-electric hybrid, and Battery electric buses produced by Gillig Corporation, Nova Bus, Proterra, and Starcraft.

Image	Builder and model name	Model year	Length	Numbers (Total)	Amount in service	Energy source	Engine/Transmission	Notes
	Gillig Low Floor Advantage	2008	40 ft (12 m)	5726-5746 (21 buses)	19	Diesel	Cummins ISL Allison B400R	5729[19] and 5731 are retired due to accidents
			29 ft (8.8 m)	5001-5006 (6 buses)	6 retiring
		2009, 2013-2014	29 ft (8.8 m)	5007–5091 (84 buses)	84		Cummins ISL (2009 models) Cummins ISL9 (2013-2014 models) Allison B400R	5007-5031 are 2009 models 5032-5059 are 2013 models 5060-5091 are 2014 models
		2009, 2011, 2013	40 ft (12 m)	5747–5770 (23 buses)	23		Cummins ISL (2009 models) Cummins ISL9 (2011-2013 models) Allison B400R	5747-5757 are 2009 models 5758 is a 2011 model 5759-5770 are 2013 models
		2009–2012		5314–5367 (54 buses)	53	Diesel-electric hybrid	Cummins ISB (2009 models) Cummins ISB6.7 (2011-2012 models) Allison EP-40 HybriDrive	5314-5348 are 2009 models 5314 was originally numbered 5349 5349-5360 are 2011 models 5361-5367 are 2012 models 5348 was retired due to damage from an accident[20]
		2014	40 ft (12 m)	5837–5855 (19 buses)	18	CNG	Cummins ISL G Allison B400R	5840 is out of service due to damage from an accident[21]
		2016	29 ft (8.8 m)	2000D (1 bus)	1	Diesel	Cummins ISL9 Allison B400R
			40 ft (12 m)	4000D-4039D (39 buses)	39
				4040C-4055C (15 buses)	15	CNG	Cummins ISL G Allison B400R
	Starcraft Allstar XL		30 ft (9.1 m)	60 (1 bus)	1	TBA	TBA	Only operate on Route 301
	Gillig BRT Plus	2017	40 ft (12 m)	4056D-4072D (16 buses)	16	Diesel	Cummins L9 Allison B400R	Specially branded with Ride On extRa design
	Gillig Low Floor Advantage			4073D-4080D (7 buses)	7		Cummins L9 Allison B400R
				4081C-4118C (37 buses)	37	CNG	Cummins L9N Allison B400R
	Starcraft Starlite Transit	2019	30 ft (9.1 m)	1001D-1006D (6 buses)	6	Diesel	Ford 3.2L Diesel	Specially branded with Ride On Flex design
	Gillig Low Floor Advantage		40 ft (12 m)	4119C-4141C (22 buses)	22	CNG	Cummins L9N Allison B400R	Introduced a new paint scheme
				4142D-4144D (3 buses)	3	Diesel	Cummins L9 Allison B400R	Introduced a new paint scheme
	Nova Bus LFS Artic 2nd Generation articulated		62 ft (19 m)	6000D-6015D (16 buses)[22]	16		Cummins L9 Allison B500R	Only operate on Ride On's Flash BRT service[15] Entered service on October 14, 2020 Second non WMATA operator operating Articulated buses in the Washington area transit after DASH.[23]
	Proterra Catalyst BE35		35 ft (11 m)	3000E–3003E (4 buses)	4	Battery electric[24]	UQM HD220 220 kW peak permanent magnet motor Eaton EEV-7202 2-speed auto-shift EV transmission	First all-electric transit bus for Ride On. Currently serving on routes 18 and 25. Entered service on September 4, 2020.
	Gillig Low Floor Advantage	2020	40 ft (12 m)	4145D-4153D (9 buses)	9	Diesel	Cummins L9 Allison B400R	Replaced the 2006-07 Gillig Advantage HEV buses based out of Silver Spring division
			29 ft (8.8 m)	2001D-2019D (19 buses)[25]	19		Cummins L9 TBD	To replace 2008-09 29' Gillig Advantage buses based out of Nicholson division

On order

Builder and model name	Length	Year	Fleet number	Fuel type	Engine/Transmission	Notes

Retired fleet

Year	Builder and model name	Numbers (preserved numbers)	Year Retired	Picture	Powertrain (engine and transmission)	Notes
1979-1981	Transportation Manufacturing Corporation T-30 CityCruiser	5102-5256			Caterpillar 3126 Allison MT-740
1984	Bus Industries of America Orion I (01.502)	5257-5297			Detroit Diesel 6V71N Allison MT-643
1990-1992		5500-5545	2013		Detroit Diesel 6V92TA Allison HTB-748
1988-1989	Gillig Phantom 30' (3096TB3208)	5300-5356	2004		Cummins C8.3 Allison MT-647	Originally powered by Caterpillar 3208T engines
1993	Flxible Metro D	5700-5703	2000–2001		Cummins C8.3G	Ex MTA Maryland buses, acquired in 1995 Often used on Route 70 Runs on LNG fuel
1994-1997	Gillig Phantom 35'	5360-5409	2013		Detroit Diesel Series 50 Voith D863.3
1999		5410-5423	2015		Cummins ISM Allison B400R
1992	Bus Industries of America Orion V (05.504)	5546-5547			Detroit Diesel 6V92TA Allison HTB-748
1995	Orion Bus Industries Orion VI CNG (06.501)	5801-5802	Mid 2000s		Cummins L10G Allison B400R	Ex Orion demos 5801 previously demoed for London Transit 5802 previously demoed for Toronto Transit Commission.
1996	Orion Bus Industries Orion V CNG (05.503)	5997-5999			Cummins L10G ZF HP590	35 ft buses Originally numbered 5567-5569
	Orion Bus Industries Orion V (05.503)	5550-5566			Cummins M11 Voith D863.3	35 ft buses
1998		5572-5579	2014		Cummins M11E Voith D863.3	35 ft buses
1999	Orion Bus Industries Orion V (05.501)	5705-5725	2017		Detroit Diesel Series 50 Voith D864.3
1999-2000	Orion Bus Industries Orion V CNG (05.501)	5803-5821	2015		Detroit Diesel Series 50G Voith D864.3
1999	Orion Bus Industries Orion V (05.505)	5100-5129	2014		Detroit Diesel Series 50 EGR Allison B400R	Ex WMATA buses, acquired in 2012 Replaced the 2007 Champion Cutaways
2001-2002	Orion Bus Industries Orion V (05.504)	5580-5623	2016-2017		Detroit Diesel Series 50 Voith D864.3
2003	DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses Orion VII CNG (07.502) (semi-low floor)	5900-5917	2017		Detroit Diesel Series 50G Voith D864.3E
2004		5918-5932	2018		Cummins Westport C Gas Plus Voith D864.3E
2005		5933-5957	2019		Cummins Westport C Gas Plus ZF 5HP592C	All units are retired on May 1, 2019 Replaced by the 2019 Gillig Low Floor CNGs
	New Flyer Industries C40LF	5822–5836	2020		Cummins Westport C Gas Plus Allison B400R	Mainly sidelined since March 2020 due to rear door issues. Retired in 2020 Replaced by the 2020 Gillig Low Floor
2006-2007	Gillig Low Floor Advantage	5300–5313			Cummins ISB Allison EP-40 HybriDrive	First diesel-electric hybrid buses for Ride On. Retired in 2020 Replaced by the 2020 Gillig Low Floor
2001-2002	ElDorado National Aero Elites	5101-5181				Originally contracted to outside firms until the late 2000s
2004	IC Corp	5232–5234, 5238–5241, 5243-5246	Mid 2010s		International DT 466 Allison 2000	Replaced all Champions Cutaway buses
2001	Ford/StarTrans Bus Cutaways	5201-5212	2012
2007	Champion Cutaways	5182–5231, 5285-5296	2012		International VT 365 (5182-5231) GMC 8.1L (5285-5296) Allison 2000	Seven different fires occurred on these buses between 2009 and 2012, but caused no injuries.[26][27] All buses were pulled out of service following the seventh engine fire on July 18, 2012.[28][29] Replaced by the Gillig 30-foot Low Floor, 1999 30-foot Orion Vs (Ex-WMATA), and a few buses from Pittsburgh.

Divisions

The bus fleet, owned and operated by Ride On, is distributed among three garages in Kensington, Silver Spring and Gaithersburg.

Division name	Location	Capacity	Routes	Buses	Notes
Silver Spring	8710 Brookville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910	147	1, 2, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30, 34, 36, 39, 41, 51, Flash BRT Monday-Saturday Only: 5 Weekdays Only: 47 Weekends Only: L8, T2	Diesel: 2000D, 4000D-4039D, 5069-5091, 5749-5770, 6000D-6015D Electric: 3000E-3003E Hybrid: 5300-5367	Diesel-Electric Hybrid Division Battery-Electric Division Diesel
Gaithersburg	16700 Crabbs Branch Way, Rockville, MD 20855	155	43, 46, 48, 49, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 70, 71, 73, 74, 76, 78, 79, 90, 101 Monday-Saturday Only: 100 Weekdays Only: 75	CNG: 4040C-4055C, 4081C-4141C, 5822-5855 Diesel: 4056D-4080D, 4142D-4144D, 5726-5748, 6000D-6015D	CNG Division Diesel
Nicholson	4700 Nicholson Ct, Kensington, MD 20895	68	6, 7, 8, 23, 29, 31, 32, 33, 37, 38, 42, 44, 45, 52, 53, 81, 83, 96, 97, 98 Late Night and Sunday Only: 5 Weekends Only: 47, 75 Sundays Only: 100	Diesel: 1001D-1006D, 5001-5068	Diesel

Routes

Ride On offers 81 routes throughout Montgomery County. All routes run through peak rush hour periods between 6 AM and 9 AM and 3 PM to 7 PM on weekdays. Many routes offer services for off-peak hours and weekends as well.[30]

Ride On routes

Route	Name	Termini (Western/Southern)	Termini (Eastern/Northern)	Weekday Peak	Weekday Off-Peak	Saturday	Sunday	Notes
1	Silver Spring – Friendship Heights	Friendship Heights Station	Silver Spring Station					Certain midday trips operate via Leland St Certain rush hour trips operate via Ross/Spencer Rds
2	Silver Spring – Lyttonsville	Silver Spring Station	Brookville (Ride On Operations Center)					Certain rush hour trips serve Fort Detrick (AM trips towards Lyttonsville, PM trips towards Silver Spring)
4	Silver Spring – Kensington	Armory Avenue & Knowles Avenue	Silver Spring Station
5	Silver Spring – Twinbrook	Twinbrook Station	Silver Spring Station					Certain midday trips serve Victory Forest Apartments
6	Parkside – Grosvenor – Montgomery Mall	Montgomery Mall Transit Center	Grosvenor-Strathmore Station
7	Wheaton – Forest Glen	Forest Glen Station	Wheaton Station					AM from Wheaton Station, PM from Forest Glen Station
8	Silver Spring – Wheaton	Silver Spring Station	Wheaton Station					via Forest Glen Road & Holy Cross Hospital
9	Silver Spring – Wheaton	Silver Spring Station	Wheaton Station
10	Twinbrook – Hillandale	Twinbrook Station	New Hampshire Avenue & Power Mill Road					replaced WMATA Metrobus Route C6 in 1998.
11	Silver Spring – Friendship Heights	Friendship Heights Station	Silver Spring Station					AM from Silver Spring Station, PM from Friendship Heights Station Service started in 1997 as a rush-hour variant of Route 1.
12	Silver Spring – Takoma	Silver Spring Station	Takoma Station					via Carroll Avenue
13	Silver Spring – Takoma	Silver Spring Station	Takoma Station					via Sligo Creek Parkway
14	Silver Spring – Takoma	Silver Spring Station	Takoma Station					via Colesville Road
15	Silver Spring – Langley Park	Silver Spring Station	Takoma Langley Transit Center					Second highest ridership in system, avg. 4,500 per day
16	Silver Spring – Takoma	Silver Spring Station	Takoma Station					via New Hampshire Avenue
17	Silver Spring – Langley Park	Silver Spring Station	Takoma Langley Transit Center					via Montgomery College in Takoma Park
18	Silver Spring – Langley Park	Silver Spring Station	Takoma Langley Transit Center					via Takoma Station, Sunday service between Langley Park and Takoma station only (no Sunday service between Takoma and Silver Spring stations)
19	Silver Spring – Northwood	Silver Spring	Forest Glen Road & Burnett Avenue					AM from Forest Glen Road, PM from Silver Spring
20	Silver Spring – Hillandale	Silver Spring Station	New Hampshire Avenue & Power Mill Road					Operates via Piney Branch Road & New Hampshire Avenue
21	Silver Spring – Briggs Chaney Park & Ride	Silver Spring Station	Briggs Chaney Park & Ride					AM from Briggs Chaney, PM from Silver Spring Station. Service started on June 25, 2007.[31]
22	Silver Spring – Hillandale	Silver Spring Station	Hillandale Center (Power Mill Road)					Operates via Columbia Pike & Colesville Road
23	Friendship Heights – Sibley Hospital	Sibley Hospital	Friendship Heights Station
24	Hillandale – Takoma	Takoma Station	Power Mill Road & New Hampshire Avenue					AM from Hillandale, PM from Takoma Station
25	Takoma – Langley Park	Takoma Station	Takoma Langley Transit Center					via Maple Ave
26	Montgomery Mall – Glenmont	Montgomery Mall Transit Center	Glenmont Station					Replaced original WMATA Metrobus Route C8 in 1996.
28	VANGO Free Circulator – Silver Spring	Silver Spring Station						Free service at all times, VanGO Shuttle Loop around Downtown Silver Spring.
29	Bethesda – Glen Echo/Friendship Heights	Friendship Heights Station	Bethesda Station (Weekdays) Glen Echo (Goldsboro Road) (Weekends)					replaces WMATA Route C1, and N8 and original Ride On Route 31
30	Bethesda – Medical Center	Bethesda Station	Medical Center Station
31	Wheaton – Glenmont	Wheaton Station	Glenmont Station					via Poplar Run. Service started in late 1998.
32	Bethesda – Naval Ship R&D Center and Woodrock	Naval Ship Research & Development Center (Woodrock)	Bethesda Station					via Cabin John
33	Glenmont – Medical Center	Medical Center Station	Glenmont Station
34	Aspen Hill – Friendship Heights	Friendship Heights Station	Aspen Hill (Weekday Rush Hours only) Wheaton Station					Serves Aspen Hill to Friendship Heights Station AM Rush, From Friendship Heights Station to Aspen Hill PM Rush Originally went from Aspen Hill to Medical Center Station only Extended to Friendship Heights Station on May 4, 2008 replacing original Ride On Route 42.
36	Bethesda – Potomac – via Hillandale Rd	Connelly School (Bradley Blvd)	Bethesda Station					via Bradley Blvd via Hillandale Road (Rush Hour Only) AM to Bethesda Station PM to Connelly School
37	Potomac – Wheaton	Potomac Community Center	Wheaton Station					Serves Grosvenor-Strathmore Station AM Rush service from Wheaton, PM Rush service to Wheaton
38	Wheaton – White Flint	White Flint Station	Wheaton Station
39	Glenmont – Briggs Chaney Park & Ride	Glenmont Station	Briggs Chaney Park and Ride
41	Aspen Hill – Glenmont	Glenmont Station	Grand Pre Road & Bel Pre Road (Aspen Hill)					Replaced WMATA Metrobus Route Q3 in 1996.[32]
42	White Flint – Montgomery Mall	Montgomery Mall Transit Center	White Flint Station					Select trips operates to White Flint via Boiling Brook Parkway Created on January 13, 2013; formerly part of Route 38.[33]
43	Shady Grove – Traville Transit Center – Fallsgrove Center	Traville Transit Center	Shady Grove Station					via Shady Grove Rd and Medical Center Dr Serves Montgomery County's Johns Hopkins University campus, Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, Fallsgrove Center, and the Universities at Shady Grove. Sunday service was added September 16, 2018.
44	Twinbrook – Rockville	Twinbrook Station	Rockville Station
45	Rockville Regional Transit – Twinbrook/Rockville Senior Center	Twinbrook Station	Rockville Regional Transit Center					Select trips operates via Rockville Senior Center
46	Shady Grove/Montgomery College – MD355 – Medical Center	Medical Center Station	Montgomery College Rockville Campus					via N. Washington Street and Rockville Pike Serves Rockville Town Center, Montgomery County Circuit Court, Rockville District Court, Rockville, Twinbrook, White Flint, and Grosvenor-Strathmore stations.
47	Rockville – Montgomery Mall – Bethesda	Bethesda Station	Rockville Station					via Falls Road, Wootton Parkway, Seven Locks Road, Fernwood Road, and Old Georgetown Road. Serves Montgomery Mall and Suburban Hospital.
48	Wheaton – Rockville	Wheaton Station	Rockville Station					Replaced original WMATA Metrobus Route Q4 in the mid 1990s.
49	Rockville – Glenmont	Rockville Station	Glenmont Station					Replaced WMATA Metrobus Route Y4 in 1998.
51	Glenmont – Norbeck Park & Ride	Glenmont Station	Norbeck Park & Ride					Service started in late 1998.
52	Rockville – Montgomery General Hospital – Our Lady of Good Counsel High School	Rockville Station	Montgomery General Hospital					This route serves Our Lady of Good Counsel High School during peak hour.
53	Shady Grove – Glenmont	Shady Grove Station	Glenmont Station
54	Rockville – Lakeforest	Rockville Station	Lakeforest Transit Center					via Muddy Branch Road, Research Blvd, and West Montgomery Avenue Serves Washingtonian Rio
55	Rockville – Germantown Transit Center	Rockville Station	Germantown Transit Center					via Frederick Road Serves Milestone Center, Montgomery College in Germantown (Monday-Saturday) and Rockville, Lakeforest Transit Center, Shady Grove station, and Rockville Town Center Sunday service was extended to Rockville station on September 17, 2017
56	Rockville – Lakeforest	Rockville Station	Lakeforest Transit Center					via Falls Road, Wootton Parkway, Darnestown Road, and Quince Orchard Road Serves Fallsgrove Center, Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, Kentlands and Gaithersburg Park & Ride
57	Shady Grove – Lakeforest	Shady Grove Station	Lakeforest Transit Center					via Washington Grove Road, Muncaster Mill Road, and Redland Road Serves the Gaithersburg MARC station
58	Shady Grove – Lakeforest – Watkins Mill	Shady Grove Station	Lakeforest Transit Center Kaiser Permanente (Frederick Avenue) (Weekdays only)					via Snouffer School Road and East Village
59	Rockville – Montgomery Village	Rockville Station	Montgomery Village Center (Clubhouse Road)					via Frederick Road, Deer Park Road, Gude Drive, Crabbs Branch Way, and Stonestreet Avenue Serves Lakeforest Transit Center and Shady Grove station
60	Shady Grove – Montgomery Village	Shady Grove Station	Montgomery Village Center (Stedwick Road)					via Shady Grove Road, Midcounty Highway, Washington Grove Lane, Flower Hill Way, and Centerway Road. AM from Montgomery Village, PM from Shady Grove
61	Shady Grove – Germantown Transit Center	Shady Grove Station	Germantown Transit Center					via Germantown Road, Clopper Road, Frederick Road, and Girard Street Serves Germantown MARC station, Kingsview Park & Ride, Metropolitan MARC station at certain times on weekdays, Gaithersburg Park & Ride, Lakeforest Transit Center, and Washington Grove MARC station
63	Rockville – Shady Grove	Rockville Station	Shady Grove Station					via Gaither Road and Piccard Drive
64	Shady Grove – Montgomery Village	Shady Grove Station	Montgomery Village Center (Clubhouse Road)					via Centerway Road and Emory Grove Road
65	Shady Grove – Montgomery Village	Shady Grove Station	Montgomery Village Center (Stedwick Road)					Limited Stops via Midcounty Highway AM from Montgomery Village, PM from Shady Grove
66	Shady Grove – Traville Transit Center	Traville Transit Center	Shady Grove Station					via Shady Grove Adventist Hospital AM from Shady Grove, PM from Traville
67	Shady Grove – Traville Transit Center	Traville Transit Center	Shady Grove Station					via Frederick Avenue and Dufief Mill Road AM from Traville, PM from Shady Grove
70	Germantown – Bethesda Express	Bethesda Station	Milestone Park & Ride					Express Route: $4.25 fare via I-270 Serves Medical Center station
71	Shady Grove – Kingsview Park and Ride	Shady Grove Station	Kingsview Park & Ride					via I-370, I-270, Clopper Road, Mateny Road, Dawson Farm Road, and Steeple Road AM from Kingsview Park & Ride, PM from Shady Grove Station
73	Shady Grove Metro – Cabin Branch	Shady Grove Station	Cabin Branch (Clarksburg)					via I-370, I-270, Frederick Road, Clarksburg Road, and West Old Baltimore Road Service started on May 14, 2017.[34]
74	Shady Grove – Germantown Transit Center	Shady Grove Station	Germantown Transit Center					via I-370 and Great Seneca Highway Serves Kingsview Park & Ride, Kentlands, Montgomery County's Johns Hopkins University campus, and Washingtonian Rio.
75	Clarksburg Correctional Facility – Clarksburg-Milestone- Germantown Transit Center	Germantown Transit Center	Montgomery County Correctional Facility					via Frederick Road and Snowden Farm Parkway Serves Milestone Center and Clarksburg Premium Outlets Extends to Germantown MARC station during weekday peak hours
76	Shady Grove – Poolesville	Poolesville	Shady Grove Station					via I-370, Muddy Branch Road, Great Seneca Highway, and Darnestown Road Serves Kentlands and Quince Orchard High School. Saturday service was added September 22, 2018.
78	Shady Grove – Kingsview Park and Ride	Shady Grove Station	Kingsview Park & Ride					via I-370, I-270, Clopper Road, Mateny Road, and Richter Farm Road AM from Kingsview Park & Ride, PM from Shady Grove
79	Shady Grove – Germantown – Clarksburg	Shady Grove Station	Clarksburg Gateway Center					via I-370, I-270, Middlebrook Road, and Ridge Road. AM from Clarksburg, PM from Shady Grove Rerouted on April 9, 2009 replacing Route 82.
81	Rockville – White Flint	White Flint Station	Rockville Station					via Tower Oaks Blvd
83	Holy Cross Germantown – Milestone Park & Ride – Germantown Transit Center – Germantown MARC	Germantown Transit Center	Holy Cross Hospital Germantown					via Century Blvd, Waters Landing Drive, Father Hurley Blvd, Ridge Road, and Seneca Meadows Parkway Serves Milestone Center and extends to Germantown MARC station during weekday peak hours
90	Shady Grove – Damascus	Shady Grove Station	Woodfield (Woodfield Road) (Peak hours) Milestone Park & Ride (Damascus) (Off-Peak hours)					via Shady Grove Road and Woodfield Road Serves Montgomery County Airpark in the AM heading to Damascus and the PM heading to Shady Grove station. Effective September 17, 2018, midday service now terminates at Milestone Park & Ride in Germantown.
96	Grosvenor – Rock Spring – Montgomery Mall	Montgomery Mall Transit Center	Grosvenor-Strathmore Station					via Tuckerman Lane, Old Georgetown Road, Rockledge Drive, and Fernwood Road Serves Rock Spring Park
97	Germantown Transit Center – Gunners Lake	Germantown Transit Center	Germantown Transit Center					A circular loop route via Middlebrook Road, Father Hurley Blvd, Wisteria Drive, and Waring Station Road Serves Germantown Town Center and the Germantown MARC station during weekday peak hours AM: Clockwise loop, PM: Counterclockwise loop
98	Germantown Transit Center – Kingsview Park & Ride	Kingsview Park & Ride	Germantown Transit Center					via Clopper Road, Schaeffer Road, Richter Farm Road, Steeple Road, Father Hurley Blvd, Wisteria Drive, Wanegarden Drive, Wynnfield Drive, and Water Landing Drive Serves Germantown Community Center during weekday non-peak hours, Cinnamon Woods during weekday peak hours, and Maryland SoccerPlex on Saturdays
100	Shady Grove – Germantown Transit Center Express	Shady Grove Station	Germantown Transit Center					Express via I-370 and I-270
101	Lake Forest – Medical Center (Ride On extRa)	Medical Center Station	Lakeforest Transit Center					Started service on October 2, 2017. Route overlays Route 46 and 55 on MD 355 that serves only 13 stops every 10 minutes. Replaced WMATA Metrobus Routes J7 & J9. AM times: 5:30am–9:30am, PM times: 3:30 pm – 7:30 pm
301	Rockville – Tobytown	Tobytown Drive	Rockville Station					Started service on October 2, 2016. Serves North Potomac and Shady Grove Adventist Hospital

Flash BRT routes

Flash BRT routes

Name	Termini (Western/Southern)	Termini (Eastern/Northern)	Weekday Peak	Weekday Off-Peak	Saturday	Sunday	Notes
Flash Blue	Silver Spring Station	Burtonsville Park & Ride					Bypasses White Oak
Flash Orange	Silver Spring Station	Briggs Chaney Park & Ride Lot,					Via White Oak Rush hour trips operate to the White Oak FDA/FRC Building in the peak hour direction

Metrobus routes

Additionally, Ride On operates two weekend routes that are served by WMATA Metrobus on weekdays.[35][36]

Metrobus Routes

Route	Name	Termini (Western/Southern)	Termini (Eastern/Northern)	Weekday peak	Weekday off-peak	Saturday	Sunday	Notes
L8	Aspen Hill – Friendship Heights	Friendship Heights Station	Grand Pre Road & Bel Pre Road (Aspen Hill)	(WMATA Metrobus)	(WMATA Metrobus)
T2	Rockville – Friendship Heights	Friendship Heights Station	Rockville Station	(WMATA Metrobus)	(WMATA Metrobus)			via Potomac

Former routes

These routes have been served by Ride On at one point but have since been discontinued due to either low ridership, duplication of another route, simplification to other routes, or combined into another route. However some routes would be reincarnated into new routes for Ride On.

Former Ride On routes

Route	Name	Termini (Western/Southern)	Termini (Eastern/Northern)	Weekday peak	Weekday off-peak	Saturday	Sunday	Notes
3	Silver Spring – Takoma	Silver Spring Station	Takoma Station					AM from Takoma Station, PM from Silver Spring Station. Discontinued on September 17, 2017 due to low ridership.[37]
10 (first use)
11 (first use)
21 (first use)	Burtonsville Shuttle	Briggs Chaney Park & Ride	Briggs Chaney Park & Ride					Looped around the Briggs Chaney Park & Ride. Only ran midday on weekdays. Discontinued on January 4, 2002.[38]
26 (first use)
27	Friendship Heights – Medical Center	Friendship Heights Station	Medical Center Station					Discontinued on September 7, 2003 due to low ridership. Alternative service available on extended Route 33 and realigned Route 36.[39]
31 (first use)								Replaced by Route 29 in early 1998.
35	Wheaton – Montgomery Mall	Montgomery Mall Transit Center	Wheaton Station					Discontinued on September 1, 2002; replaced by extended route 47 and realigned Route 34.[40][41]
40	White Flint – Glenmont	White Flint Station	Glenmont Station					Discontinued in early 2001; replaced by extended WMATA Metrobus route C8.[42][43]
41 (first use)
42 (first use)	Friendship Heights – Medical Center	Friendship Heights Station	Medical Center Station					Combined with Route 34 on May 4, 2008.[44]
48 (first use)
49 (first use)
50
51 (first use)
62	Shady Grove – Germantown	Shady Grove Station	Montgomery College Rockville Campus					Discontinued on May 28, 2005.[45][46]
63X	Shady Grove - Gaither Road	Shady Grove Station	Gaither Road & Gaither Drive					Served as a supplement to Route 63, connecting passengers from the Gaither Road industrial area to Shady Grove Metro during the midday and late night. Started service on January 6, 2019. Combined with route 63 on May 12, 2019.
66 (first use)	Shady Grove – Shady Grove Hospital	Shady Grove Station						Discontinued by 1998.
67 (first use)	Shady Grove – Shady Grove Hospital	Shady Grove Station						Discontinued by 1998.
68	Germantown MARC Shuttle	Germantown MARC	Germantown MARC					Looped around the Germantown MARC Station. Discontinued on May 28, 2005.[45][46]
69	Germantown MARC Shuttle	Germantown MARC	Germantown MARC					Looped around the Germantown MARC Station. Discontinued on May 28, 2005.[45][46]
72	Shady Grove – Germantown	Shady Grove Station	Germantown Commons					AM from Germantown Commons; PM from Shady Grove. Discontinued on May 28, 2005.[45][46]
73 (first use)	Shady Grove – Germantown – Goldenrod Lane	Shady Grove Station	Goldenrod Lane & Century Blvd					AM from Goldenrod Lane & Century Blvd; PM from Shady Grove. Discontinued on May 28, 2005.[45][46]
77	Shady Grove – Germantown	Shady Grove Station	Germantown Commons					AM from Germantown Commons; PM from Shady Grove. Discontinued on May 28, 2005.[45][46]
80	Shady Grove – King Farm Loop	Shady Grove Station	Gaither Road & Redland Road					Discontinued; last run was on May 3, 2002.[38]
82	Clarksburg Town Center – Germantown Transit Center	Clarksburg Gateway Center	Department of Energy in Germantown					AM from Clarksburg; PM from Department of Energy. Combined with Route 79 on April 5, 2009.[44]
91	Rockville Pike Shuttle	Rockville Town Center	Rock Pike & Edson Lane					Operated from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Discontinued on September 3, 2001.[47]
92	Bethesda Shuttle	Bethesda Station	Bethesda Station					Became operated by the Bethesda Urban Partnership on September 3, 2006.[48]
93	US – HHS – Twinbrook Station	Twinbrook Station	DHHS Parklawn Shuttle (Fishers Lane)					Discontinued on September 17, 2017 due to low ridership.[37]
94	Clarksburg – Germantown MARC	Germantown MARC	Clarksburg Gateway Center					Discontinued on September 17, 2017 due to low ridership.[37]
124	Shady Grove Express	MD 117 Park & Ride MD 124 Park & Ride	Shady Grove Station					Operates through I-270. Discontinued on March 14, 2008.[44]
127	Campus Connector (Takoma – Silver Spring – Shady Grove UMS)	Takoma Station	University of Maryland					Discontinued on May 16, 2008.[44]
129	Burtonsville – Silver Spring (Limited Stop)	Silver Spring Station	Burtonsville Park & Ride					Service started on May 14, 2018. Limited Stop service on US 29 between Silver Spring & Burtonsville P&R Only served 15 stops every 15 minutes. AM times: 5:30am–9:00am, PM times: 3:00 pm–7:00 pm via Colesville Road, Lockwood Drive, Stewart Lane, Tech Road Park & Ride, Briggs Chaney Park & Ride, Castle Blvd Discontinued on October 15, 2020, replaced by Ride On Flash.

Additionally, Ride On ran one weekend route that is served by WMATA Metrobus on weekdays. This route has since been discontinued due to the same reason as other discontinued Ride On routes.

Ride On Routes

Route	Name	Termini (Western/Southern)	Termini (Eastern/Northern)	Weekday peak	Weekday off-peak	Saturday	Sunday	Notes
Z2	Colesville – Silver Spring	Olney (Spartan Rd & Georgia Ave)	Silver Spring station	(WMATA Metrobus)	(WMATA Metrobus)			Saturday Service Discontinued on January 12, 2013 due to low ridership.[49] Weekday service is still operated by Metrobus, See Colesville–Ashton Line for history.

References

1. "Transit Ridership Report First Quarter 2017" (pdf). American Public Transportation Association. June 6, 2017. Retrieved August 23, 2017 – via http://www.apta.com/resources/statistics/Pages/ridershipreport.aspx.
2. "Transit Services - Ride On Program". Montgomery County MD Government. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
3. "Ride On Routes and Schedules".
4. 911NewsCoverage (4 July 2014). "ABC (WJLA) 9-11-2001 News Coverage 11:00 PM - 12:00 AM" – via YouTube.
5. "Ride On to Add Dozens of New Buses to Fleet". Montgomery County Department Of Transportation. MCDOT. May 16, 2017. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
6. "Grant Allows Montgomery County To Buy Electric Buses for Its Fleet". Bethesda Magazine. Bethesda Magazine. September 15, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
7. "MCDOT's Ride On Bus System Awarded $1.75 Million FTA Grant to Purchase Electric Buses and Charging Stations". Montgomery County MD Gov. Montgomery County MD Gov. September 15, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
8. "MCDOT Receives $4.365 Million from U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration to Purchase 10 Electric Buses". Montgomery County MD Gov. Montgomery County MD Gov. October 1, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
9. Profitt, Ashley (2019-04-25). "'Ride On' To Unveil New Bus Design and Kick Off 'Give and Ride Week'". Montgomery Community Media. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
10. "Montgomery County rolls out first four electric Ride On buses". www.bethesdamagazine.com. Retrieved 2020-09-04.
11. "MCDOT Unveils Ride On Flex at Microtransit Public Forum". dccommutetimes.com. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
12. "Ride On Flex". www.montgomerycountymd.gov. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
13. Lazo, Luz. "The D.C. region's most ambitious try at bus rapid transit is coming to Montgomery County". The Washington Post. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
14. Clabaugh, Jeff. "Montgomery Co.'s new Bus Rapid Transit system to be called 'Flash'". Retrieved 29 September 2019.
15. "FLASH is an easier, more reliable, and less stressful way to get you where you need to go quickly". ridetheflash.com. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
16. Lyons, Jane. "MoCo advances two bus rapid transit projects on Route 355 and Veirs Mill Road". Greater Greater Washington. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
17. "FLASH features a different kind of vehicle. It's like a train on rubber tires with features that keep you plugged in and moving". Retrieved 29 September 2019.
18. "Kids Ride Free".
19. Hedgpeth, Dana. "Crash involving Ride On bus and SUV in Bethesda". Retrieved 6 April 2020.
20. Zimmermann, Joe. "Ride On Bus Crash Injures Five on Western Avenue". Retrieved 6 April 2020.
21. Arnold, Tiffany. "Ride On bus driver pinned in crash involving truck". Retrieved 6 April 2020.
22. "Montgomery County Maryland Capital Budget". apps.montgomerycountymd.gov. Retrieved 2020-01-30.
23. Malouff, Dan. "DASH is running the first non-WMATA articulated buses in Washington area transit". Greater Greater Washington. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
24. Schere, Dan (3 September 2020). "Montgomery County rolls out first four electric Ride On Buses". Bethesda Magazine. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
25. Kass, Adam (2020-01-20). "Anyone know what a ⁦@RideOnMCT⁩ is doing in Tempe, AZ? I assume it's a delivery but that's just a guess. ⁦@fox5dc⁩ ⁦@SweeneyABC⁩ ⁦@WTOP⁩pic.twitter.com/3xYdbLGcdi". @adamkass8. Retrieved 2020-01-30.
26. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/ride-on-bus-fires-in-montgomery-prompts-federal-safety-probe/2012/04/11/gIQAF2WgBT_story.html
27. "Crews Battle Fire on Ride On Bus". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
28. "Some Ride On Buses Taken Out of Service Following Fire". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
29. "The Schumin Web » I didn't want to have this I-told-you-so moment, but…". www.schuminweb.com. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
30. "MCDOT RIDE ON ROUTES AND SCHEDULES". www.montgomerycountymd.gov.
31. www.montgomerycountymd.gov (June 21, 2007). "Dump the Pump June 21, 2007 Ride Transit". web.archive.org. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
32. "Ride-On Route 41 Information". web.archive.org. March 22, 1996. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
33. "MCDOT Current Events". web.archive.org. January 29, 2013. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
34. "Schedule Change 4/17: Layout 1" (PDF). www.montgomerycountymd.gov. May 4, 2017. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
35. https://www.wmata.com/schedules/timetables/upload/L8_180916.pdf
36. https://www.wmata.com/schedules/timetables/upload/T2_180916.pdf
37. "Schecule Change:Layout 1" (PDF). Retrieved April 11, 2019.
38. "RIDE ON Route Map-Information (April 4, 2002)". web.archive.org. April 4, 2002. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
39. "Ride On Service Changes Effective Sunday, September 7, 2003". web.archive.org. September 7, 2003. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
40. "RIDE ON Route Map-Information (June 2, 2002)". web.archive.org. June 2, 2002. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
41. "RIDE ON Route Map-Information (October 3, 2002)". web.archive.org. October 3, 2002. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
42. "RIDE ON Route Map-Information (April 13, 2001)". web.archive.org. April 13, 2001. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
43. "Metrobus service changes effective January 13, 2001 Maryland". February 10, 2001. Archived from the original on February 10, 2001. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
44. "Ride On Routes and Schedule (April 5, 2009)". web.archive.org. April 5, 2009. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
45. "Ride On Routes and Schedule (June 5, 2005)". web.archive.org. June 5, 2005. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
46. "Ride On Routes and Schedule (August 26, 2005)". web.archive.org. August 26, 2005. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
47. "RIDE ON Route Map-Information (October 5, 2001)". web.archive.org. October 5, 2001. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
48. "Ride On Routes and Schedule (November 4, 2006)". web.archive.org. November 4, 2006. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
49. https://www.wmata.com/about/news/pressreleasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=5392

External links

• Official website
• The Schumin Web Transit Center: Ride On
• Oren's Transit Page: Ride On
• GP Bus Gallery
• Ride On at the Wayback Machine (archived February 5, 1998)