Ride On Bus Service Expanding In Montgomery County: Aug. 2

SILVER SPRING, MD — Ride On bus service will be expanded Sunday to assist with the gradual reopening of Montgomery County. The on-demand Flex service, however, remains suspended.

"Expansion to serve all Ride On routes is a critical step in supporting people who live and work in the county," said Chris Conklin, director of the county's transportation department (MCDOT). "Ride On's entire team worked hard to reach this point where we can provide bus transportation across the entire service area."

As part of its COVID-19 operating policies, MCDOT promises to frequently clean its fleet of buses, as well as enforce social distancing and mask wearing policies. But those safeguards — while proven to stem the spread of the virus — aren't foolproof. That's why officials are asking people to consider all transportation options before taking the bus — as the risk of infection rises in enclosed spaces.

While all Ride On routes will be in operation, capacity is still limited to 15 to 20 passengers per bus (about 40 percent of normal capacity) to maintain social distancing.

Riders can visit the new schedule webpage for detailed information at https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DOT-Transit/schedules.html. The Ride On Real Time web app will not reflect temporary bus schedules.