‘Ride On Reimagined’ Study Leads to Planned Service Enhancements for Bus Network Service

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, December 24, 2024

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) announced the release of a comprehensive bus network redesign plan that implements recommendations from the two-year Ride On Reimagined Study. The implementation plan aims to expand access to public transportation in Montgomery County and provide faster, more reliable bus service by changing bus routes and frequency, expanding coverage to underserved areas and adding new bus routes.  

MCDOT’s "Ride On Reimagined Study" included an assessment of the current Ride On and Metrobus network in the County. The study team worked closely with WMATA’s Better Bus Initiative, which aimed to assess widespread changes to Metrobus. "Ride On Reimagined" also looked at ridership patterns and was based on feedback from bus riders, bus operators and potential bus riders to better understand transportation needs. 

The recommendations include a one- and five- year plan, as well as a long-term vision plan. The one- and five-year plans focus on rerouting existing bus routes and the addition of new routes and bus services to improve connectivity and efficiency. The high-frequency Pink and Lime Ride On extRa lines, part of the new Great Seneca Transit Network, launched in September as part of the year-one changes. The long-term vision calls for an expansion of the County’s express and on-demand bus services, including eight new Flash bus rapid transit (BRT) lines, four Ride On extRa lines and 19 new Ride On Flex zones.  

"The Ride On Reimagined Transit study reflects our dedication to addressing the evolving transportation needs of our diverse community," said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. "We are constantly trying to find ways to make transit more useful and available to more residents. Our goal is to effectively accommodate growth and density by supporting transit-oriented development, paving the way for a more sustainable and inclusive future." 

The bus network redesign will help better support the transit needs of the County, which has a diverse population of more than one million residents. The County is projected to have an 18 percent increase in population and a 29 percent increase in employment by 2050.  

"We have taken stock of Montgomery County’s transit needs and now have a clear path to move forward with improvements to enhance operational efficiency and proactively prepare for anticipated future growth," said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. "The average resident in Montgomery County will be able to access nearly 14,000 more jobs within 30 minutes during a typical weekday morning rush hour commute using the proposed bus network enhancements, a 74 percent increase in job accessibility compared to the existing network. These advancements will allow us to provide equitable access to jobs and encourage public transit use."

The final report highlights several planned service enhancements: 

• More Frequent Service: More than 30 routes will have improved weekday frequencies, and 38 routes will have improved weekend frequencies. An additional 26 routes will have new weekend service. 

• Expanded Coverage: The Vision Network expands Ride On’s service footprint across the County through 19 new Ride On Flex zones. These zones collectively serve more than 85 square miles, reaching areas that currently do not have transit service and improving service quality and connectivity in lower-density neighborhoods. 

• Improved Connectivity: The Vision Network includes eight BRT lines and four new Ride On extRa lines. These premium services will provide fast, frequent and reliable service along key corridors across the County. Redesigned routes will provide better connections to Metro stations, major employment centers and community hubs. 

• Sustainability Goals: The plan includes transitioning the nearly 400 MCDOT Ride On buses to a zero-emission bus fleet to reduce greenhouse gas and support the County’s climate action goals. 

Part of the long-term vision of the network redesign includes the transition of the nearly 400 MCDOT Ride On buses to zero-emission buses. The study ran simultaneously with MCDOT’s Zero-Emission Bus Transition Plan, released in spring 2024. The County currently has 14 electric buses and plans to secure 100 more over the next three years. It also will be the first public transit agency on the East Coast to operate several hydrogen buses. The County will be installing a hydrogen charging station, which is expected to break ground in 2025. MCDOT has positioned itself as a leader in sustainable and accessible transit by aggressively pursuing federal and state grant funding to support transit efforts. 

"The support we received has been instrumental in bringing this project to fruition, and we are confident that the redesigned services will deliver significant benefits to both our riders and our organization," said Ride On Reimagined Project Lead Deanna Archey.  

To help residents visualize these changes, interactive maps for the first-year, five-year and long-term vision allow users to explore the proposed network at various stages of implementation. These maps provide a detailed look at how the planned enhancements will be rolled out over time, offering a clear picture of how MCDOT Ride On services will evolve. 

Visit the MCDOT Ride On Reimagined webpage to learn more about the final report and redesign plans and explore the interactive maps.  

For the most up-to-date service information, riders should follow @RideOnMCT on X, Facebook, YouTube, BlueSky and Instagram. In addition, information is available at RideOnBus.com, by subscribing to receive email alerts at montgomerycountymd.gov/govdelivery, or texting MONTGOMERY RIDEON to 468311 to receive text alerts. 

For more information on MCDOT programs and services, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot, follow @MCDOTNow on X, BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram and subscribe to MCDOT’s “Go Montgomery!” newsletter.  

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Release ID: 24-161
Media Contact: Emily DeTitta, 240-372-2282