Press Releases - Department of Transportation

For Immediate Release: Friday, January 7, 2022

Winter weather is here and taking public transportation is a great alternative to avoid the hassle of driving in poor weather conditions. Ride On is operating on a regular schedule today. Our valued customers can count on Ride On being safe and reliable, getting you to your destination while you stay warm and relaxed in our buses.

The safety of our customers continues to be our top priority. Here are seven (7) safety tips we recommend you take while riding with us during the Winter weather:

Plan for extra time in your commute. Winter weather conditions such as snow and ice may cause delays to the bus schedule. Planning extra time may ensure that even with the delays, you can get to your destination on time.

Dress accordingly. Be prepared to wait extra time for the bus to arrive. As a result, what you wear is crucial to staying warm while waiting on the bus or walking to your destination.

Consider getting a virtual SmarTrip Card: Our hands tend to suffer the most during the Winter weather because they are usually exposed due to activity. With a virtual SmarTrip card, you can simply use your phone to pay for fares (when we return to fare collection again) while still wearing your gloves. It also saves you time looking for the physical card while staying contactless during this time.
- Virtual SmarTrip card is available for iOS and Android.

Be Visible. It gets dark early so be sure to make yourself visible to an approaching bus. Hold a flashlight or use your cell phone’s light so that the bus operator can see you at the stop. If possible, wear reflective apparel or safety items (bands, pins) for more visibility on your coat or clothing.

Stand clear from the curb. Standing close to the curb is dangerous especially during inclement weather. Buses may slide on snow as they approach the curb. Be sure to stand clear from the curb until the bus comes to a complete stop and is ready for boarding. NEVER stand in the street.

Be careful when boarding and stepping off the bus. Wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before trying to board. Bus steps can become slippery from snow. Try to clean the snow off your shoes before boarding. Be sure to always use the handrails while getting on or off the bus and take your time.
Use our Trip Planning App. Use Rideon.app for real bus time information, trip planning as well as viewing delays and arrival times of the bus.

To help protect employees and riders, bus interiors will continue to be cleaned by the County’s Department of General Services on a nightly basis with hospital-grade disinfectant. Bus filter and ventilation systems are also treated each night with a disinfectant.

All passengers are required to wear face coverings when traveling by public transportation. Riders must continue wearing the covering for the entire time of their trip. All MCDOT buses have a supply of face coverings for those who cannot provide their own.

Ride On bus service remains free for all riders until at least July 2, 2022.

For the most up-to-date service information, riders should follow @RideOnMCT on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. In addition, information is available at rideonbus.com, by subscribing to receive email alerts or text MONTGOMERY RIDEON to 468311 to receive text alerts.

For information on snow removal including who plows specific streets, snow-removal status and service requests are available online here. For storm clearing effort updates, follow @MCDOTNow on Twitter and view MCDOT's Go Montgomery! Snow Edition newsletter here.

# # #

Media Contact: Emily DeTitta, 240-372-2282 or emily.detitta@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Release ID: 22-004
Media Contact: Emily DeTitta 240-372-2282