Montgomery County Students Can Ride County Buses for Free with Youth Cruiser Card

For Immediate Release: Thursday, September 7, 2023

Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) recommends youth save on their transportation costs by picking up a free Youth Cruiser card available at area schools and libraries. Youth Cruiser cards offer free bus fare for all MCDOT Ride On buses, and most Metro buses operating in the County.

The Youth Cruiser SmarTrip® card is for Montgomery County residents ages 5 to 18 (older if still in high school) that provides free rides on all Montgomery County Ride On buses, including Ride On extRa,  Ride On Flex and Flash. The card also will waive fares on most Metro buses operating in the County. Value also can be added to the card for service on Metrorail and Metrobuses outside the County.  

“This is a great program that is free for all elementary, middle and high school students in Montgomery County,” said County Executive Marc Elrich.“ As a former teacher, I have seen the importance of reliable transportation.  Providing free bus rides can make a real difference for children and their families. The Youth Cruiser card will help ensure that students can fully participate in afterschool activities, visit the County’s many libraries, and museums as well as help with errands and other activities. With 80 routes in the County, this program helps our students get where they need to go.”

Bicycles can be mounted on the front of all Ride On buses or taken aboard the Flash bus currently operating on U.S. 29/Columbia Pike, which makes using buses a friendly option for young riders.

“MCDOT has been operating the Kids Ride Free Program since 2019,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “Students with the Youth Cruiser card can tap their card on the farebox, and they will not be charged the current $1 fare. Buses are a safe and environmentally friendly travel alternative for anyone who needs to get around Montgomery County. This year, we launched a new app, Ride On Trip Planner, which is a free and intuitive, regional trip planner that makes finding the fastest public transit route easy.”

The Ride On Trip Planner can be downloaded for regional trip planning including Ride On, Metro rail and bus, Bikeshare and scooters. The app is free and provides live updates and shortest routes. Download from the Apple App store or Google Play.

If schools are interested in being a Youth Cruiser card provider, staff can reach out to Coletta Mercado at MCDOT by email at [email protected] or calling 240-777-5935 to get the cards free of cost.  

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

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Release ID: 23-385
Media Contact: Emily DeTitta 240-372-2232
Categories: Transportation