Ride On (Maryland)

Ride On
The current logo for Ride On
Ride On bus at the Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center
FormerlyRide-On
ParentMontgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT)
FoundedMarch 31, 1975
Headquarters101 Monroe Street, 5th Floor
Rockville, Maryland, US
Service areaMontgomery County, MD
Service typefixed-route bus service, paratransit, demand responsive transport, and bus rapid transit
Routes82
DepotsNicholson, Gaithersburg, and Silver Spring
Fleet400 (est.)
Daily ridership66,200 (weekdays, Q4 2025)[1]
Annual ridership19,640,400 (2025)[2]
Fuel typeCNG, diesel, diesel-electric hybrid, and battery electric
OperatorMontgomery County Department of Transportation, Route 301 and FLEX operated by external contractors.
ManagerChristopher Conklin[3]
WebsiteOfficial Site

Ride On, formerly Ride-On, is a local bus transportation system in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. Managed by the Montgomery County Department of Transportation, Ride On primarily serves Montgomery County, with short segments of service crossing borders into Prince George's County and Washington, D.C. It is a separate entity from WMATA, which also provides a bus service in Montgomery County, along with a rail service. Ride On operates on 82 routes throughout Montgomery County.

In fiscal year 2018, it operated with a US$112.3 million budget.[4] In 2025, the system had a ridership of 19,640,400, or about 66,200 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2025, making it one of the most heavily ridden suburban bus systems in the United States.[5]

History

Ride On's former logo, used in the 1970s and 1980s
Ride On's former logo, used from the mid-1990s to late 2008

1970s–1990s

Ride On began service on March 31, 1975, as Ride-On, in response to WMATA asking Montgomery County to pay for the operation of Metro Bus routes within the county. Serving Silver Spring and Takoma Park, two routes were in operation with 20 buses: the Blue and the Green. Within a few weeks, Ride-On was carrying twice the number of passengers projected: about 2,000 riders per day. Ride-On was the first major local bus operator to emerge in the DC Region following the formation of Metro Bus in 1973.

In the fall of 1984, as the Washington Metro's Red Line extension to Shady Grove station was complete, Ride On saw its largest route expansion to date. Numerous routes were added to accommodate passengers who would utilize the eight new Metrorail stations along the western portion of Montgomery County.

2000s

In 2000, Ride On buses were painted in a special livery to commemorate Ride On's 25th anniversary.[6]

On September 11, 2001, Ride On buses were used to transport Montgomery County firefighters to The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia to assist in search and rescue operations following the terrorist attacks that occurred on that day.[7][8]

In 2006, Ride On began accepting SmarTrip cards and in August of that year, all the Ride On buses started to be equipped with compatible fareboxes.[9]

2010s

On May 20, 2011, a Ride On bus crashed into a KFC restaurant in Glenmont around 7:30 AM. Authorities believed the driver passed out while making a left turn onto Georgia Avenue and lost control of the bus due to having a heart attack. There were three passengers on the bus; the driver and one of the passengers were taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. The only occupant in the building of the crash was not injured, and the building suffered with minor damage.[10][11][12]

Ride On celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2015 with certain buses wrapped in the transit agency's 40th anniversary livery.[13]

In 2017, Ride On Extra Route 101, a new Peak-Hour limited stop service, was launched with service between Lakeforest Mall in Gaithersburg and Medical Center Metro in Bethesda. The route provided a more frequent alternative to existing routes in the corridor, with limited stops and running every 10-15 minutes.

MCDOT Ride On received a $4.365 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration to replace diesel buses with 10 new battery electric buses on October 1, 2018.[14] Ride On added the new battery-electric buses to the fleet in 2019.

2020s

In March 2020, Ride On significantly altered bus service in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[15] Many routes were suspended with other routes having significantly reduced service.[16] Fare collection was also suspended until July 2022.[17]

Also in 2020, the first two lines of the FLASH BRT were launched along US 29 between Briggs Chaney and Silver Spring, with peak hour service continuing to Burtonsville. FLASH was the second BRT system to be launched in the DC Region, after WMATA's Metroway in Virginia.

In July 2023, Ride On launched their official mobile app, Ride On Trip Planner, created in partnership with Moovit. The app provides trip planning tools and real-time arrival information for Ride On buses.[18]

On December 27, 2023, a Ride On bus crashed into a house in Silver Spring around 7:30 PM. The driver reportedly lost control of the bus while entering a roundabout, hit a parked car, and collided with the side of the house. There were no passengers on the bus, and the house was not occupied at the time.[19][20] It was later discovered that the same vehicle had previously been involved in the aforementioned KFC incident in May 2011.[21]

In September 2024, the first phase of the Great Seneca Transit Network was launched, with two new Ride-On Extra Routes being added to serve the Life Sciences region and the Universities at Shady Grove. The Pink and Lime Routes run frequent service all-day and weekend services.

Ride On celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025 with several buses featuring a special 50th anniversary wrap.[22] Later that year, the agency launched the first phase of it's "Ride On Reimagined" transit master plan. Most of the changes in this phase were made to complement WMATA's system-wide Better Bus Network Redesign which took effect on the same day. It also eliminated all fares on all of its transit services beginning the same day, becoming the 4th operator in the DC Region to go fare-free, after DASH, TheBus, and CUE Bus.[23]

On February 2, 2026, Ride On launched its second Flex Zone route, serving areas near White Oak, Sandy Spring, and New Hampshire Avenue in part of a zone expansion.[24]

Routes

Ride On offers 82 routes throughout Montgomery County. All the routes run through peak rush hour periods between 6 and 9 AM and between 3 and 7 PM on weekdays. Many routes offer services for off-peak hours and weekends as well.[25] The following table contains the full list of local and supplemental routes currently in operation.

Local Service Routes

Route First Terminal Second Terminal Service Notes
1 Friendship Heights Silver Spring Transit Center Daily via Connecticut Avenue & East-West Highway
2 Lyttonsville (Ops Center) Daily
4 Wheaton Metro Weekday Peak via Kensington
5 Twinbrook Metro Daily via Kensington
6 Montgomery Mall Parkside Condos Mon-Fri via Grosnevor-Strathmore Metro
7 Wheaton Metro Forest Glen Metro Weekday Peak Peak direction service (AM to Forest Glen, PM to Wheaton)
8 Silver Spring Transit Center Daily via Forest Glen Road & Metro Holy Cross Hospital (Eastbound Only from Forest Glen Metro)
9 via Arcola Avenue
11 Friendship Heights Weekday Peak
  • Supplemental to Route 1
  • Peak direction service (AM to Friendship Heights, PM to Silver Spring)
12 Takoma Metro Daily
13 Weekday Peak
14 Mon-Sat
15 Takoma Langley TC Daily
16 Takoma Metro via Langley Park
17 Takoma Langley TC
18
  • via Montgomery College TPSS
  • Sunday Service Between Takoma and Langley Park Only.
19 Forest Glen Rd/Burnett Weekday Peak
  • via Northwood neighborhood
  • Peak direction service (AM to Silver Spring, PM to Dallas Avenue/Northwood)
20 Hillandale Center Daily
21 Briggs Chaney P&R Weekday Peak
  • via US-29
  • Peak direction service (AM to Silver Spring, PM to Briggs Chaney)
22 Hillandale Center Weekday Peak Serves the White Oak FDA Campus
23 Sibley Memorial Hospital Friendship Heights Mon-Sat via MacArthur Blvd and Brookmont
24 Hillandale Center Takoma Metro Weekday Peak Peak direction service (AM to Takoma, PM to Hillandale Center)
25 Takoma Langley TC Takoma Metro Weekday Peak
26 Montgomery Mall Glenmont Metro Daily via Aspen Hill Road, Twinbrook & North Bethesda Metro Stations, and Old Georgetown Road
27 Hillandale Center Tech Rd / US-29 Daily via White Oak Adventist Hospital
28 Silver Spring Transit Center Mon-Sat Silver Spring Circulator
29 Bethesda Metro Friendship Heights Daily via Glen Echo
30 Medical Center Bethesda Metro Mon-Fri
31 Glenmont Metro Wheaton Metro Weekday Peak via Kemp Mill
32 Bethesda Metro Naval Ship R&D Center Weekday Peak via MacArthur Blvd
33 Glenmont Metro Medical Center Weekday Peak via Kensington
34 Bethesda Metro Wheaton Metro Daily
  • via Kensington
  • Truncated to run between Bethesda and Wheaton only on June 29, 2025. See below for previous route history.
36 Bethesda Metro Mon-Fri via Bradley Bouelvard
37 Potomac Community Center Wheaton Metro Weekday Peak via Kensington, Grosnevor Metro, and Tuckerman Lane
38 North Bethesda Wheaton Metro Daily
39 Briggs Chaney P&R Glenmont Metro Weekday Peak via Good Hope Road
40 Montgomery College (Rockville Campus)

Rockville station

Wheaton Metro Daily
  • Introduced in 2025 to replace the MetroBus Veirs Mill Road Line.
  • Operates to Montgomery College during business hours Mon-Sat. Early AM, Late PM and all Sunday Service ends at Rockville Station.
41 Grande Pre / Bel Pre Wheaton Metro Daily
  • via Weller Road, Glenmont Metro and Connecticut Avenue.
  • Extended to Wheaton in June 2025.
42 Montgomery Mall TC North Bethesda Mon-Sat
43 Traville / USG Shady Grove Daily via Shady Grove Road
44 Twinbrook Metro Rockville Station Weekday Peak
45 Fallsgrove Center Rockville Station Mon-Sat
46 MC Rockville Medical Center Daily
47 Bethesda Metro Rockville Station Daily via Montgomery Mall and Park Potomac
48 Rockville Station Wheaton Metro Daily via Rock Creek Village
49 Glenmont Metro Daily via Bel Pre Road
51 Georgia Ave/ICC P&R Glenmont Metro Weekday Peak
52 Rockville Station Medstar Montgomery Weekday Peak via Norbeck Road
53 Shady Grove Glenmont Metro Weekday Peak via ICC/MD-200 and Olney
54 Rockville Station Lakeforest Transit Center Daily via RIO Lakefront
55 Rockville Station Germantown Transit Center Daily
56 Rockville Station Lakeforest Transit Center Daily via Quince Orchard & Darnestown Roads
57 Shady Grove Lakeforest Transit Center Daily via Old Town Gaithersburg
58 Shady Grove Lakeforest Transit Center Daily via Snouffer School Road
59 Rockville Station Montgomery Village/Club House Daily via Crabbs Branch Way and Lakeforest Transit Center.
60 Shady Grove Montgomery Village/Club House Weekday Peak
  • via Centerway Road
  • Peak direction service (AM to Shady Grove, PM to Montgomery Village)
61 Shady Grove Germantown Transit Center Daily via Watkins Mill Road
63 Rockville Station Shady Grove Mon-Fri via Piccard Drive
64 Shady Grove Montgomery Village/Club House Daily via Emory Grove Road
65 Shady Grove Montgomery Village/Club House Weekday Peak
  • via Mid-County Highway
  • Limited-Stop Service
  • Peak direction service (AM to Shady Grove, PM to Montgomery Village)
66 Shady Grove Traville / USG Weekday Peak
  • via King Farm neighborhood
  • Peak direction service (AM to Traville, PM to Shady Grove)
67 Shady Grove Traville / USG Weekday Peak
  • via Dufief Mill Road
  • Peak direction service (AM to Shady Grove, PM to Traville)
70 Bethesda Metro Milestone P&R Weekday Peak
  • Express via I-270
  • Peak direction service to Medical Center (AM to Bethesda, PM to Milestone)
71 Shady Grove Kingsview P&R Weekday Peak
  • via Dawson Farm Road
  • Peak direction service (AM to Shady Grove, PM to Kingsview)
73 Shady Grove Cabin Branch Weekday Peak via Clarksburg
74 Shady Grove Germantown Transit Center Mon-Sat via Great Seneca Highway
75 Germantown Transit Center Clarksburg Correctional Facility Daily
76 Shady Grove Poolesville Mon-Sat via Darnestown and Kentlands
78 Shady Grove Kingsview P&R Mon-Sat via Richter Farm Road
79 Shady Grove Gateway Center Weekday Peak
  • via Clarksburg
  • Peak direction service (AM to Shady Grove, PM to Clarksburg)
81 Rockville Station North Bethesda Weekday Peak via Tower Oaks Blvd
83 Germantown Transit Center Holy Cross Germantown Hospital Mon-Sat via Milestone Center
90 Shady Grove Damascus/Milestone Center Mon-Fri
  • via Damascus
  • Midday Service extends to Milestone Center
96 Montgomery Mall TC Grosvenor Weekday Peak Montgomery Mall served during Midday Only.
97 Germantown Transit Center Daily via Crystal Rock Drive
98 Germantown Transit Center Kingsview P&R Mon-Sat via Richter Farm Road
100 Shady Grove Germantown Transit Center Daily Non-stop via I-270
301 Rockville Station Tobytown Drive Daily
  • via Glenstone Museum
  • Operated by external contractor.

Flash BRT & Ride-On Extra Network

These high-frequency corridors utilize dedicated lanes and "Transit Signal Priority" to bypass congestion.

Route First Terminal Second Terminal Service Notes
FLASH Blue Silver Spring Transit Center Burtonsville Park and Ride Weekday Peak bypasses White Oak
FLASH Orange Silver Spring Transit Center Briggs Chaney Park and Ride Daily via White Oak
ExtRa 101 Medical Center Metro Lakeforest Transit Center Weekday Peak Operates to 13 stops every 10 minutes.
ExtRa Pink Shady Grove Metro Traville Gateway TC/USG Daily High-frequency medical and life sciences corridor.
ExtRa Lime Serves RIO / Washingtonian Center and Crown.

Deviations as part of

Route Deviation
1
  • Select Trips serve Leland Street, Mon-Sat Only.
  • Select Peak-Hour Trips via Ross/Spencer Roads.
2 Peak Hour Trips via Fort Deterick (AM to Lyttonsville, PM to Silver Spring).
5 Select Trips serve Victory Forest Apartments.
12 Select Trips via Twelve Oaks Drive on Request.
14 Select Weekday Takoma-Bound Trips via Eastern Middle School.
19 Select PM Trips serve Parkway Plaza
20 Select Weekday Trips extend to Cresthaven
30 Select Trips via Whitley Park Terrace
32 Persimmon Tree Road and Eggert Drive served in the Peak Direction Only (AM to Carderock Springs, PM to Bethesda)
36 Peak Hour Trips via Hillandale Road (AM Inbound, PM Outbound)
38
  • Select Trips via Westfields Wheaton
  • Select Weekday Trips serve the Holiday Park Senior Center
43 Weekday Trips via Gaither Road (6AM-8PM Only)
45 Select Weekday Trips serve the Rockville Senior Center
52
  • Service on portions of the route run Peak-Direction Service Only
  • Avery Treatment Center served in the Peak Direction Only (AM to Olney, PM to Rockville)
  • Select Trips operate to the Our Lady of Good Counsel High School
53
  • Service on portions of the route run Peak-Direction Service Only
  • Non-Stop Express between Norbeck Road and Glenmont Metro
  • Serves the IIC P&R in the Peak Direction Only (AM to Glenmont, PM to Shady Grove/Olney)
  • Some Peak-Direction trips operate non-stop along MD-200 to and from Shady Grove
  • Select Trips via Magruder HS
54
  • Limited Peak-Hour Service to NIST
  • Select Trips via Muddy Branch Shopping Center, Mon-Sat Only
55 Buses do not serve Montgomery College Germantown on Sundays
56 All Weekday Trips operate via Edison Park
58 Peak Hour Trips serve Turkey Thicket Drive
59 Peak Hour Trips going towards Montgomery Village bypass Walker's Choice
75
  • Select Weekday trips via Clarksburg HS
  • Peak Hour service extends to Germantown MARC Station
76
  • Poolesville served during Weekday Peak Hours Only
  • Off-Peak and Saturday Service ends at Quince-Orchard High School
78 Peak Hour Trips via Metropolitan Grove (AM to Shady Grove, PM to Kingsview)
83 Peak Hour service extends to Germantown MARC Station
90
  • Some segments of the line change routings throughout the day
  • Midday Service extends to Milestone P&R
  • County Airpark served towards Shady Grove in the AM and towards Damascus/Milestone in the PM
97
  • AM Clockwise, PM Counter-Clockwise
  • Peak Hour trips via Germantown MARC Station
98
  • Select Weekday Trips via Germantown Community Center
  • Peak Hour Service to Cinnamon Hill
  • Select Saturday Trips via Maryland Soccerplex
301 First and Last two trips do not serve Glenstone
FLASH Orange Peak Hour, Peak Direction service to the FDA White Oak Campus (AM to Briggs Chaney, PM to Silver Spring)

Regional Transit Hubs

Montgomery County's bus network is anchored by several "Super Hubs" that serve as multi-modal gateways. The ongoing construction of the Purple Line, a 16-mile light rail line scheduled to open in late 2027, is the primary driver of infrastructure updates at these locations. Ride On serves 13 Metrorail stations and numerous transit centers that facilitate these regional connections.

Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center (Silver Spring): The county's largest hub, connecting Ride On, Metrobus, MARC, and the Metrorail Red Line. In early 2026, the station saw temporary closures to finalize the Purple Line platform on the third level (north side), which will allow seamless transfers between bus levels and light rail.

Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center: Located at the intersection of University Blvd and New Hampshire Ave, this $35 million facility serves as the primary "East County" anchor. It is currently being integrated with a major Purple Line stop to link Langley Park residents to both Bethesda and New Carrollton.

Bethesda Transit Center: A massive engineering project is nearing completion to connect the deep-level Red Line station to the new Purple Line terminus. As of February 2026, construction on the South Entrance is advancing to link the two systems, and the Capital Crescent Trail tunnel is slated to reopen by late 2026 or early 2027.

Shady Grove & Rockville: These remain the primary hubs for the MD-355 corridor. While not directly on the Purple Line, they are being upgraded with enhanced Flash BRT docking stations to feed passengers into the county's growing high-capacity transit spine.[26][27]

Major Facilities and Connections

The county's transit network includes transit centers, major park-and-ride lots, and WMATA Metro stations, along with connections to neighboring agencies and various passenger rail services.

Location Facility Name Connecting Agencies Rail Connections
Silver Spring Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center Metrobus (WMATA) Red Line, MARC Brunswick Line
Langley Park Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center Metrobus, TheBus Purple Line (2027)
Bethesda Bethesda Metro Station Metrobus, Fairfax Connector Red Line, Purple Line (2027)
Rockville Rockville Station Metrobus Red Line, MARC Brunswick Line, Amtrak Floridian
Derwood Shady Grove Metro Station None Red Line
Wheaton Wheaton Metro Station Metrobus Red Line
Glenmont Glenmont Metro Station Metrobus Red Line
White Oak Tech Road Park and Ride Metrobus None
Fairland Briggs Chaney Park & Ride Metrobus None
Burtonsville Burtonsville Park & Ride Metrobus None
North Bethesda North Bethesda Metro Station Metrobus Red Line
Rockville Traville Gateway TC/USG Shuttle-UM None
Friendship Heights Friendship Heights Metro Metrobus Red Line
Hillandale Hillandale Center Metrobus None
Takoma Takoma Metro Station Metrobus Red Line
Olney Montgomery Medical Center Metrobus None
Aspen Hill Georgia Avenue/ICC Park & Ride Metrobus None

Additional services

Along with standard bus service, Ride On operates three additional services, Ride On extRa, Ride On Flex, and Flash BRT.

Ride On extRa

Logo of Ride On extRa

Ride On extRa is a limited stop bus service to complement major local bus routes by following similar routing but making fewer stops to help speed up travel time.[28]

Route 101 began service on October 2, 2017, complementing routes 55 and 46 along Maryland Route 355, serving 13 stops from Medical Center Station in Bethesda to Lakeforest Transit Center in Gaithersburg. The route operates every 10-20 minutes in both directions with service during weekday peak hours only.[29]

The Great Seneca Transit BRT Network began service on September 8, 2024, with the first phase consisting of two routes, Pink and Lime, with another two routes planned for the second phase. The Pink and Lime routes both start at Shady Grove station and end outside The Universities at Shady Grove campus, but follow different routing to provide service to the Great Seneca Life Sciences Complex and various neighborhoods and business districts in Gaithersburg. Both routes operate daily with varying service levels.[30]

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, Wheaton, and also White Oak, Sandy Spring as of February 2026. using 11-passenger cutaway buses.[31][32] Passengers are able to request a bus using an app. The new service never charged a higher fare, and accepted the same payment methods as standard Ride On buses with no onboard fare loading allowed.[33]

Flash BRT

Logo of Flash BRT

Flash is a bus rapid transit network that began service on October 14, 2020.[34][35][36][37] The first route operates between Silver Spring Metro station and Burtonsville Park & Ride along US Route 29[38] (route is planned to get extended to the mall at Columbia Transit Center[39]). The second route operates between Silver Spring Metro station and Briggs Chaney Park and Ride along US Route 29. Future routes are in development throughout Montgomery County.[39][38][40] Flash has dedicated bus stops with prepayment machines and operates in a mix of traffic and dedicated lanes using articulated buses.[41]

Fares

In 2019, the agency stopped the issue or acceptance of paper transfers, requiring all riders to use a SmarTrip card in order to get discounted fares and free transfers.[42] Children aged five and up also became eligible to use Ride On, as well as Metrobus services originating in Montgomery County, for free at all times until leaving high school through the Youth Cruiser SmarTrip card.[43]

Fares were suspended from March 2020 to July 2022 in response to COVID-19. On August 1, 2022, Ride On set one-way fares at $1.00 regardless of payment method, while qualified riders were allowed to ride fare free.

In 2025, the Montgomery County Council elected to make all the buses free, eliminating all the fares starting on June 29, 2025.[44]

Fleet

Ride On has a fleet consisting of diesel, diesel-electric hybrid, CNG, and battery electric buses produced by Gillig Corporation, Nova Bus, and Starcraft. Ride On has a climate action plan to transition to a completely zero-emissions fleet by 2035.[45][46]

Active fleet

Image Year Built Vehicle Model Fleet Numbers Notes
2008 Gillig Low-Floor 40ft 5726-5746
  • Last buses to be delivered in the 2nd-Gen Blue and White Livery.
2009 Gillig Low-Floor 40ft 5747-5757
  • First Buses to be delivered in the 3rd Gen Blue, Green and Yellow livery.
2009 Gillig Low-Floor 29ft 5007-5031
  • One has been retired after crashing into a house in Silver Spring in 2023. It was previously involved in another accident in 2011 where it crashed into a KFC in Glenmont.[47][19][20]
2012 Gillig Low-Floor 40ft Hybrid 5361-5367 Last order of Hybrid buses for Ride-On.
2013 Gillig Low-Floor 40ft 5759-5770
2013 Gillig Low-Floor 29ft 5032-5059
  • All units have been repainted into the 2019–Present 4th Gen Livery.
2014 Gillig Low-Floor 40ft CNG 5837-5855
  • First Gillig CNG buses to be delivered to Ride-On.
2014 Gillig Low-Floor 29ft 5060-5091
  • Some units have been repainted into the 2019–Present 4th Gen Livery.
2016 Gillig Low-Floor 40ft 44000D-44039D
2016 Gillig Low-Floor 40ft CNG 44040C-44056C
2016 Gillig Low-Floor 29ft 42000D
2017 Gillig BRT Plus 40ft 44057D-44072D
  • All units use the Ride On extRa livery.
2017 Gillig Low-Floor 40ft 44073D-44080D
2017-2018 Gillig Low-Floor 40ft CNG 44081C-44118C
2019 Gillig Low-Floor 40ft CNG 44119C-44141C
  • Last Order of CNG Buses for Ride-On, and the first buses to use the 4th Gen Livery.
2019 Gillig Low-Floor 40ft 44142D-44144D
2019-2020 NovaBus LFS (A) Articulated 46000D-46015D
  • Used for the FLASH BRT service.
  • Third Operator of Articulated buses in the DMV after WMATA and DASH.[48]
2020 Gillig Low-Floor 40ft 44145D-44153D
2020-2021 Gillig Low-Floor 29ft 42001D-42039D
  • Last Order of Clean-Diesel buses for Ride-On.
2022 Gillig Low-Floor Plus 40ft EV 44154E-44163E
  • First 40 foot electric buses for Ride On.
2024 Gillig Low-Floor Plus 40ft EV 44164E-44175E
2025 Gillig Low-Floor Plus 40ft EV 44176E-44236E
  • Some are painted in the Ride-On Extra livery.
  • Units currently being delivered.

Active Cutaway Buses

Image Year Vehicle Model Fleet Numbers Notes
2016 Ford E-450/Starcraft Allstar 59-61
  • Used for Route 301 only.
2019 Ford Transit 350HD/Starcraft Starlite 1000D-1006D
  • Used for the on-demand Flex Service.
  • Operated by external contractor.

On order

Manufacturer Model Length Year built Fleet Numbers

(quantity)

Notes
New Flyer Xcelsior Charge FC TBA TBA
(13 buses) 		13 hydrogen cell buses to be housed at the Gaithersburg garage by 2028[49]
Gillig Gillig Low-Floor Plus 40ft EV 40 2026 TBA
(Unknown quantity) 		There is a planned order based on a budget proposal to have 112 battery electric buses in service by mid-2026.[50]

Retired fleet

Year built Manufacturer Model Fleet Numbers Year
retired 		Image Notes
1979–1981 Transportation Manufacturing Corporation T-30 CityCruiser 30ft 5101–5256 1996–1998
  • Joint order with Frederick TransIT.
  • Select units rebuilt by Midwest Bus and National Coach Works in 1990.
  • Originally had Detroit Diesel engines, were re-powered to Caterpillar Engines.
1984 Bus Industries
of America 		Orion I (01.502) 5257–5297 2002
  • 5267 was used to transport Montgomery County firemen to the Pentagon in Virginia to assist in search and rescue operations after the attacks which were on September 11, 2001, and was renumbered to 27.
1990–1992 5500–5545 2010
  • 5520 was retired due to damage from an accident.
1988–1989 Gillig Phantom 30ft(3096TB3208) 5300–5356 2004–2006
  • Ride On's last buses without wheelchair lifts
  • The only order of transit style Gillig Phantoms with CAT 3208T engines. Re-powered to Cummins C8.3 Engines in the 1990s.
1993 Flxible Metro D 5700–5703 2008
  • Ex-Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) buses, acquired in 1995.
  • Originally numbered 9301–9304
  • Originally ran on LNG fuel.
  • Assigned to the Gaithersburg garage and often ran on the Route 70 Express.
  • Had more seats than any other Ride On bus models
1994–1997 Gillig Phantom 35ft 5360–5409 2013
1999 5410–5423 2015
1993 Bus Industries
of America 		Orion V (05.504) 5546–5547 2009
1995 Orion Bus Industries Orion VI CNG (06.501) 5801–5802 2005
1996 Orion V CNG (05.503) 5997–5999 2009
  • Originally numbered 5567–5569
Orion V (05.503) 5550–5566 2011
1998 5572–5579 2012
  • 5574 was used to train bus operators.
1999 Orion V (05.501) 5705–5725 2014–2016
  • Most units retired in 2014
1999–2000 Orion V CNG (05.501) 5803–5821 2014
1999 Orion V (05.505) 5100–5129 2014
  • Ex-WMATA buses, purchased in 2012 due to the withdrawal of the Champion Cutaways.
2001–2002 Orion V (05.504) 5580–5623 2016–2017
  • 5612 was sold to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue as 727A.
  • 5613 is currently being used as a storage unit in Capitol Heights, Maryland.
2003 DaimlerChrysler
Commercial Buses 		Orion VII CNG (07.502)
(semi-low floor) 		5900–5917 2017 Ride On Orion VII CNG.JPG
2004 5918–5932 2017–2019 Last Ride-On order to use Voith Transmission.
2005 5933–5957 2019
  • Last Orion buses in service with Ride-On and the second order of buses with ZF Transmission.
New Flyer Industries C40LF 5822–5836 2020
  • The first and currently only New Flyer buses ever ordered by Ride-On.
2006–2007 Gillig Low Floor 5300–5313
  • First Gillig Low-Floors in the fleet.
2008 5001–5006 2020–2021
2009 5314–5348 2024–2025
  • Replaced by the 2025 Gillig Low Floor Plus 40ft EVs (4176E-4236E) in November 2025.
2011 5349-5360 2025-2026
  • Replaced by the 2025 Gillig Low Floor Plus 40ft EVs (4176E-4236E) through November 2025 and January 2026.
5758 2026
  • Replaced by the 2025 Gillig Low Floor Plus 40ft EVs (4176E-4236E) in January 2026.
2001–2002 ElDorado National Aero Elites 5101–5181 2009
  • Originally contracted to outside firms until the late 2000s.
  • Replaced by the 2009 Gillig 29-foot (8.8 m) diesel buses (5007–5031)
2003–2004 IC Corporation/Mid Bus 3200/Bodied Cutaway 5232–5246 2013
2001 Ford/StarTrans Bus E450 Cutaway 23ft 5201–5212 2006–2007 Replaced by the 2006-2007 Gillig 40-foot (12 m) hybrid buses (5300–5313)
2007 GMC/Champion C5500/Defender 35ft 5182–5231, 5285–5296 2012
  • Replaced by 1999 Orion Vs acquired from WMATA.
2019 Proterra Proterra Catalyst BE-35 2024-2025
  • First Electric buses for Ride-On.
  • Rarely used during 2024 and 2025 due to Proterra's Bankruptcy, and delivery of newer Gilligs.
  • Final units in service were 43002E, 43003E and retired in September 2025.

Divisions

Ride On's fleet operations are divided among three garages Nicholson (Kensington), Silver Spring, and Gaithersburg.

References

  1. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2025" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. February 20, 2026. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
  2. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2025" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. February 20, 2026. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
  3. ^ "MCDOT - About the Director".
  4. ^ "Transit Services - Ride on program". Montgomery County MD Government. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  5. ^ "APTA 2024 Q4 Ridership Report" (PDF).
  6. ^ "Ride On's 25th anniversary". June 22, 2005.
  7. ^ 911NewsCoverage (July 4, 2014). "ABC (WJLA) 9-11-2001 News Coverage 11:00 PM – 12:00 AM". Archived from the original on December 14, 2021 – via YouTube.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "ABC World News Tonight, September 11, 2001". September 9, 2021 – via YouTube.
  9. ^ "History of Ride On". montgomerycountymd.gov. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
  10. ^ "Bus Crashes Into KFC in Silver Spring". NBC4 Washington. May 20, 2011. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  11. ^ "Bus Crashes Into KFC In Silver Spring". WAMU. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  12. ^ "Bus Dislodged from KFC in Silver Spring". Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  13. ^ "Ride On's 40th anniversary".
  14. ^ "MCDOT Receives $4.365 Million from U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration to Purchase 10 Electric Buses". Montgomery County MD Gov. October 1, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  15. ^ Queen, Michelle (March 28, 2020). "Further Ride On Bus Service Reductions Begin Sunday, March 29". Montgomery Community Media. Retrieved November 27, 2025.
  16. ^ "Essential Service Plan - Transit Services - Montgomery County, Maryland". montgomerycountymd.gov. Retrieved November 27, 2025.
  17. ^ Canales, Veronica (March 13, 2020). "Ride On Will Offer Temporary Free Bus Services". Montgomery Community Media. Retrieved November 27, 2025.
  18. ^ "Montgomery County Department of Transportation Launches Ride On Trip Planner App". www2.montgomerycountymd.gov. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
  19. ^ a b Tyler, Jeanne; Lockman, Moodee; Turco, Rebecca (December 27, 2023). "SEE IT: Ride-On bus crashes into Calverton home, Montgomery Co. Fire official say". WJLA. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  20. ^ a b Hageman, Allison (December 28, 2023). "Bus crashes into Silver Spring home". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  21. ^ "Ride On Bus Driven Into House On Wednesday Was Same Bus Driven Into Glenmont KFC in 2011". The MoCo Show. December 28, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  22. ^ "Ride On's 50th anniversary".
  23. ^ Newton, Ash (June 23, 2025). "Ride On Service Changes and Zero Fare Starts June 29". Montgomery Community Media. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  24. ^ "Montgomery County Plans to Expand an On-Demand Bus Service to Sandy Spring and White Oak". www2.montgomerycountymd.gov. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  25. ^ "MCDOT RIDE ON ROUTES AND SCHEDULES". montgomerycountymd.gov.
  26. ^ Montgomery County Department of Transportation (July 2025). "Montgomery County Transit System Map" (PDF). Division of Transit Services. Retrieved February 28, 2026. Ride On, Ride On extRa, Flex, and Flash serve more than 80 routes throughout the County. Most routes serve one or more of 13 Metrorail stations and 8 MARC stations.
  27. ^ Montgomery County Department of Transportation (January 2026). "Ride the Flash: Bus Rapid Transit Hubs and Projects". Montgomery County Maryland Government. Retrieved February 28, 2026. Flash provides service on US 29 with 12 stops from Silver Spring Transit Center to Briggs Chaney and Burtonsville. Service includes near-level boarding and expansion into Howard County in late 2026.
  28. ^ "Ride On extRa - MCDOT (montgomerycountymd.gov)".
  29. ^ "Free Rides Mark Launch of New Montgomery Co. Commuter Route". NBC4 Washington. October 1, 2017. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
  30. ^ "Great Seneca Transit Network". montgomerycountymd.gov. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  31. ^ "Ride On Flex - MCDOT (montgomerycountymd.gov)".
  32. ^ "MCDOT Unveils Ride On Flex at Microtransit Public Forum". dccommutetimes.com. Retrieved June 6, 2019.
  33. ^ "Ride On Flex". montgomerycountymd.gov. Retrieved June 6, 2019.
  34. ^ "Flash BRT - MCDOT (montgomerycountymd.gov)".
  35. ^ Lazo, Luz. "The D.C. region's most ambitious try at bus rapid transit is coming to Montgomery County". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  36. ^ Clabaugh, Jeff (March 23, 2017). "Montgomery Co.'s new Bus Rapid Transit system to be called 'Flash'". Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  37. ^ "Montgomery County Leaders Launch FLASH - Maryland's First Bus Rapid Transit Service". October 14, 2020 – via YouTube.
  38. ^ a b "FLASH is an easier, more reliable, and less stressful way to get you where you need to go quickly". ridetheflash.com. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  39. ^ a b "Flash Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Map". Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT). July 14, 2023. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
  40. ^ Lyons, Jane. "MoCo advances two bus rapid transit projects on Route 355 and Veirs Mill Road". Greater Greater Washington. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  41. ^ "FLASH features a different kind of vehicle. It's like a train on rubber tires with features that keep you plugged in and moving". Ride the FLASH. October 30, 2016. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  42. ^ "Ride On Eliminates Paper Transfers". January 5, 2009. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  43. ^ "Kids Ride Free".
  44. ^ Munro, Dana (June 28, 2025). "Montgomery County makes bus rides free, an idea that is gaining traction". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
  45. ^ MCDOT & DGS. (2024). Zero Emission Bus Transition Plan. Montgomery County, MD. https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DOT/Resources/Files/ZEBTransitionPlan_textAlternative.pdf
  46. ^ "Montgomery County Releases a Bus Transition Plan to Reach Goal of Zero Emissions by 2035 - Ride On Newsletter" (PDF).
  47. ^ "Bus Crashes Into KFC in Silver Spring". NBC4 Washington. May 20, 2011. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  48. ^ Malouff, Dan. "DASH is running the first non-WMATA articulated buses in Washington area transit". Greater Greater Washington. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  49. ^ "Montgomery County Wins Nearly $15 Million 'Low or No-Emissions' Award for the First Hydrogen Electric Bus Project on the East Coast". August 16, 2022. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  50. ^ "Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich Proposes FY26 Budget with Record Investments in Education, Affordable Housing and Public Safety". www2.montgomerycountymd.gov. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
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