Ride On (bus)

Ride On

Ride On bus at the Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center
Parent	Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT)
Founded	March 31, 1975
Headquarters	101 Monroe Street, 5th Floor Rockville, Maryland, U.S.
Service type	Local, express, limited stop bus service, paratransit, demand responsive transport, and bus rapid transit
Routes	81
Fleet	350
Daily ridership	58,000 (weekdays, Q1 2025)[1]
Annual ridership	19,097,700 (2024)[2]
Fuel type	CNG, diesel, diesel-electric hybrid, and battery electric
Website	www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dot-transit/

Ride On, formerly Ride-On, is the local bus system in Montgomery County, Maryland. 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 rail and bus service in Montgomery County.

In fiscal year 2018, it operated on a US$112.3 million budget.^[3] In 2024, the system had a ridership of 19,097,700, or about 58,000 per weekday as of the first quarter of 2025, making it one of the most heavily ridden suburban bus systems in the United States.^[4]

Ride On has a fleet of 350 buses and operates on 81 routes throughout Montgomery County.

Ride On's former logo, used in the 1970s and 1980s

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

Ride On began service on March 31, 1975, as Ride-On.^[5] Serving Silver Spring and Takoma Park, two routes were in operation: the Blue and the Green. Within a few weeks, it was carrying twice the number of passengers projected: about 2,000 riders per day. The buses were nineteen passenger Grummans. Starting in 1983, single front door TMC City Cruisers entered service. These were part of a joint order with Frederick City Transit, and shared the same paint livery. In the fall of 1984, as the Washington Metro's Red Line extension to Shady Grove 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. At that time, Ride On began to replace a few WMATA routes that operated in Montgomery County. OBI Orion I 30-foot (9.1 m) buses were introduced that same year to allow for the added service. In 1989, 57 of the 30-foot (9.1 m) Gillig Phantom buses, the first buses in the second-generation blue-and-white scheme, went into service. In 1991 and 1992, 45 new Orion I 30-foot (9.1 m) buses - Ride On's last Orion Is - entered service.

In the spring of 1996, three of the 35-foot (11 m) Orion V CNG buses, the first CNG buses for Ride On, went into service. These buses retired in 2009.

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

In September 2001, Ride On buses were 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.^[7][8]

In early 2002, the 2001/2002 35-foot (11 m) Orion V diesel buses (5580–5623) went into service. These were the last high floor buses, until the 2019 Ride On Flex buses (41000D-41006D).

In early 2004, Ride On's first low-floor buses, the 2003/2004 35-foot (11 m) Orion VII CNG buses (5900–5932) went into service. They replaced all of the remaining 1988–1989 30-foot (9.1 m) Gillig Phantom buses (5300–5356), which were also Ride On's last buses without wheelchair lifts, therefore resulting in an all-accessible fleet.

In late 2005, 15 New Flyer C40LF buses (5822–5836) went into service. These were the first New Flyer buses ordered by Ride On.

In 2006, Ride On started accepting SmarTrip cards and in August of that year, all the Ride On buses started getting equipped with fareboxes.

Also in 2006, the 2005 35-foot (11 m) Orion VII CNG buses went into service. These were the last Orion models ordered by Ride On. Additionally, Ride On's first five hybrid-electric buses, the 2006 40-foot (12 m) Gillig Low Floor aka Gillig Advantage buses (5300–5304, formerly 5750–5754), went into service.

In 2007, nine of the 40-foot (12 m) Gillig Advantage Hybrid buses (5305–5313, formerly 5755–5763) went into service. Also in 2007, an order of Champion cutaway buses (5182–5231 and 5285–5296) went into service. All of these buses had fire damage and they all were retired five years later, on July 18, 2012.

Between summer and fall 2008, Ride On's first low floor diesel buses, the 2008 30-foot (9.1 m) Gillig Advantage Diesel buses (5001–5006) and the 2008 40-foot (12 m) Gillig Advantage Diesel buses (5726–5746) went into service. These were the last buses in the second-generation blue-and-white paint scheme.

On January 4, 2009, Ride On stopped the issue or acceptance of paper transfers.

In mid-2009, Ride On introduced a new logo and a new blue/yellow/green paint scheme. Also in mid-2009, the 30-foot (9.1 m) Gillig Advantage Diesel buses (5007–5031), the 40-foot (12 m) Gillig Advantage Diesel buses (5747–5757), and the 40-foot (12 m) Gillig Advantage Hybrid buses (5314–5348) went into service. 5314 was originally numbered 5349. These were the only buses to have a big bright yellow uppercase letter "R" on the back side.

In 2011, 12 of Ride On's 40-foot (12 m) Gillig Low Floor hybrid buses (5349–5360) and one clean diesel bus (5758) went into service. All 13 of these buses were purchased with funds from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. Seven additional 40' Gillig Low Floor hybrid buses (5361–5367), which were also purchased with stimulus funds from the ARRA, went into service in mid-2012.

On May 20, 2011, a Ride On bus crashed into a KFC restaurant in the Glenmont area around 7:30 AM. Authorities believe that 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 onboard the bus at the time; the driver and one of the passengers were taken to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries. The only occupant in the building at the time of the crash was not injured, and the building suffered minor damage.^[9][10]

In July 2012, all 62 of the 2007 Champion cutaway Ride On buses retired due to fires and got replaced with 30 of the 1999 30-foot (9.1 m) Orion V diesel buses (renumbered 5100–5129). All 30 of these units were formerly operated by Washington's WMATA.

In September 2013, 12 new 40-foot (12 m) Gillig Low Floor clean diesel buses (5759–5770) and 28 new 30-foot (9.1 m) Gillig Low Floor clean diesel buses (5032–5059) went into service. Also, the 2013 30-foot (9.1 m) Gillig Low Floor clean diesel buses replaced all of the 2003 model shuttle transit vehicles (STV) that were formerly operated by Pittsburgh's Port Authority of Allegheny County.

In April 2014, 19 of the brand-new 2014 40-foot (12 m) Gillig Low Floor CNG buses (5837–5855) entered service. These replaced Ride On's first 40-foot (12 m) CNGS (5803–5821). They are Ride On's first new CNG buses in almost a decade (2005 35' Orion VII CNG buses, which went into service in 2006).

Between September and October 2014, 32 of the new 30-foot (9.1 m) Gillig Low Floor clean diesel buses (5060–5091) went into service, and replaced all of the 1999 30-foot (9.1 m) Orion V diesel buses (5100–5129) that were formerly operated by WMATA.

Ride On celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2015, with three buses (one from each of the three bus divisions) wrapped in the transit agency's 40th anniversary ad.

Between April and May 2016, 40 of the new 40-foot (12 m) Gillig LF clean diesel buses (44000D-44039D), one bus which is 30-foot (9.1 m) Gillig LF clean diesel (42000D) and 16 of the 40-foot (12 m) Gillig LF CNG buses (44040c-44055c) entered service. And with the new buses came the new five-digit numbering system for Ride On, along with the addition of suffixes denoting engines with a ("C" for compressed natural gas, "D" for diesel, "E" for electric and "H" for hybrid).

Ride On extRa, a new limited bus stop service along Maryland Route 355, began on October 2, 2017 between Lakeforest Transit Center and Medical Center Metro station. As of September 17, 2018, the route serves 13 bus stops. Ride On added 59 Gillig 40-foot (12 m) buses in the summer and fall of 2017; 42 buses replaced some of the oldest vehicles in the fleet. Seventeen buses (44056D-44072D) are specially branded and used exclusively for Ride On's new extRa service that began on October 2, 2017. This limited bus stop service runs along Route 355 between Lakeforest Transit Center and Medical Center Metro Station. All 59 of the buses are manufactured by Gillig; 25 run on clean diesel (44056D-44080D) and 34 use compressed natural gas (44081C-44114C).^[11] Four additional 40-foot (12 m) CNG buses (44115C-44118C) entered service in the winter of 2018. These replaced all of the 2003 Orion VII CNGs and most of the 2004 Orion VII CNG buses.

Ride On was awarded a $1.75 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration to purchase the county's first four electric buses and charging stations. Ride On is partnering with Proterra, the bus manufacturer, and the Center for Transportation and the Environment, a nonprofit that develops technologies and implements solutions to achieve energy and environmental sustainability. The Montgomery County Department of General Services, which purchases and maintains the Ride On buses, greatly assisted with the grant application. The four Proterra Catalyst 35-foot (11 m) electric buses were scheduled to serve Route 18 in Takoma Park starting in 2019. The county has applied for a separate grant to help buy 10 more electric buses through FTA's Bus and Bus Facilities Infrastructure Investment Program. The county expects to hear back around the end of the year if its application was approved.^[12][13]

MCDOT Ride On received a $4.365 million grant from the FTA to replace diesel buses with 10 new electric buses on October 1, 2018.^[14]

Ride On added 26 Gillig 40-foot (12 m) buses in spring 2019, replacing all the remaining Orion VII's. These buses introduced a brand new paint scheme with a wave pattern and are painted blue, dark blue, light green, and a touch of white.^[15] 23 use compressed natural gas (44119C-44141C) and three run on clean diesel (44142D-44144D).

On April 28, 2019, Ride On announced Ride On Flex, an on-demand bus service that runs in three major metropolitan areas in the county using new, 11-passenger cutaway buses (41000D-41006D).

MCDOT has a climate action plan to move to a zero-emissions fleet by 2035. On September 4, 2020, Ride On's first four fully-electric buses (43000E-43003E) entered service.^[16] These four buses are manufactured by Proterra and operate out of the Silver Spring garage. Additionally, 39 of the 30-foot (9.1 m) Gillig LF clean diesel buses (42001D-42039D) and 9 buses which are 40-foot (12 m) Gillig LF clean diesel (44145D-44153D) entered service in 2020/2021. As these buses entered service, they came with the new announcements and the two new text-to-speech voices.

On October 14, 2020, Ride On launched its brand new Flash BRT service on US 29 with two routes designated as Blue and Orange. The Orange route operates between Silver Spring and Briggs Chaney Park & Ride every 15 minutes daily while the Blue route operates between Silver Spring and Burtonsville Park & Ride every 15 minutes only during peak hours (5:30 AM to 8:30 AM and 3:30 PM to 7:00 PM) Monday-Friday. This new service replaced Metrobus route Z11 and Ride On route 129.

In July/August 2022, Ride On brought back five of its 2009 Gillig Advantage LF30 diesel buses (5008, 5011, 5017, 5025, and 5027) due to the new route 27 service between Tech Road and Hillandale.

In 2022, Ride On updated its automated bus stop announcement system to have new announcements and use two new text-to-speech voices to read all the new announcements twice.

In February/March 2023, Ride On's first 40-foot (12 m) Gillig Low Floor Plus battery electric buses (44154E-44163E) entered service.

In July/August 2023, Ride On brought back three of its 2008 Gillig Advantage LF40 diesel buses (5737, 5744, and 5746) to operate on the Flash routes.

On December 27, 2023, a Ride On bus crashed into the side of a house in Silver Spring around 7:30 PM. The driver reportedly lost control of the bus while entering a roundabout circle and hit a parked car before colliding into the side of the house. There were no passengers onboard the bus, and the house was occupied at the time. The exact cause is still unknown, but there were no reported injuries, and no charges were filed against the bus driver.^[17][18] It was later discovered that the same bus had previously been involved in a crash on May 20, 2011.^[19] The bus was removed from service following the incident.

In June/July 2024, Ride On brought back the remaining 2008 Gillig Advantage LF40 diesel buses (5726, 5728, 5730, 5732-5736, 5738/5739, 5742/5743, and 5745) from retirement due to the two new Ride On extRa routes designated as Lime and Pink that operate daily between the Shady Grove Metro station and Traville Transit Center.

On September 8, 2024, the first phase of the Ride On extRa Great Seneca Transit Network entered service with two new routes (Pink and Lime). These limited bus stop routes operate daily between the Traville Transit Center and Shady Grove Metro station.^[20]

In March 2025, Montgomery County Executive, Marc B. Elrich, announced a budget proposal to have 112 battery electric buses in service by July 2026, and to eliminate all fares on Ride On buses^[21].

In March/April 2025, 12 of the 40-foot (12 m) Gillig Low Floor Plus battery electric buses (44164E-44175E) entered service.

From May to August 2025, 26 of the 40-foot (12 m) Gillig Low Floor Plus battery electric buses (44176E-44201E?) entered service.

On June 29, 2025, Ride On launched their first phase of Ride On Reimagined, a master plan for the future of the Ride On bus service. This first phase was primarily intended to complement changes to the complete redesign of WMATA's Metrobus network, which took effect on the same day. Route 10 was discontinued to consolidate all transit service along Randolph Road to WMATA. A new route, 40, was introduced to provide service along Veirs Mill Road between Wheaton Station and Montgomery College's Rockville campus, replacing the now discontinued Metrobus service along this corridor. Routes 34 and 41 were adjusted, and routes L8 and T2 were discontinued to complement Metrobus service changes. Additionally, Ride On eliminated all fares on its services^[22], and updated its automated bus stop announcement system to read bus stop names in both English and Spanish.

Ride On celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025, with three buses (one from each of the three bus divisions) wrapped in the transit agency’s 50th anniversary ad.

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

Ride On extRa is a bus service that started on October 2, 2017 with route 101, a limited bus stop service via Maryland Route 355 between Medical Center station on WMATA metro's red line and the Lakeforest Mall Transit Center using BRT diesel buses equipped with a free Wi-Fi hotspot, USB-A charging ports, digital interior signage, and more padding in the seats compared to traditional Ride On services. The fare charged is the same as in other Ride On buses, although fare loading in these buses is not permitted. As of September 17, 2018, Ride On extRa serves a new bus stop at Templeton Place in Rockville, MD, increasing the number of bus stops to 13. Two new bus routes, "Lime" and "Pink," entered service on September 8, 2024. The buses used on the Ride On extRa routes are the 2017 Gillig BRT Plus LF40 diesel buses (44056D-44072D), some of the 2019 Gillig Advantage LF40 CNG buses (44129C-44139C), and a 2024 Gillig Plus LF40 Battery Electric bus (44165E).

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, and Wheaton using new, 11-passenger cutaway buses.^[23] Passengers are able to request a bus using an app. The new service does not charge a higher fare, and accepts the same payment methods as standard Ride On buses with no onboard fare loading allowed.^[24]

Flash is a bus rapid transit network that began service on October 14, 2020.^[25][26] The first route operates between Silver Spring and Burtonsville Park and Ride along U.S. Route 29.^[27] Future routes are in development throughout Montgomery County.^[27][28]

Flash has dedicated bus stops with prepayment machines and operates in a mix of traffic and dedicated lanes using articulated buses equipped with level boarding, onboard bike racks, an automatic wheelchair securement system, a pedestrian sensor, a free Wi-Fi hotspot, and USB-A charging ports.^[29] The articulated buses are the second non-WMATA-operated buses in the Washington area after DASH^[30]. The buses used for this service are the 2019 Nova Bus LFS Articulated buses (46000D-46015D) and several 2008 Gillig Advantage LF40 diesel buses (5737, 5744, and 5746).

As of August 1, 2022, Ride On's one-way fare was $1.00 regardless of payment method. Children, senior citizens, and people with disabilities can ride for free. Fares were suspended from March 2020 to July 2022 in response to COVID-19. Prior to that, Ride On's one-way fare was $2.00 regardless of payment method. Senior citizens and people with disabilities could ride free on weekdays between 9:30 AM and 3:00 PM and on Saturdays between 8:30 AM and 4:00 PM; at all other times, a reduced fare of $1.00 was charged. As of July 1, 2019, children ages 5 and up can enter Ride On, as well as Metrobus routes originating in Montgomery County, for free until they graduate from high school by using a Youth Cruiser SmarTrip card.^[31] Ride On offers a 50¢ discount for bus fares that transfer from the Washington Metro.

As with all other transit providers in the Washington Metropolitan Area, as of January 4, 2009, Ride On stopped the issue or acceptance of paper transfers. Riders wanting transfer credit must use a SmarTrip card to get the rail-to-bus or bus-to-rail discount or to transfer free from bus to bus.

The Montgomery County Council elected to make all the buses free, eliminating all the fares starting on June 29, 2025.^[32]

Ride On operates a fleet consisting of Diesel, CNG, Diesel-electric hybrid, and Battery electric buses produced by Gillig Corporation, Nova Bus, Proterra, and Starcraft.

Image	Model	Year built	Length	Numbers (total)	Number of vehicles in service	Fuel	Notes
	Gillig Low Floor	2008	40 ft (12 m)	5726-5746 (21 buses)	3	Diesel	The first LF40 diesel buses manufactured by Gillig for Ride On 5729 and 5731 were retired due to damage from accidents. 3 units (5737, 5744, and 5746) are wrapped in the FLASH scheme. 5728 and 5732 were training units. 5732 was wrapped in Ride On's 40th anniversary paint scheme in 2015.
		2009, 2011, 2013		5747-5770 (24 buses)	21		5747-5757 are 2009 models. 5747-5750 and 5753-5756 remain in service. 5751 is a training unit. 5752 and 5757 retired in 2021 and are being used for parts. 5758 is a 2011 model. 5759-5770 are 2013 models.
		2009, 2011, 2012		5314-5367 (54 buses)	32	Diesel-electric hybrid	5314-5348 are 2009 models. 5314 was originally numbered 5349. 5329 and 5348 were retired due to damage from accidents. 5319, 5321, 5330, 5333-5335, 5337, 5339-5341, 5343, and 5346/5347 remain in service. 5349-5360 are 2011 models. 5361-5367 are 2012 models.
		2009, 2013, 2014, 2016	30 ft (9.1 m)	5007–5091 and 42000D (76 buses)	64	Diesel	5007-5031 are 2009 models. 5011, 5017, 5025, and 5027 remain in service. 5008 was involved in two accidents. On May 20, 2011, the bus crashed into a KFC in Glenmont around 7:30 AM.[33] On December 27, 2023, the bus crashed into the side of a house in Silver Spring around 7:30 PM. 5032-5059 are 2013 models. 5047 was wrapped in Ride On's 40th anniversary paint scheme in 2015. 5060-5091 are 2014 models. 5091 was retired due to fire damage. 42000D is a 2016 model. Some units got repainted into the current paint scheme.
		2014	40 ft (12 m)	5837-5855 (19 buses)	18	Compressed natural gas (CNG)	The first LF40 CNG buses manufactured by Gillig for Ride On 5855 is being used as a training vehicle. 5840 was retired due to damage from an accident.[34]
		2016		44000D-44039D (40 buses)	40	Diesel	44022D and 44028D are wrapped in Ride On's 50th anniversary paint scheme.
				44040C-44055C (16 buses)	16	Compressed natural gas (CNG)
	Starcraft Allstar XL	2016	30 ft (9.1 m)	59–61 (3 buses)	2	Gasoline	The first Starcraft buses for Ride On Only operate on Route 301. Operations of these buses are contracted to the Jewish Council for the Aging. 59 is plain white with Ride On decals, 60 has the current paint scheme, and 61 has the 2009-2018 paint scheme.
	Gillig BRT Plus	2017	40 ft (12 m)	44056D-44072D (17 buses)	17	Diesel	All the units are wrapped in the Ride On extRa scheme and feature a free Wi-Fi hotspot, USB-A charging ports, digital interior signage, and more padding in the seats compared to traditional Ride On services.
	Gillig Low Floor			44073D-44080D (8 buses)	8
		2017-2018		44081C-44118C (38 buses)	37	Compressed natural gas (CNG)	44081C-44114C are 2017 models. 44104C is out of service due to an accident sometime in 2022. 44115C-44118C are 2018 models. 44118C is currently a training unit.
	Starcraft Starlite Transit	2019	30 ft (9.1 m)	41000D-41006D (7 buses)	7	Diesel	Used for Ride On Flex
	Gillig Low Floor		40 ft (12 m)	44119C-44141C (23 buses)	22	Compressed natural gas (CNG)	The last LF40 CNG buses manufactured by Gillig for Ride On 11 units (44129C-44139C) are wrapped in the Ride On extRa scheme and feature digital interior signage. 44131C is out of service due to an accident on December 10, 2024.
				44142D-44144D (3 buses)	3	Diesel
	Nova Bus LFS Articulated		62 ft (19 m)	46000D-46015D (16 buses)[35]	16		Used on the FLASH BRT[27]
	Proterra Catalyst BE35		35 ft (11 m)	43000E–43003E (4 buses)	4	Battery electric[36]	First all-electric transit buses for Ride On
	Gillig Low Floor	2020	40 ft (12 m)	44145D-44153D (9 buses)	9	Diesel	The last LF40 diesel buses manufactured by Gillig for Ride On Came with the new announcements and the two new text-to-speech voices
		2020-2021	30 ft (9.1 m)	42001D-42039D (39 buses)[37]	39		The last LF30 diesel buses manufactured by Gillig for Ride On Came with the new announcements and the two new text-to-speech voices 42001D-42019D are 2020 models. 42003D is wrapped in Ride On’s 50th anniversary paint scheme. 42020D-42039D are 2021 models. 42026D is used for commemorative wraps for Veterans Day in November and Pride month in June.
	Gillig Low Floor Plus	2022	40 ft (12 m)	44154E-44163E (10 buses)	10	Battery electric	The first LF40 battery electric buses manufactured by Gillig for Ride On Ride On announced 10 battery electric buses from Gillig to be housed at Silver Spring garage.
		2024		44164E-44175E (12 buses)	12		44165E is wrapped in the Ride On extRa scheme. These buses feature changeable lights, video monitors, larger rear doors, a new vinyl seat material, and USB-A and USB-C charging ports.
		2025		44176E-44201E? (Unknown amount of buses)	26

Year built	Model	Numbers (total)	Year retired	Image	Notes
1979–1981	Transportation Manufacturing Corporation T-30 CityCruiser	5101-5256 (156 buses)	1996–1998
1984	Bus Industries of America Orion I (01.502)	5257-5297 (41 buses)	2001–2002		The first Ride On buses made by Bus Industries of America The first buses in the second-generation blue-and-white paint scheme Replaced by the 2001/2002 Orion V diesel buses (5580-5623)
1990–1992		5500-5545 (46 buses)	2010		5520 was retired due to damage from an accident.
1988–1989	Gillig Phantom 30' (3096TB3208)	5300-5356 (57 buses)	2004		The first Gillig Phantom buses for Ride On Ride On's last buses without wheelchair lifts Replaced by the 2003/2004 Orion VII CNG buses (5900-5932)
1993	Flxible Metro D	5700-5703 (4 buses)	2008		Ex-MTA Maryland buses, acquired in 1995. Originally ran on LNG fuel. Often operated on route 70 Assigned to the Gaithersburg garage The first and only Flxible Metro D buses for Ride On Had more seats than any other Ride On bus models Replaced by the first five 2008 Gillig Advantage LF40 diesel buses (5726-5730)
1994–1997	Gillig Phantom 35'	5360-5409 (50 buses)	2013		Replaced by the 2013 Gillig Advantage LF40 diesel buses (5759-5770)
1999		5410-5423 (14 buses)	2015		The last Gillig Phantom buses for Ride On
1993	Bus Industries of America Orion V (05.504)	5546-5547 (2 buses)	2009		The last Ride On buses made by Bus Industries of America 5547 was retired due to fire damage.
1995	Orion Bus Industries Orion VI CNG (06.501)	5801-5802 (2 buses)	2005		Ex-Orion demos, acquired circa 1997. 5801 previously demoed for London Transit. 5802 previously demoed for Toronto Transit Commission. Originally numbered 5570-5571
1996	Orion Bus Industries Orion V CNG (05.503)	5997-5999 (3 buses)	2009		35 feet buses The first Ride On buses made by Orion Bus Industries The first CNG buses for Ride On Originally numbered 5567–5569
	Orion Bus Industries Orion V (05.503)	5550-5566 (17 buses)	2011		35 feet buses
1998		5572-5579 (8 buses)	2012		35 feet buses Replaced by the 2012 Gillig Advantage LF40 hybrid buses (5361-5367)
1999	Orion Bus Industries Orion V (05.501)	5705-5725 (21 buses)	2014–2016		5708 and 5711 were the last buses to be in service until December 2016. 5715 was brought back from retirement in 2016 to operate on the Red Line Shuttle between Silver Spring and Fort Totten. 5714 was a training unit. Most units retired in 2014 with the 1999/2000 Orion V CNG buses (5803-5821).
1999–2000	Orion Bus Industries Orion V CNG (05.501)	5803-5821 (19 buses)	2013–2014		Replaced by the 2014 Gillig Advantage LF40 CNG buses (5837-5855)
1999	Orion Bus Industries Orion V (05.505)	5100-5129 (30 buses)	2014		Ex-WMATA buses, acquired in 2012. Originally numbered 3900-3929 Replaced by the 2014 Gillig Advantage LF30 diesel buses (5060-5091)
2001–2002	Orion Bus Industries Orion V (05.504)	5580-5623 (44 buses)	2016–2017		35 feet buses The last Ride On buses made by Orion Bus Industries The last high floor buses for Ride On, until the 2019 Ride On Flex buses (41000D-41006D) 5593 was wrapped in Ride On's 40th anniversary paint scheme in 2015. 5589 retired on May 30, 2018. Replaced by the 2016 Gillig Advantage LF40 diesel buses (44000D-44039D)
2003	DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses Orion VII CNG (07.502) (semi-low floor)	5900-5917 (18 buses)	2017		35 feet buses The first low floor buses for Ride On Replaced by the 2017 Gillig Advantage LF40 diesel and CNG buses (44073D-44080D and 44081C-44114C)
2004		5918-5932 (15 buses)	2017–2019		35 feet buses Most units retired in 2017. 5923 and 5928 retired in May 2019 with the 2005 Orion VII CNG buses (5933-5957).
2005		5933-5957 (25 buses)	2019		35 feet buses 5933 and 5934 were training units. 5944 and 5948 were retired due to damage from accidents. Replaced by the 2019 Gillig Advantage LF40 CNG buses (44119C-44141C)
	New Flyer Industries C40LF	5822–5836 (15 buses)	2020		The first New Flyer buses for Ride On The last buses in the CNG green/yellow/white paint scheme 5822 was a training unit. Originally sidelined in March 2020 due to rear door issues and later retired in September of the year due to service changes. Replaced by all of the 2020 and several of the 2021 Gillig Advantage LF30 diesel buses (42001D-42021D)
2006–2007	Gillig Low Floor Advantage	5300–5313 (14 buses)			The first LF40 hybrid buses manufactured by Gillig for Ride On Renumbered from 5750-5763 due to the arrival of the 2009 Gillig Advantage LF40 diesel buses (5747-5757) 5312 was retired due to fire damage. 5301 and 5313 were training units. Replaced by the 2019 proterra battery electric buses (43000E-43003E) and the 2020 Gillig Advantage LF40 diesel buses (44145D-44153D)
2008		5001-5006 (6 buses)	2020–2021		The first LF30 diesel buses manufactured by Gillig for Ride On 5001 is a training vehicle. 5003 is a former training vehicle. Replaced by all of the 2020 and several of the 2021 Gillig Advantage LF30 diesel buses (42001D-42021D)
2001–2002	ElDorado National Aero Elites	5101-5181 (81 buses)	2009		Originally contracted to outside firms until the late 2000s.
2004	IC Corporation	5232–5234, 5238–5241, 5243-5246 (11 buses)	2013
2001	Ford/StarTrans Bus Cutaways	5201-5212 (12 buses)	2007		Replaced by the 2007 Gillig Advantage LF40 hybrid buses (5305-5313)
2007	Champion Cutaways	5182–5231, 5285-5296 (62 buses)	2012		Seven different fires occurred on all of these buses between 2009 and 2012.[39][40] All of these buses retired on July 18, 2012, following the seventh fire.[41][42] Replaced by the 1999 30-foot (9.1 m) Orion V diesel buses (5100-5129)

The bus fleet, owned and operated by Ride On, is distributed among three garages that are Nicholson, Silver Spring and Gaithersburg.

Ride On offers 81 routes throughout Montgomery County. All routes run through peak rush hour periods between 6 AM and 9 AM and 3 PM to 7 PM on weekdays. Many routes offer services for off-peak hours and weekends as well.^[43]

These routes have been served by Ride On at one point, but have since been discontinued due to either low ridership, duplication of another route, simplification to other routes, or combined into another route. However, some routes would be reincarnated into new routes for Ride On.

Additionally, Ride On ran three weekend-routes that were served by WMATA Metrobus on weekdays. All routes were discontinued due to WMATA's Better Bus Redesign network, unless noted.^[65]

1. ^ "Transit Ridership Report First Quarter 2025" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. May 15, 2025. Retrieved July 12, 2025.
2. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2024" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. February 19, 2025. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
3. ^ "Transit Services - Ride on program". Montgomery County MD Government. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
4. ^ "APTA 2024 Q4 Ridership Report" (PDF).
5. ^ "19790600 45 Ride-On bus Silver Spring, MD". June 1979.
6. ^ "Ride on Gillig Phantom Buses". 7 August 2014.
7. ^ 911NewsCoverage (4 July 2014). "ABC (WJLA) 9-11-2001 News Coverage 11:00 PM – 12:00 AM". Archived from the original on 2021-12-14 – 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". YouTube.
9. ^ "Bus Crashes Into KFC in Silver Spring". NBC4 Washington. 2011-05-20. Retrieved 2025-08-03.
10. ^ "Bus Crashes Into KFC In Silver Spring". WAMU. Retrieved 2025-08-03.
11. ^ "Ride On to Add Dozens of New Buses to Fleet". Montgomery County Department Of Transportation. MCDOT. May 16, 2017. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
12. ^ "Grant Allows Montgomery County To Buy Electric Buses for Its Fleet". Bethesda Magazine. Bethesda Magazine. September 15, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
13. ^ "MCDOT's Ride On Bus System Awarded $1.75 Million FTA Grant to Purchase Electric Buses and Charging Stations". Montgomery County MD Gov. Montgomery County MD Gov. September 15, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
14. ^ "MCDOT Receives $4.365 Million from U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration to Purchase 10 Electric Buses". Montgomery County MD Gov. Montgomery County MD Gov. October 1, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
15. ^ Profitt, Ashley (2019-04-25). "'Ride On' To Unveil New Bus Design and Kick Off 'Give and Ride Week'". Montgomery Community Media. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
16. ^ "Montgomery County rolls out first four electric Ride On buses". www.bethesdamagazine.com. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 2020-09-04.
17. ^ Tyler, Jeanne; Lockman, Moodee; Turco, Rebecca (2023-12-27). "SEE IT: Ride-On bus crashes into Calverton home, Montgomery Co. Fire official say". WJLA. Retrieved 2025-08-03.
18. ^ Hageman, Allison (2023-12-28). "Bus crashes into Silver Spring home". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved 2025-08-03.
19. ^ Staff, M. C. S. (2023-12-28). "Ride On Bus Driven Into House On Wednesday Was Same Bus Driven Into Glenmont KFC in 2011". The MoCo Show. Retrieved 2025-08-03.
20. ^ "Great Seneca Transit Network". www.montgomerycountymd.gov. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
21. ^ "Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich Proposes FY26 Budget with Record Investments in Education, Affordable Housing and Public Safety". www2.montgomerycountymd.gov. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
22. ^ "Ride On Reimagined Bus Service Changes Begin Sunday, June 29". www2.montgomerycountymd.gov. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
23. ^ "MCDOT Unveils Ride On Flex at Microtransit Public Forum". dccommutetimes.com. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
24. ^ "Ride On Flex". www.montgomerycountymd.gov. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
25. ^ Lazo, Luz. "The D.C. region's most ambitious try at bus rapid transit is coming to Montgomery County". The Washington Post. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
26. ^ Clabaugh, Jeff (23 March 2017). "Montgomery Co.'s new Bus Rapid Transit system to be called 'Flash'". Retrieved 29 September 2019.
27. ^ ^{a b c} "FLASH is an easier, more reliable, and less stressful way to get you where you need to go quickly". ridetheflash.com. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
28. ^ Lyons, Jane. "MoCo advances two bus rapid transit projects on Route 355 and Veirs Mill Road". Greater Greater Washington. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
29. ^ "FLASH features a different kind of vehicle. It's like a train on rubber tires with features that keep you plugged in and moving". Retrieved 29 September 2019.
30. ^ Malouff, Dan. "DASH is running the first non-WMATA articulated buses in Washington area transit". Greater Greater Washington. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
31. ^ "Kids Ride Free".
32. ^ Munro, Dana (28 June 2025). "Montgomery County makes bus rides free, an idea that is gaining traction". Washington Post. Retrieved 2025-06-28.
33. ^ "Bus Crashes Into KFC in Silver Spring". NBC4 Washington. 2011-05-20. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
34. ^ Arnold, Tiffany (October 2016). "Ride On bus driver pinned in crash involving truck". Retrieved 6 April 2020.
35. ^ "Montgomery County Maryland Capital Budget". apps.montgomerycountymd.gov. Retrieved 2020-01-30.
36. ^ Schere, Dan (3 September 2020). "Montgomery County rolls out first four electric Ride On Buses". Bethesda Magazine. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
37. ^ Kass, Adam (2020-01-20). "Anyone know what a ⁦@RideOnMCT⁩ is doing in Tempe, AZ? I assume it's a delivery but that's just a guess. ⁦@fox5dc⁩ ⁦@SweeneyABC⁩ ⁦@WTOP⁩pic.twitter.com/3xYdbLGcdi". @adamkass8. Retrieved 2020-01-30.
38. ^ "Montgomery County Wins Nearly $15 Million 'Low or No-Emissions' Award for the First Hydrogen Electric Bus Project on the East Coast". Retrieved 11 July 2024.
39. ^ "Ride On bus fires in Montgomery prompts federal safety probe – The Washington Post". The Washington Post.
40. ^ "Crews Battle Fire on Ride On Bus". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
41. ^ "Some Ride On Buses Taken Out of Service Following Fire". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
42. ^ "The Schumin Web » I didn't want to have this I-told-you-so moment, but…". www.schuminweb.com. 18 July 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
43. ^ "MCDOT RIDE ON ROUTES AND SCHEDULES". www.montgomerycountymd.gov.
44. ^ "Montgomery County Will Increase Ride On Bus Service Starting Sunday, May 8; Direct Service From Kensington to Wheaton Will be Added". www2.montgomerycountymd.gov. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
45. ^ www.montgomerycountymd.gov (June 21, 2007). "Dump the Pump June 21, 2007 Ride Transit". Archived from the original on 2007-08-04. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
46. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "Ride On Reimagined Bus Service Changes - Montgomery County Transit". www.montgomerycountymd.gov. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
47. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "Montgomery County Ride On Bus Schedule Changes Beginning Sunday, Feb. 28, Will Increase Overall Service and Improve Efficiency". www2.montgomerycountymd.gov. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
48. ^ "Ride On Route 41 Information". March 22, 1996. Retrieved April 11, 2025. {{cite web}}: Check |archive-url= value (help)
49. ^ "MCDOT Current Events". January 29, 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-01-29. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
50. ^ "Schedule Change 4/17: Layout 1" (PDF). www.montgomerycountymd.gov. May 4, 2017. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
51. ^ ^{a b} "Ride On Route 2A / Route 2B". Retrieved May 29, 2019.
52. ^ ^{a b c} "Schecule Change:Layout 1" (PDF). Retrieved April 11, 2019.
53. ^ ^{a b} "RIDE ON Route Map-Information (April 4, 2002)". April 4, 2002. Archived from the original on 2002-04-04. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
54. ^ "Ride On Service Changes Effective Sunday, September 7, 2003". September 7, 2003. Archived from the original on 2003-10-14. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
55. ^ "RIDE ON Route Map-Information (June 2, 2002)". June 2, 2002. Archived from the original on 2002-06-02. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
56. ^ "RIDE ON Route Map-Information (October 3, 2002)". October 3, 2002. Archived from the original on 2002-10-03. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
57. ^ "RIDE ON Route Map-Information (April 13, 2001)". April 13, 2001. Archived from the original on 2001-04-13. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
58. ^ "Metrobus service changes effective January 13, 2001 Maryland". February 10, 2001. Archived from the original on February 10, 2001. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
59. ^ ^{a b c d} "Ride On Routes and Schedule (April 5, 2009)". April 5, 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-04-09. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
60. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "Ride On Routes and Schedule (June 5, 2005)". June 5, 2005. Archived from the original on 2005-06-05. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
61. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "Ride On Routes and Schedule (August 26, 2005)". August 26, 2005. Archived from the original on 2005-08-26. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
62. ^ "RIDE ON Route Map-Information (October 5, 2001)". October 5, 2001. Archived from the original on 2001-10-05. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
63. ^ "Ride On Routes and Schedule (November 4, 2006)". November 4, 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-11-04. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
64. ^ "Ride On to Offer Free Shuttle to Montgomery College Germantown Vaccination Site Beginning Today". mocoshow.com. March 31, 2021. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
65. ^ "Metro Board of Directors approves Better Bus Network Redesign, new bus routes to start next summer". WMATA. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
66. ^ "Metro News Release | WMATA".

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ride On.

• Official website
• Oren's Transit Page: Ride On
• Ride On (bus) - Academic