Ridership on the county’s Ride On buses between March and June rose 9% as compared to the same period last year.
Riders have continued to use the transit system at a higher rate throughout the summer, according to the county Department of Transportation.
More than 5 million rides were recorded during the last quarter of the 2023 fiscal year that ended in June. There was a 16% increase during June, a 29% increase in July and a 31% increase in August.
“Higher rates of Ride On ridership benefit everyone by reducing the number of cars on the roads, improving traffic congestion, and helping our environment,” said County Executive Marc Elrich in a statement.
People were encouraged to take the bus after the pandemic. In August of last year, bus fares returned, but at the discounted rate of $1. Currently, older adults, people with disabilities and students younger than 18 can ride for free.
“We have invested significant resources into creating a modern, accessible and customer-focused transit network. We have more exciting plans to come for Ride On including fully transitioning to a zero-emission bus fleet while continuing to provide our riders increased amenities, improved routes and better on-time performance,” Elrich said.
“We are continually looking to hire and train operators and those numbers have been trending upwards as well,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin.”
“Accessibility improvements, service adjustments based on ridership and gradual service increases have helped support the steady recovery from pandemic impacts,” Conklin said. “Our Ride On Trip Planner app, launched this past July, allows customers to plan their routes in advance, and track bus arrivals in real-time.”
#DidYouKnow, the free @RideOnMCT 🚌 Trip Planner app will give you wait times⌚, bus stop directions and ridership levels for all Ride On buses🚌.
Download the app from the Google Play or Apple App Store today. ▶️https://t.co/1J7iG5GvrW#MDCommuter #montgomerycountymd #free pic.twitter.com/Vs2uDcAM2o
— MCDOT (@MCDOTNow) September 19, 2023
