Ride On (bus)

Ride On

A Gillig diesel-electric hybrid bus at Glenmont station, in the most recent paint scheme
Parent Montgomery County
Founded March 31, 1975 (1975-03-31)
Headquarters 101 Monroe Street, 5th Floor, Rockville, Maryland, U.S.
Service type Bus service, paratransit
Routes 80
Fleet 540
Fuel type CNG, Diesel, Diesel-electric hybrid
Website http://www.MontgomeryCountyMD.gov/

Ride On is the primary public transportation system in Montgomery County, Maryland. Ride On serves Montgomery County as well as the community of Langley Park in Prince George's County. Ride On also serves the Takoma Metro station, and Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C.

Ride On operates 80 routes, including operating three Metrobus routes on weekends.[1]

History

The former Ride On logo, used as the primary logo from the late 1990s until mid-2009. It is still used on some older buses.

Ride On began service on March 31, 1975.

In 1989, 57 30-foot Gillig Phantom buses, the first buses in the second-generation blue-and-white scheme, went into service. These buses retired in 2004.

In the spring of 1996, Ride On's first CNG buses, the 1996 35-foot Orion V buses, went into service. These buses have since retired.

In early 2004, Ride On's first low-floor buses, the 2003–04 35-foot Orion VII CNG buses (5900–5932), went into service. They replaced all of the remaining 1989 30-foot Gillig Phantom buses (which were also Ride On's last buses without wheelchair lifts), therefore resulting in an all-accessible fleet.

In 2006, Ride On started accepting SmarTrip cards. All of the buses would be equipped with SmarTrip-compatible fare boxes by August of that year.

Also in 2006, Ride On's first 5 hybrid-electric buses, the 2006 40-foot Gillig Low Floor aka Gillig Advantage buses (5300-5304), went into service. The following year (2007), eight additional 40-foot Gillig Low Floor hybrid-electric buses (5305-5313) went into service.

Between the summer and fall of 2008, Ride On's first low-floor diesel buses, the 2008 29-foot Gillig Advantage (5001-5006) and 2008 40-foot Gillig Advantage buses (5726–5746), went into service. They are the last buses in the second-generation blue-and-white paint scheme.

In 2009, Ride On introduced a new logo and blue-yellow-green paint scheme with the delivery of new Gillig Advantage clean diesel and hybrid buses.

In the autumn of 2011, Ride On's 12 40-foot 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.

In July 2012, Ride On retired all 62 of its 2007 Champion cutaway buses due to fires and replaced them with 30 1998 30-foot Orion V buses. All 30 of these units were formerly operated by Washington's WMATA.

On September 19, 2013, 12 new 40-foot Gillig Low Floor clean diesel buses (5759–5770) went into service. A week later (September 26, 2013), 28 new 29-foot Gillig Low Floor clean diesel buses (5032–5059) also went into service. Also, the 2013 29-foot 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 brand-new 2014 40-foot Gillig Low Floor CNG buses (5837–5855) entered service. 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 new 29-foot Gillig Low Floor clean diesel buses (5060–5091) went into service and replaced all of the 1998 30-foot Orion V buses that were formerly operated by WMATA.

Ride On celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2015, with 3 buses (1 from each of the 3 bus divisions) wrapped in the transit agency's 40th anniversary ad.

Fares

Ride On's current fares are $1.75 for riders using cash and for riders using SmarTrip. Senior citizens and persons with disabilities ride free weekdays between 9:30AM and 3PM; on other times a discounted fare of $0.85 is offered. Ride On offers a $0.50 discount for bus fares that transfer from the Washington Metro. As with all other transit providers in the Washington Metro 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 discount or to transfer free from bus to bus.

Routes

Ride On offers 80 routes throughout Montgomery County. All routes run through Peak Rush Hour Period between 6AM and 9AM and 3PM to 7PM on weekdays. Many routes offer services for off-peak hours and weekends as well.[2]

Ride On Routes
Route Termini (Western/Southern) Termini (Eastern/Northern) Weekday Peak Weekday Off-Peak Saturday Sunday Notes
1 Friendship Heights Silver Spring Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick
2 Lyttonsville Silver Spring Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Services Ride On's Bus Garage in Silver Spring
3 Silver Spring Takoma Green tick Red X Red X Red X AM from Takoma, PM from Silver Spring
4 Kensington Silver Spring Green tick Green tick Red X Red X rerouted to 2nd Avenue in the 1990s
5 Twinbrook Silver Spring Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick rerouted to 16th Street and Spring Street in the late 1990s
6 Montgomery Mall Parkside - Grosvenor Green tick Green tick Red X Red X Wheaton service replaced by Route 37 in 2007
7 Forest Glen Wheaton Green tick Red X Red X Red X Kensington service discontinued in 2010
8 Silver Spring Wheaton Green tick Green tick Green tick Red X via Forest Glen Rd
9 Silver Spring Wheaton Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick via Amherst Ave, replaced the old Route 40 in 1998
10 Twinbrook Hillandale Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick replaced WMATA Metrobus Route C6 in 1998
11 Friendship Heights Silver Spring Green tick Red X Red X Red X AM from Silver Spring, PM from Friendship Heights
12 Silver Spring Takoma Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick via Carroll Ave
13 Silver Spring Takoma Green tick Red X Red X Red X via Sligo Creek Pkwy
14 Silver Spring Takoma Green tick Green tick Green tick Red X via University Blvd, often services Eastern Middle School
15 Silver Spring Langley Park Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Second highest ridership in system, avg. 4,500 per day
16 Silver Spring Takoma Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick via New Hampshire Ave, service extended to Takoma Park after 1997 annexation by Montgomery County
17 Silver Spring Langley Park Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick via Montgomery College in Takoma Park
18 Silver Spring Langley Park Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick via Takoma, Sunday service between Langley Park and Takoma station only (no Sunday service between Takoma and Silver Spring stations)
19 Silver Spring Northwood/Dallas Ave Green tick Red X Red X Red X AM from Dallas Ave, PM from Silver Spring
20 Silver Spring Hillandale Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick via Piney Branch Ave
21 Silver Spring Briggs Chaney Park and Ride Green tick Red X Red X Red X AM from Briggs Chaney, PM from Silver Spring
22 Silver Spring Hillandale Green tick Red X Red X Red X via White Oak Research Center/FDA, AM from Hillandale, PM from Silver Spring
23 Sibley Hospital Friendship Heights Green tick Green tick Green tick Red X via University Blvd, often services Eastern Middle School
24 Takoma Hillandale Green tick Green tick Green tick Red X
25 Takoma Langley Park Green tick Green tick Red X Red X via Maple Ave
26 Montgomery Mall Glenmont Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Replaced original WMATA Metrobus Route C8 in 1996
28 Silver Spring Silver Spring Green tick Green tick Green tick Red X Free service at all times, VanGO Shuttle Loop around Downtown Silver Spring
29 Friendship Heights Bethesda / Glen Echo Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Bethesda weekday terminus, Glen Echo weekend terminus, replaces WMATA Metrobus Route N8 and old Ride On Route 31
30 Bethesda Medical Center Green tick Green tick Red X Red X
31 Wheaton Glenmont Green tick Red X Red X Red X
32 Naval Ship R&D Center, Woodrock Bethesda Green tick Red X Red X Red X via Cabin John
33 Medical Center Glenmont Green tick Red X Red X Red X Previous service to Bethesda and Wheaton discontinued
34 Friendship Heights Aspen Hill Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Replaced 31 and 32 bus service in 1990s, peak hours service to Aspen Hill
36 Potomac Bethesda Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick via Hillandale Rd and Bradley Blvd, serves Connely School
37 Potomac Community Center Wheaton Green tick Red X Red X Red X Serves Grosvenor, AM from Wheaton, PM to Wheaton
38 White Flint Wheaton Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Truncated from Montgomery Mall to White Flint in 2013, Remaining route now Route 42
39 Glenmont Briggs Chaney Park and Ride Green tick Red X Red X Red X
41 Glenmont Aspen Hill Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Replaced WMATA Metrobus Route Y6 in 1996
42 Montgomery Mall White Flint Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick see Route 38
43 Traville Transit Center Shady Grove Green tick Green tick Green tick Red X via Shady Grove Adventist Hospital
44 Twinbrook Rockville Green tick Red X Red X Red X
45 Twinbrook Rockville Regional Transit Center/Fallsgrove Green tick Green tick Green tick Red X
46 Medical Center Montgomery College Rockville Campus Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Midnight and Sunday service to Shady Grove
47 Bethesda Rockville Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Serves Montgomery Mall
48 Wheaton Rockville Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Replaced original WMATA Metrobus Route Q4 in the mid 1990s
49 Rockville Glenmont Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Replaced WMATA Metrobus Route Y4 in 1998
51 Glenmont Norbeck Park and Ride Green tick Red X Red X Red X
52 Rockville MedStar Montgomery Medical Center Green tick Red X Red X Red X
53 Shady Grove Glenmont Green tick Red X Red X Red X
54 Rockville Lakeforest Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick via Muddy Branch Rd, serves Rio
55 Rockville Germantown Transit Center Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Highest ridership Avg. 8,000 per day, serves Montgomery College in Germantown and Rockville, Sunday service between Germantown Transit Center and Shady Grove station only (no Sunday service between Shady Grove and Rockville stations)
56 Rockville Lakeforest Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick via Quince Orchard Rd and Darnestown Rd, serves Kentlands
57 Shady Grove Lakeforest Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick via Redland Rd
58 Shady Grove Lakeforest Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick via Snouffer School Rd and East Village, serves Kaiser Permanente on Weekdays
59 Rockville Montgomery Village Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick via Gude Dr, Crabbs Branch Way and Deer Park Road
60 Shady Grove Montgomery Village Green tick Red X Red X Red X AM from Montgomery Village, PM from Shady Grove
61 Shady Grove Germantown, Maryland Transit Center Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick via Clopper Road and Girard Street
63 Rockville Shady Grove Green tick Green tick Red X Red X via Gaither Road and Piccard Drive
64 Shady Grove Montgomery Village Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick via Centerway Road and Emory Grove Road
65 Shady Grove Montgomery Village Green tick Red X Red X Red X Limited Stops via Mid-County Highway, AM from Montgomery Village, PM from Shady Grove
66 Traville Transit Center Shady Grove Green tick Red X Red X Red X via Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, AM from Shady Grove, PM from Traville
67 Traville Transit Center Shady Grove Green tick Red X Red X Red X via Frederick Avenue and Dufief Mill Road, AM from Traville, PM from Shady Grove
70 Bethesda Germantown, Maryland Milestone Transit Center Green tick Red X Red X Red X Express Route (Special Fare), via I-270
71 Shady Grove Kingsview Park and Ride Green tick Red X Red X Red X via I-270 and Mateny Rd, AM from Kingsview, PM from Shady Grove
74 Shady Grove Germantown, Maryland Transit Center Green tick Green tick Red X Red X via Great Seneca Highway, serves Kentlands and Rio
75 Germantown Transit Center Clarksburg Correctional Center Green tick Green tick Red X Red X
76 Poolesville Shady Grove Green tick Green tick Red X Red X via Kentlands
78 Shady Grove Kingsview Park and Ride Green tick Red X Red X Red X via I-270 and Richter Farm Road, AM from Kingsview, PM from Shady Grove
79 Shady Grove Clarksburg Gateway Center Green tick Red X Red X Red X via I-270, AM from Clarksburg, PM from Shady Grove
81 White Flint Rockville Green tick Red X Red X Red X via Tower Oaks Blvd
83 Germantown MARC Holy Cross Hospital Germantown Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick via Germantown Transit Center, MARC station served weekdays only
90 Shady Grove Damascus Green tick Green tick Red X Red X
93 Twinbrook DHHS Parklawn Shuttle Green tick Red X Red X Red X
94 Germantown MARC Clarksburg Gateway Center Green tick Red X Red X Red X
96 Montgomery Mall/Rock Spring Center Grosvenor Green tick Green tick Red X Red X Montgomery Mall served peak hours only
97 Germantown, Maryland Transit Center, Germantown Loop via Germantown MARC, Gunners Lake Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Clockwise AM, Counterclockwise PM
98 Kingsview Park and Ride Germantown, Maryland Transit Center Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick via Father Hurley Blvd
100 Shady Grove Germantown, Maryland Transit Center Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Express via I-270

Additionally, Ride On operates two weekend routes that are served by WMATA Metrobus on weekdays.[3][4]

Ride On Routes
Route Termini (Western/Southern) Termini (Eastern/Northern) Weekday Peak Weekday Off-Peak Saturday Sunday Notes
L8 Friendship Heights Aspen Hill (WMATA Metrobus) (WMATA Metrobus) Green tick Green tick
T2 Friendship Heights Rockville (WMATA Metrobus) (WMATA Metrobus) Green tick Green tick via Potomac

Fleet

Ride On operates a fleet consisting mainly of Diesel, CNG, and Diesel-electric hybrid buses produced by Orion Bus Industries, Gillig Corporation and New Flyer Industries.

Year Manufacturer Model Length (ft.) Picture Engine/Transmission Fleet Series (Qty.)
<<< Diesel >>>
1999 Gillig Phantom 35
Ride On Gillig Phantom 5410
DDS 50/Voith D863.3
or
Cummins M-11/Allison B400R
5410–5423
(14) *all units retired as of March 2015
1996 Orion 05.503 (V) Cummins M-11/Voith D863.3 5550–5566
(17) *all units retired as of September 30, 2013
1998 5572–5579
(8) *all units retired as of September 30, 2013
1999 40
Ride On Orion V
DDS 50/Voith D863.3 5705–5725
(21) *only 2 units are in service 5708 and 5711 as of February 29, 2016
2001–02 05.504 (V) 35 5580–5623
(44)
2008–16 Gillig Low Floor 29 Cummins ISL/Allison B400R 5001–5091
(91)
40
Ride On 5755
5726–5770, 44000-44039
(85)
<<< Diesel-electric Hybrid >>>
2006–12 Gillig Low Floor 40 Cummins ISB/Allison EP-40 HybriDrive 5300–5313, 5314–5367
(68)
<<< Compressed Natural Gas >>>
2000 Orion 05.501 (V) 40
Ride On Orion V CNG
DDS 50/Voith D863.3 5803–5821
(19) *all units retired as of May 2014
2003–05 Orion 07.502 (VII) 35 DDS 50or Cummins Westport C Gas Plus/Voith D864.3
or
Cummins Westport C Gas Plus/ZF 5HP592C
5900–5957
(58)
2005 New Flyer C40LF 40
Ride On New Flyer C40LF
Cummins Westport C Gas Plus/Allison B400R 5822–5836
(15)
2014 Gillig Low Floor(CNG) 40
New CNG Gillig Low Floor #5848 on Route 59.
Cummins ISL-G/Allison B400R 5837–5855
(19)

The bus fleet, owned and operated by Ride On, is distributed among three garages in Kensington, Silver Spring and Gaithersburg. Gaithersburg garage is located adjacent to the Shady Grove Metro rail yard.

References

  1. Ride On Routes and Schedules
  2. http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dot-transit/routesandschedules/rideonroutes.html
  3. http://www.wmata.com/bus/timetables/md/l78.pdf
  4. http://www.wmata.com/bus/timetables/md/t2.pdf

External links

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