The Montgomery County Department of Transportation will celebrate the 55th anniversary of Earth Day on Tuesday by offering free rides on Ride On buses, including Ride On extRa, Ride On Flex, and Flash Bus Rapid Transit.
Earth Day, celebrated every April 22 since its inception in 1970, aims to diversify, educate, and mobilize the global environmental movement.
This year’s Earth Day theme is “Our Power, Our Planet,” which invites everyone around the globe to unite behind renewable energy and triple the global generation of clean electricity by 2030.
“By choosing to walk, bike, or take public transportation, you are helping to reduce carbon emissions and traffic congestion, as well as saving money and improving your health,” Montgomery County Executive Elrich said in a press release. “We have expanded access to public transportation with innovative transit solutions such as Flash BRT and Ride On Flex, and by upgrading our infrastructure to create safer pathways for cyclists and pedestrians. I encourage our residents to take advantage of the free fare and support sustainable transportation in celebration of Earth Day.”
On Tuesday, the Maryland Transit Administration will also offer free fares on MTA-operated transit services, including MARC, while regular fares will remain in effect for Metrobus.
“MCDOT is excited to once again to offer free fare in celebration of Earth Day,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “Last year, we experienced a 20% growth in ridership over the previous fiscal year and hope to encourage even more people to switch to public transit. We recently released the results of our Ride On Reimagined study, which will guide our efforts to transform our transit system to provide faster, more reliable bus service serving more people in more areas. Now is an excellent time to try public transit.”
Montgomery County residents interested in Ride On Flex can download the app for free or contact the call center at (240) 301-3842.
Photo: “Flash BRT Silver Spring 2020-10-20 08.BusStop.SSMD.20October2020 (50518810256)” by Elvert Barnes is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.