Ride On Announces Launch of New, Limited Stop Service

ROCKVILLE, MD — Montgomery County officials announced that Ride On will launch a new, limited stop, higher speed service on Maryland Route 355 called the Ride On extRa to provide a faster option for bus riders during rush hours. Ride On extRa will kick off in October of 2017.

The service will make only 12 stops between the Medical Center Metrorail Station in Bethesda and the Lakeforest Transit Center in Gaithersburg. Buses will run every 10 minutes from 5:30 to 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. At Ride On extRa bus stops, passengers will be able to take advantage of connections to Metrorail, 15 Metrobus routes, MARC Brunswick Line, MTA Commuter buses, and 42 Ride On routes.

“Maryland Route 355 is one of the most heavily used corridors in Montgomery County, so while we continue to plan for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) on this roadway, the new Ride On extRa service will move people more quickly in modern, sleek vehicles with enhanced amenities,” said Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett. “Giving travelers more options can reduce the number of cars on this highly congested thoroughfare and ease the commute for the remaining drivers.”

For Ride On extRa, MCDOT will use 17 new, specially branded buses with easy access boarding, WiFi and USB charging ports. The new service will accept standard SmarTrip cards and passes, as well as cash.

A Transit Signal Priority (TSP) system will expedite travel speeds for Ride On extRa. The TSP will detect Ride On extRa buses as they approach a traffic signal and could provide a few extra seconds of green light to allow the bus to get through the intersection.

“To realize a future for Montgomery County that includes a first-rate, multimodal transportation system, MCDOT is expanding choices for all the users of our network,” said MCDOT Director Al Roshdieh. “Ride On extRa is an interim step to BRT that will enhance transit options with faster service, expand transit capacity on the busy Maryland Route 355 corridor, and lure more drivers out of their cars.”

Ride On extRa will be a premium, rush-hour service. In the future, a full BRT system will operate all day, seven days a week and have dedicated lanes, where feasible; higher capacity, articulated buses; and upgraded stations with level boarding and payment machines. Ride On extRa rush hour service will complement the full schedule of more local service offered along Route 355 via Ride On 46 and 55.

Learn more about Ride On extRa and BRT online.

Photo: Montgomery County