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Montgomery County makes all Ride On buses free for riders

By Allison McBride
Published  July 2, 2025 12:46pm EDT
Montgomery County
FOX 5 DC

The Brief

    • Montgomery County Ride On buses are ending fare fees starting this month, following a decision from the County Council.
    • The move will benefit bus riders, whose income averages less than half that of the typical Montgomery County household.
    • The county joins many others transitioning to free bus systems in a nationwide trend.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - Montgomery County’s Ride On buses are completely free as of this week. 

The change will benefit local riders, who earn less than $50,000 on average compared to the $125,000 income of local households. Tap-to-pay upgrades required to maintain the bus fare system would have cost Montgomery $19 million, another factor in the county’s decision. 

Free public transit is trending across the nation, with cities like Boston, Kansas City, and Alexandria also making the switch.

Councilmember Evan Glass has been advocating for more accessible transportation since he was first elected. As chair of the council’s Transportation and Environment Committee, he led the effort to make Ride On buses free for kids, and student ridership subsequently increased by 57%.

A full bus route redesign is underway to account for an increase in ridership.

Montgomery CountyTransportation