Did You Know that Ride On is Free for Montgomery College Students and Kids and Seniors at Certain Times of the Day?

Montgomery College students can ride Ride On for free anytime by showing the driver a valid student identification card with a current semester sticker. Express routes may require an additional fee.

With a Youth Cruiser SmarTrip® card, those ages five through 18 have some great options for getting inexpensive and free rides. Kids ride free on Ride On from 2 to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday. In addition, youth get unlimited rides for only $11/month. See details.

Seniors age 65 years or older with a valid Metro Senior ID Card or Medicare Card and Photo ID ride free on Ride On from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Persons with a disability and a Metro Disabled Identification Card also ride free from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday and attendants either ride free or pay half fare, depending on the time and day.

More information about Ride On fares is available online.

Transit Benefit Raised to $255 a Month in 2016

An end of 2015 tax deal passed by the U.S. Congress and signed by the president includes a provision that raises the maximum tax-exempt transit and vanpool benefit employers can provide to equal the maximum allowed for parking benefits. The monthly maximum on transit, vanpool, and parking benefits increased to $255 a month on January 1, 2016. Read more.

  

Metro Phasing Out Paper Fare Cards

(From Better Ways to Work, November 2015)

By January, Metro is upgrading its fare vending machines to dispense SmarTrip cards rather than paper farecards.

Here are highlights of the transition process:

• The change to SmarTrip-only machines began recently at Virginia stations, but Metro plans to discontinue all sales of paper farecards, including bulk sales, when the last machine in the system is upgraded by January. (Paper farecard sales will end at each of its more than 450 individual Metrorail stations as machines are upgraded.)
  
• Riders will be able to use any remaining paper farecards to enter and exit the Metrorail system until early March.
  
• Riders holding paper farecards will still be able to transfer the value from paper to SmarTrip at any rail station or Metro sales office through June 2016.

Read more.

Ride On Seeks Student Videos to Promote its Special Youth Fares

Ride On is looking for middle and high school students who want to create fun and educational videos that spread the word about Ride On’s free and discounted kids programs: the Youth Cruiser SmarTrip Card, the Youth Monthly Pass, and the Youth Summer Pass. The deadline for entries is November 15.

The Youth Cruiser SmarTrip Card allows those 18 years of age or younger to ride free on Ride On weekdays from 2 to 8 p.m. The Youth Monthly pass provides kids unlimited rides for only $11 a calendar month. The Youth Summer Pass provides unlimited rides from June 1 through August 31 for $18.

Contact Jennifer Davis at Montgomery County Transit at jennifer.davis2@montgomerycountymd.gov for more information. 

Ride On Wins Transportation Association of Maryland Award for Outstanding Program

Montgomery County’s Ride On bus system has won the Transportation Association of Maryland (TAM) award for outstanding program for its Bus Route 94 marketing campaign. The award was announced at TAM’s 2015 Expo held last week.

The Route 94 provides service to 11 stops in Clarksburg Village and express service to the Germantown MARC train station. The bus waits for rush hour MARC trains.

To promote the service, Ride On:

• Created a timetable that integrates the bus schedule with the MARC train schedule;
• Created flyers distributed to local retailers, the local post office, gas stations, civic associations, homeowner associations and apartment rental offices;
• Placed flyers on 700 vehicles parked at the Germantown MARC station;
• Advertised the service in the (previously published) Gazette, Chinese and Indian newspapers;
• Advertised the service on the WTOP radio station website and mobile app;
• Hung door hangers at 6,000 homes;
• Mailed flyers to 5,000 homes; and
• Advertised the service on bus stops and bus shelters.

TAM is a statewide professional association that serves and represents those dedicated to improving mobility and economic opportunity for all Maryland residents. Read more about TAM and the awards ceremony.

Montgomery County’s TRiPS Commuter Stores Offer Personalized Service; Staff Can Help Residents Sign Up for Parking Space Pay-by-Phone System

                              

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) TRiPS Commuter stores in Silver Spring and Friendship Heights help residents with alternative transportation services and provide instruction on using the parking meter pay-by-phone service called MobileNOW!  Read more.

                                Friendship Heights                           Silver Spring


                               

SmarTrip Card Provides Discounts on Ride On and Metrobus; Youth and Senior Cards Provide Even Greater Benefits

SmarTrip card owners not only receive a discounted fare on Metrorail (when compared to a paper fare card) but also receive discounts on Ride On and Metrobus. Using SmarTrip gives riders free bus-to-bus transfers and a 50-cent discount when transferring to and from Metrorail.

Purchase a SmarTrip card on Metro’s website, then register the card by creating an online account to receive a $3 rebate. Online registration lets a card holder recoup their SmarTrip balance if the card is lost or stolen and allows customers to add value to the card online.

The Youth Cruiser SmarTrip® Card for customers 18 years of age and younger makes it easier for youth to take advantage of the Kids Ride Free program, which offers free rides Monday through Friday from 2 to 8 p.m. on Ride On and some Metrobuses in Montgomery County. The card can be purchased for $2 at all 21 County libraries, many schools, the TRiPS Commuter stores at 8413 Ramsey Avenue, Silver Spring and 17 Wisconsin Circle, Friendship Heights, and the Montgomery County Treasury Division, 255 Rockville Pike, L-15, Rockville. Proof of age and County residence is required to obtain a Youth Cruiser SmarTrip® card. Riders or their parents must purchase the card in person.

Seniors 65 and older can purchase a Senior SmarTrip card that offers half price rates on Ride On , Metrobus and Metrorail, and free rides on weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Ride On buses and some Metrobuses in Montgomery County. Apply for the card at any County library, TRiPS stores or the Montgomery County Treasury Division. Proof of age must be presented when purchasing the card.

Metro Launches Unlimited 7-Day "Short Trip" Pass For SmarTrip Cards

On May 20, Metro’s $35 seven-day “short trip” pass became available for SmarTrip cards. Riders can buy the passes and load them onto a SmarTrip card from their computer or by using a fare card vending machine. Metro will discontinue sales of the paper version of the short-trip pass after May 31, 2013.

The 7-Day Short Trip Pass costs $35 for seven days from its first use, expiring at the end of the seventh operating day. The short trip pass is a good option for riders who take frequent trips between nearby stations -- or any combination of trips where the fare is less than $3.50 during peak periods.

The short trip pass also is good for unlimited Metrorail trips valued up to $3.50 during peak periods and unlimited Metrorail trips of any value during off-peak times. During peak periods, the pass can be used for longer trips (greater than $3.50), but the passenger must pay the difference.

More information is available on Metro’s website or by calling 202-637-7000.

Starting in December, Ride On Customers Can Load Monthly Pass Onto SmarTrip® Cards

Ride On passengers will be able to load monthly passes onto their SmarTrip® cards, beginning with December’s pass.  The $45 monthly pass provides customers unlimited rides on Montgomery County Ride On buses for an entire calendar month.  Paper passes are being phased out and will no longer be available after January 31, 2013.  Passengers will continue to have the option of paying fares with cash.

Monthly passes can be loaded onto SmarTrip® cards either in person or online.  When adding value online, customers have the option of purchasing monthly passes automatically.  The automatic monthly pass value is then added to a purchaser’s card seven days before the end of every month. 

Customers who prefer to add the monthly pass value to a SmarTrip® card in person, may do so at the following locations:

• TRiPS Commuter Store: 8413 Ramsey Avenue, Silver Spring (Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
• TRiPS Commuter Store: 17 Wisconsin Circle, Friendship Heights (Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
• Montgomery County Division of Treasury: 255 Rockville Pike, L-15, Rockville, (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
• Retailers, including some Giant Food and CVS Pharmacy stores in Montgomery County.  A full list of participating retail outlets is available online.  

Passes for two consecutive months may be loaded onto a SmarTrip® card at one time.  Customers should be aware that, once purchased, the two-month period for which the pass is active cannot be changed. 

Ride On passengers with monthly passes who use the express Route #70 will be charged an additional $2.05 for each trip, which will automatically be deducted from their SmarTrip® card upon boarding the bus.

A monthly pass purchased the 1^st through the 15^th of any month is active for the month in which it was purchased.  If the pass is purchased the 16^th through the end of the month, the pass will be valid for the following month. 

SmarTrip® card users are encouraged to register their SmarTrip® card online, so that the stored value won’t be lost if the card is misplaced. Customers can manage SmarTrip® information online, including viewing their card balance and usage history, adding multiple cards to their account, reporting a lost card, requesting a replacement card or transferring the balance to another registered card.

The Ride On monthly pass represents a 43 percent savings over paying cash fares on regular Ride On routes. Information about the SmarTrip® card is available online.  Ride On information is available on the County’s website or by calling 311, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., 301-251-4850 TTY, or 240-777-0311 (from outside the County).  

Metro Offers Enhances SmarTrip® Card

Metro now offers a $3 rebate to purchasers of the plastic, rechargeable SmarTrip® fare card.  The cards still costs $5, but a $3 credit is refunded to the card five days after its first use.  SmarTrip® online registration protects a rider’s balance if the card is lost or stolen and allows customers to add value to the card on the internet.

Riders are encouraged to take advantage of the discount offers available when using SmarTrip®.  For example, save 20-cents a ride, get free bus-to-bus transfers, and a 50-cent discount when transferring from bus to rail. 

Metro has added SmarTrip® card vending machines at all Metrorail stations.

To purchase a SmarTrip® card, go to Metro’s website. 

SmarTrip® Card Changes Began in September

Since September 1, Metro has offered a $3 rebate for new SmarTrip® card purchases when the card is registered online. Cards will still cost $5, but a $3 credit will be refunded to the card five days after its first use. SmarTrip® online registration also ensures that the user doesn’t lose money if the card is lost or stolen.  Registered users can add value to the card via the Web.

Also since September 1, SmartTrip® card users will need at least $1.20 on the card to enter the Metrorail system (35 cents for the senior/disabled SmarTrip® card).

To make it easier to purchase a SmarTrip® card, Metro has added vending machines in all Metrorail stations.

Another advantage of using the SmarTrip® card is the Metrorail Fast Pass, which provides seven days of unlimited Metrorail travel.  The pass is only available on SmarTrip® and can also be purchased online or at station vending machines. Paper Fast Pass cards will be accepted through December 31, 2012.