Starting on Monday, you will be able to request a bus pickup on your time in Rockville, Glenmont and Wheaton in Maryland again.
The Ride On Flex on-demand pilot program started in 2019, but it was suspended at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
You can request trips from a designated pickup location to a drop-off spot in the same zone using the Ride On Flex app or through the Ride On call center.
Riders who wish to use the call center to schedule rides rather than mobile apps can call 240-301-3842.
“(Montgomery County Department of Transportation’s) innovative transit-on-demand program, Ride On Flex, was very popular during its pilot stage and I am pleased to see it return after being put on hiatus due to the pandemic,” County Executive Marc Elrich said.
“In Montgomery County, we are ensuring that our public transportation system is efficient, equitable and easy. As we continue to reopen and recover from the pandemic, we are encouraging our residents to continue to keep their cars at home and utilize more sustainable forms of transportation. Ride On Flex helps us better serve our current users and attract new customers,” Elrich said.
Flex will operate in the Rockville zone from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and in the Glenmont/Wheaton zone during peak periods from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The service without a fixed route or schedule was the first of its kind in the D.C. area and started with 11 buses.
These zones offer connections between places standard bus routes don’t reach.
“Ride On Flex is reshaping the way residents use bus services and was gaining popularity while in operation before March 2020,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “We are happy to be able to restore this innovative service that provides a direct connection between residential neighborhoods, transit centers and other destinations.”
All riders using MCDOT’s public transportation system, including all Ride On buses, must wear face coverings. For those who don’t have a mask, all buses are equipped with free masks for riders to use.
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