A comprehensive review of the Montgomery County Bus Network
Draft Network Concept
The Draft Network Concept is displayed on an interactive map that shows Ride On services as they exist now and how these services could shift in the future to meet the county’s transportation needs. It also includes routes under Metro’s Better Bus initiative to demonstrate how Ride On could operate as WMATA services evolve in the future.
Select language to view map:
Existing Route Proposed for Replacement |
Proposed Replacement Service |
6 |
905 Flex |
7 |
913 Flex |
11 |
1a, 916 Flex |
15 |
Purple Line Light Rail, 17a, 912 Flex, 915 Flex |
28 |
912 Flex |
31 |
906 Flex |
44 |
904 Flex |
51 |
906 Flex |
65 |
903 Flex |
66 |
123 Great Seneca Transit Network (Cobalt) |
67 |
122 Great Seneca Transit Network (Lime); 301a |
96 |
905 Flex |
97 |
902 Flex |
Nationally, there is a movement towards upgraded bus systems that focus on faster, more convenient, and reliable bus services known as Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems, known here as Flash. In the draft concept, Flash is: a daily service with limited stops running at a frequency of 8 to 15 minutes apart from 5 AM until 1 AM.
Framework/High-Capacity routes represent a service like Ride On extRa that offer daily service with limited stops and hours. This type of service would run at a frequency of 10 to 15 minutes apart on weekdays from 5 AM until 7 PM, and 30 minutes apart on weekends from 7 AM until 7 PM.
Express routes represent a daily service that operates between key locations, such as today’s Route 100. These routes would run at a frequency of 10 to 15 minutes apart on weekdays and Saturdays from 5 AM until midnight, and every 30 minutes on Sundays from 6 AM until 10 PM.
Commuter routes represent a service that operates to provide weekday bus service making few stops during peak hours. This type of service would run at a frequency of 30 minutes apart on weekdays between 6 AM to 9 AM and 3 PM to 7 PM.
Coverage/Local routes represent a daily bus service that link neighborhoods with transit centers and stations and other activity areas. This type of service would run at a frequency of 15-30 minutes apart on weekdays, and 30 minutes apart on weekends. On weekdays, local routes would run from 5:30 AM until 11 PM, on Saturdays and Sundays from 6 AM until 11 PM.
Microtransit refers to an area where an on-demand transit service would be available, known here as Flex. In these areas, passengers would be able to request service between 6:30 AM and 7:30 PM, Monday through Saturday. Sunday service would be informed by demand. Riders would request their trips approximately 15 to 30 minutes in advance.
Ride On Reimagined
The Ride On Reimagined Study is a comprehensive, forward-looking assessment of the bus network that will result in significant recommended changes to how transit operates in Montgomery County based on current and future needs. This study will take an in-depth look at Montgomery County's existing and planned transit systems, including Metrobus services that operate within the County limits and the future Purple Line. The study will also provide an opportunity to guide the future direction of Ride On through data analysis and community engagement. The study will have the primary goal of recommending system-wide changes that address the current and future needs of the community it serves for both Ride On and Metrobus services.
The study will examine the current conditions and the anticipated future of Ride On's service area. The study will engage community leaders, activists, transit riders, and support organizations to gather feedback. An evaluation will be conducted to assess route structure, connectivity, span, and frequency of service through market research analysis, review of land use development, and anticipated technology advancements. The study will also address the County's priorities to improve racial equity and prevent climate change. The image of transit services is important to attract riders. Therefore, an evaluation of Ride On's branding will be examined. In conclusion, the study will set the framework for a plan with recommendations and implementation strategies that best align with the transportation goals of Montgomery County.

Download the Scope of Work
Goals
The MCDOT Project Coordination Team, with input from key stakeholders, has determined final goals, set objective outcomes, and defined measures to evaluate success. The intent of these goals, outcomes, and measures is to help guide the project principles, and are in alignment with the three priority areas of Moving Forward Together: The Vision for Transportation in Montgomery County, MD:
- Safety and Vision Zero
- Environmental and Climate Resiliency
- Economic Development and Equitable Access

Developing the Goals, Outcomes, and Measures
MCDOT conducted two MURAL whiteboarding sessions with the Project Coordination Team. The first session developed suggested goals under each of the three priority areas, and the second session reviewed and refined the draft goals, outcomes, and measures. From this process, the project team aggregated the suggested goals and associated outcomes, and proposed a measure for each outcome.
We then met with approximately 30 key stakeholders to present a study overview and provide feedback on the goals, outcomes, and measures on Thursday, July 28, 2022.
Final Goals, Outcomes, and Measures include:
Goal | Outcome | Measure |
---|---|---|
1-1: Enhance Pedestrian and Rider Safety | Systemwide ADA compliance and overall accessibility | Achieve ADA compliance at all bus stops with a rate per year to be determined and achieve additional accessibility improvements beyond ADA compliance at priority locations |
Standardized bus rider amenities guidelines | Achieve upgrades to bus stops consistent with their level of service with a rate per year to be determined | |
1-2: Improve Bus Operations Safety | Standardized bus stop location guidelines to enhance operational safety and decrease accident rates | Achieve upgrades to or relocations of bus stops consistent with operational safety guidelines with a rate per year to be determined to reduce fatalities and serious injuries for riders, employees, and general public |
A safety reporting system for bus safety issues for both operators and passengers | Implement a comprehensive safety reporting system | |
1-1: Enhance Pedestrian and Rider Safety | Systemwide ADA compliance and overall accessibility | Achieve ADA compliance at all bus stops with a rate per year to be determined and achieve additional accessibility improvements beyond ADA compliance at priority locations |
Standardized bus rider amenities guidelines | Achieve upgrades to bus stops consistent with their level of service with a rate per year to be determined |
Goal | Outcome | Measure |
---|---|---|
2-1: Shift Mode Share from Auto to Bus | Dedicated bus lanes on all identified FLASH and Ride On extRa corridors | Increase the route miles of dedicated bus lanes |
Rides shifted from SOV to bus | Increase number of bus transit trips per capita | |
2-2: Position Transit as the First Choice in Montgomery County | Stable support and source for funding | Achieve a sustainable funding system to meet current and future Ride On/Metro needs and promotes |
A route network that is structured to maximize demand for full range of Ride On/Metro services (Flash, ExtRa, Flex, Fixed Route) | Increase ridership | |
A comprehensive branding plan | Improve brand recognition | |
2-3: Plan Network to Meet Environmental Goals | Reduced fuel and depot operations environmental impacts in alignment with the goals of the Montgomery County Climate Action Plan | Reduce emissions, water, waste, and other environmental impacts from bus operations to help achieve the Climate Action Plan’s goal to cut greenhouse gases emissions 100% by 2035 |
Minimized deadhead time | Reduce deadhead to revenue time ratio | |
2-4: Promote an Ongoing Evaluation of the Network | A strategy for ongoing improvement | Create a self-monitoring system that allows Ride On/Metro to monitor and enhance performance and establishing a measure of ongoing performance to promote productivity and efficiency |
New service to unserved areas | Increase in new jobs and households served by the network that are not presently served by Ride On/Metro (X% of jobs and households within a quarter mile walk of transit) | |
A strategy for improved workforce development | Improve workforce development and retention rates to effectively staff and operate the network |
Goal | Outcome | Measure |
---|---|---|
3-1: Increase Access and Connections for All Users | Expanded reach of network | Increase the route miles of dedicated bus lanes |
Improved network reliability | Improvement in OTP and missed trips | |
3-2: Implement Targeted Equity Actions | Increased all-day service | Increased span of service with consistent headways |
Improved service targeted to equity emphasis areas | Increase in 30-minute transit shed from equity areas | |
3-3: Connect Transit with Economic Development | Transit-oriented development advanced | Square footage of development that priority transit investments unlock in master plan areas |
Partnerships with employers, businesses, and cultural attractions strengthened | Increase participation in TMDs and promotional partnerships | |
3-4: Improve Passenger Experience | Implement better wayfinding | Add wayfinding to bus stops from key nodes and add surrounding neighborhood information at stops |
Improved availability of real-time information | Increase the amount of real-time information, available online, at MC311, and at stations | |
Improved bike and pedestrian connections | Increase overall bicycle and pedestrian accommodations at high ridership and trail-adjacent stops and at stops serving heavily pedestrianized areas |
Timeline
Study Timeline: Part 1 (2022)

Study Timeline: Part 2 (2023 - 2024)
Stakeholder and Public Engagement: Ongoing Throughout the Study
Various local agencies, businesses, government officials, and transit providers and municipalities constitute the stakeholders that will help shape the structure of the study and provide guidance at various stages throughout the process.
A comprehensive public engagement plan that emphasizes transparency and open communication will be drafted and implemented. Project team members will share information and engage the public using the MCDOT website, social media platforms, pop-up events, at open houses, and in small group discussions.
Bus Network Assessment: February 2022-December 2022
A market and infrastructure analysis and peer transit system analysis serves as the foundation for this assessment. Peer transit systems include those that largely meet the goals identified for the Montgomery County bus network and are comparable in terms of the size of the operation and geographic service area.
Service Concepts and Recommendations: December 2022-September 2023
Service concept development is the planning of the reimagined Montgomery County bus network. Work done to this point will serve as the foundation for new service designs and concepts. These concepts will detail how they meet study goals, impact riders, improve the system's performance, and impact the County financially, culminating in a detailed list of recommendations of preferred concepts based on an overall evaluation of the network's strengths and weaknesses.
Service and Implementation Plan: October 2023-January 2024
The service concepts and (resulting) recommendations will guide the Service and Implementation Plan. The implementation proposal will consider making network changes simultaneously, or in phases. The plan will emphasize key components of the previously recommended concepts and include a marketing plan to launch the service.
Next Steps
Completed focus groups
From December to March, the Ride On Reimagined Project Team met with five focus groups for two sessions each to receive input to help shape the project’s goals, set objective outcomes, and define measures to evaluate success. The input received from both rider and non-rider focus group participants was instrumental in organizing the network concept, developing service characteristics, prioritizing service levels, and determining resource allocation.
Developing concepts based on feedback
The feedback received from facilitated conversations with various stakeholders has served as the foundation for service concept development and the resulting project team recommendations which include better Downcounty-Upcounty direct service between hubs; more connections to recreational/cultural spaces; additional rapid/express service and expansion of the Flex on-demand service.
Analyzing standard operating procedures and draft service and stop guidelines
This analysis will help MCDOT to standardize its internal, systemic processes by ensuring adherence to best practices, and determining consistent directions and instructions on the measures required to complete a specific task or process across the entire Montgomery County Bus Network. These standard operating procedures and guidelines will establish appropriate service and stop operations and quality control measures, ensure legal compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, enable efficient staff onboarding and training, and provide for the institutionalized maintenance of organizational knowledge.
Conducting workshops with stakeholder groups and elected officials
The Ride On Reimagined Project Team has met with Montgomery County staff, WMATA staff, and local elected officials, to review and receive feedback on the various opportunities and challenges associated with the countywide transit network. These conversations with members of the Ride On Reimagined advisory group are ongoing and will continue through the Summer of 2023.
Reports
Bus Network Assessment - Analysis and Key Findings
Land Use/Development/Transportation Plans
The study team reviewed and evaluated various plans, transit recommendations and findings for Montgomery County. Analyzing these previous plans aids in adding local context to this study of the county’s bus network and provides background of other local projects in the area. Ride On is a key aspect in many of transit plans throughout the county. These plans included functional master plans, area and sector plans, and current transit planning projects. These plans have common themes and points on transit accessibility, multimodal connections, and sustainability.
- Multimodal access that provides facilities and infrastructure for transit, bicycles, and pedestrians.
- Transit oriented development promoting dense, mixed-use zoning.
- Equity initiatives to ensure access to all.
- Sustainable practices that reduce emissions, increase greenspace, and combat climate change.
Analysis of Previous Surveys
The study team reviewed a commuter survey administered by Montgomery County in 2014 and the Title VI Program Update to help gauge historic ridership patterns, mode share, and ridership demographics. These surveys illustrated contrasting attitudes and preferences towards public transit.
- The commuter survey illustrated the preference of auto commuting and the dominance of the mode, with drivers seldom even aware of transit benefits available to them. Driving was enabled by free or dedicated parking, and free bikeshare memberships or carpool priority was not enough to sway drivers out of their cars.
- Over 27 percent of the county makes less than $20,000 a year emphasizing the need for public transit as a connector to jobs, leisure, and education. Certain areas such as Germantown, Gaithersburg, and Wheaton were highlighted in the Program Update as specific areas where poverty levels are higher than in the surrounding areas at around 15 to 21 percent, further demonstrating the importance of public transit.
- Many of the responses from the internet survey indicate careers with higher salaries in healthcare fields or other associated businesses, as these commuters would typically work a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. workday. The paper survey and Title VI analysis portrayed the county as dependent on public transit as a vital service.
Transit Propensity
As part of the existing conditions analysis, the study team evaluated the transit propensity of defined areas in the county. A Transit Propensity Index (TPI) synthesizes density of people and jobs, socioeconomic characteristics such as household income and race/ethnicity, and access to personal vehicles into a single metric representing the relative demand for transit services within a defined area. The county was divided into five subareas, which were examined for potential opportunities to capture latent demand or, conversely, to modify service delivery strategies to improve efficiency:
- Germantown-Damascus has among the lowest-performers in the county in terms of ridership productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness. Ride On could consider new delivery models such as on-demand service to improve service quality while maintaining coverage in the area.
- Gaithersburg-Laytonsville-North Potomac has routes with circuitous alignments, but with high on-time performance. Most neighborhoods with the highest transit propensity scores are well served by the existing network.
- Bethesda-Potomac-Rockville generates large ridership volumes in primary corridors, but productivity drops off in lower density and higher income residential neighborhoods. Neighborhoods with the highest transit propensity scores are well served by the existing network.
- Wheaton-Aspen Hill-Olney has a mix of areas that are well served, and those needing improvement. Areas with higher transit propensity scores and low transit accessibility and service levels include the residential neighborhoods located just south of the Intercounty Connector within the Leisure World, Layhill, and Colesville communities, and a smaller pocket in Kemp Mill.
- Silver Spring-Burtonsville is a highly productive transit market, representing about a third of the county’s total daily ridership. However, routes here tend to be less reliable and slower compared to those serving other subareas. In general, routes carrying the largest volumes of passengers exhibit lower on-time performance. This reflects delays attributed to passenger boarding/alighting activity, and the fact that these routes serve highly congested corridors.
Market Analysis
A market and origin/destination analysis helps provide insight into current transit demand and patterns, usage, and transit network operations. This analysis reveals that high population and job densities promote and encourage ridership, as existing bus ridership is clustered in these areas. Pre- and post-COVID-19 ridership was examined to understand its impacts on transit.
- The areas with the greatest densities are generally centered on the I-270 / Maryland Route 355 corridor from Germantown to the I-495 Capital Beltway, and inside the Beltway surrounding the District of Columbia boundaries. These corridors serve the most riders and employees, along with high residential populations.
- Improvements to the network in these areas would benefit the highest number of existing riders and can potentially increase transit usage.
- COVID-19’s impacts on the transit network ridership are demonstrated in a marked reduction of ridership volumes. However, post-COVID-19 ridership trends and patterns are similar to pre-pandemic travel. This corroborates with areas of high residential population and employment density.
Scheduled Bus Operations
In the scheduled bus operations analysis, the study team examined bus trips, schedule adherence, and speed to provide insight in to how well the county’s bus network performed. Pre- and post-COVID performance metrics provided context to the effects of the pandemic on transit operations.
- Overall, buses run on-time within the defined on-time metric of one minute earlier to five minutes later than the scheduled time.
- Buses are most likely to operate late in areas where bus travel speeds are slowest (Germantown, Gaithersburg, Bethesda, portions of Silver Spring, US 29 corridor). Congestion in these areas can slow bus operations in mixed traffic, leading to these reduced speeds and late performance.
- The key distinction between 2019 (pre-pandemic) and 2021 (post-pandemic) was that there were an increased number of early arrivals in 2021 over 2019, decreasing schedule adherence performance.
Want to see more?
Visit our interactive data map.
Customer Satisfaction Survey
The Customer Satisfaction Survey is an instrumental part of the Ride On Reimagined study. It provides MCDOT with a clearer understanding of current, former, and potential riders’ perceptions, opinions, and overall transit riding experience. This data will help with developing recommendations for system-wide changes that address the current and future needs of the community for both Ride On and Metrobus services.
Methodology
MCDOT fielded this online survey in English, Spanish, Chinese, French, Amharic, Vietnamese, Hindi, and Korean from September 8 through October 7, 2022. Participants were invited to take the survey through emails, Ride On’s website, and via more than a dozen social media posts. In addition, our community engagement team hosted four in-person pop-up events on September 8, 13, 20, and 28 at various transit sites across Montgomery County.
The survey yielded 2,170 valid responses from a diverse group of riders with varying demographics, routes, trip frequencies, trip purposes, and perspectives, following a data cleaning process to eliminate bots and people living outside the MCDOT region.
Key Findings
- Many MCDOT riders do not have a driver’s license and even more do not have a vehicle they can reliably use.
- Work is the main reason respondents travel on Ride On or Metrobus and also the top reason why some people ride MCDOT more now than they did before COVID.
- Conversely, working from home part-time or full-time is one of the top reasons why some people ride MCDOT less now.
- The top two areas to prioritize for improvement are:
- Accuracy of real-time bus arrival information and service updates
- How often the bus comes
- When given the choice, most prefer shorter waits between buses more than they want shorter walks to the bus stop.
Bus Service Existing Conditions - Analysis and Key Findings
Ridership Hotspots
Ridership analysis revealed concentrated transit activity. These hotspots remained the same from 2019 to 2021, but the level of boardings and alightings in 2021 were about half those of 2019.
Weekday boarding and alighting hotspots include:
- Silver Spring Station
- Wheaton Station
- Takoma-Langley Transit Center
- Shady Grove Station
- Rockville Station
- Lakeforest Transit Center
- Glenmont Station
- Germantown Transit Center
- Bethesda Station
- Friendship Heights Station
Bus Stop Facilities
Our analysis found the following:
- 14 percent of bus stops in Montgomery County are sheltered or have plans to be sheltered, and only six percent of all Montgomery County stops have lighting.
- While most high ridership stops are sheltered, there are a number of stops with high ridership volumes that are unsheltered, and a number of sheltered stops that have very low ridership volumes.
- 63 percent of all bus stops have a sidewalk, although many stops have sidewalks only at their stops and fail to provide connectivity to surrounding areas.
- Stops with sidewalks generate higher ridership numbers than those that do not have sidewalks.
Trip Planning
We reviewed how drive time and transit time compared throughout the county:
- The analysis compared trip planner results to Google Maps for transit versus driving travel times. The comparison showed that the driving time for most of the Origin/Destination (O/D) pairs was normally much shorter than the transit time, except for Silver Spring to DC and Bethesda to DC.
- Many of the pairs with dramatic differences between drive time and transit time were further up-county, such as Germantown to Rockville, Clarksburg to Silver Spring, Poolesville to Rockville, Gaithersburg to Darnestown, and Clarksburg to Gaithersburg.
- We compared identical or similar trips on the Ride On and Metro trip planners to each other. They had different results in both how to complete the trip and expected travel time; this is due to their different algorithms.
- Ride On’s trip planner does not include locations not directly served by Ride On outside of Montgomery County, so some trips into DC could not be planned. This was another limitation of trip planners in the region and contributed to the fractured nature of trip planning across different platforms.
Route Profiles
There are five county subareas where we examined service and performance:
- Germantown-Damascus had a decrease in ridership and some poor performing routes.
- Between 2019 and 2021, bus ridership in the Germantown-Damascus subarea decreased at a faster rate than whole of Montgomery County. Weekday ridership decreased between 54 percent and 84 percent across all communities in the subarea. Germantown and Clarksburg together generate around 95 percent of all trips in this subarea of Montgomery County.
- In 2019, Ride On Loop Route 97 in this subarea was the top performing of the four countywide Loop routes for weekday Passengers/Vehicle Revenue Hours, Passengers/Trips, Cost Recovery and Subsidy/Passenger, yet has the lowest on-time performance of the six routes in the sub area. Its on-time performance for weekdays, Saturday, and Sunday are all below 75 percent.
- The remaining five routes ranked in the bottom third and fourth quartiles among all routes for all key performance indicators (KPI's) except on-time performance (OTP). OTP for all day types were greater than 85 percent., with the exception of Route 73's 79 percent on-time performance for Weekdays.
- Gaithersburg-Laytonsville-North Potomac was defined by Metrorail station ridership and Route 55 ridership.
- In the Gaithersburg-Laytonsville-North Potomac subarea, the Shady Grove Metro Station and Lakeforest Transit Center generated 41.6 percent of all weekday ridership in 2019.
- Like Germantown-Damascus, bus ridership in the subarea decreased at a faster rate than the whole of Montgomery County.
- Ride On Local Route 55, the only route to have at least seven hours of 11-15 minute headways on weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, is the best performing route in this subarea. This route also ranks first in weekday boardings, Passengers/Trips, Cost Recovery and Subsidy/Passenger among all local routes, although it only scores 84 percent for weekday and Saturday on-time performance.
- Bethesda-Potomac-Rockville is a heavy-employment subarea, which impacted ridership figures because of the changing commuting landscape.
- The Bethesda-Potomac-Rockville subarea contains 47 percent of Montgomery County's total employment base. Ridership in the area decreased at a faster rate than Montgomery County as a whole.
- COVID-19-induced work-from-home trends and the subarea's high percentage of the county's employment base are likely the reasons why this subarea experienced higher than average ridership decline.
- Transit productivity and general usage and availability is lower in lower density and higher income residential neighborhoods.
- Metro Stations accounted for 44.9 percent of all weekday ridership in 2019. Rockville, Bethesda and North Bethesda represented 76 percent of the subarea's total ridership in 2021.
- Ride On Local Route 46, the only local route to have 11-15 minute headways on weekdays, was also the best performing weekday route in 2019.
- Wheaton-Aspen Hill-Olney has several poorly served communities and Metrobus service issues, but maintained ridership across the study timeframe.
- In the Wheaton-Aspen Hill-Olney subarea, the Wheaton and Glenmont Metro Stations accounted for 33.3 percent of total ridership in 2019.
- The subarea contains a few pockets of high transit propensity that are served with little to no transit, including the communities of Leisure World, Layhill, Colesville, and Kemp Mill.
- Ridership decreased at a slower rate than the county as a whole between 2019 and 2021, and the subarea gained ridership share in the county across all days of the week.
- Metrobus routes in this subarea are the worst performing services in terms of on-time performance.
- Top performing routes serve major corridors with direct alignments, connect to Metrorail stations, offer frequent service, and operate long service spans, seven days per week. The lower-performing routes generally operate low-frequency, peak-only service on weekdays.
- Silver Spring-Burtonsville has a varied transit landscape and consistent high ridership, partially owing to its booming population and transit proclivities.
- Silver Spring-Burtonsville is the densest county subarea, making up only eight percent of land area but 20 percent of the population.
- 69 percent of the subarea population identify as a racial minority, 49 percent of the subarea pop live in rental households, and 39 percent of the subarea population are single-vehicle households.
- The subarea contains a BRT FLASH line and several routes with 11 to-15 minute headways, including Ride On Local Route 15 and Metrobus C2, C4, F4, K8, and K9.
- The subarea accounts for around a quarter of total county bus ridership, with Silver Spring accounting for 60 percent of the subarea's ridership in 2019.
- Two-thirds of Silver Spring's ridership is generated within its downtown core.
- Most of the subarea's census designated places (CDP's) experienced a less severe ridership decrease compared to the county average.
- The Colesville Rd./Columbia Pike Corridor is the subarea's most productive and utilized bus corridor; this is attributed to the fact that it intersects four other major corridors in the subarea. Only four routes (Ride On 15, 2, 25 and 19) have a weekday on-time performance greater than 85 percent.
Want to see more?
- Visit our interactive data map.
- View the complete Analysis of Existing Conditions report (PDF, 17MB)
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