MCDOT is Proud to Support the LGBTQ+ Community... and for the Third Year, We're Putting it in Lights!

Pride month is celebrated nationally every June to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, a series of protests in response to discriminatory raids that took place at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood in New York. Homosexuality was against the law at the time in New York. Raids were carried out on establishments deemed "disorderly" for allowing the mere gathering of the gay community. The protests served as a tipping point in LGBTQ+ history and ignited a movement toward equality in the United States. 

The MCDOT Pride Bus is intended to raise awareness of the importance of an  inclusive and equitable public transit system. This year, the bus displays a new design with the tagline "Radiating Love."  The bus is adorned with Ride With Pride messaging in neon lights to stand out at night. The County's Pride bus is dedicated to the uplifting of LGBTQ+ voices, culture, and civil rights. Additionally, the bus serves as a reminder of the disproportionate number of LGBTQ+ lives lost to  HIV/AIDS , especially in our Black and Brown communities,  and how anti-LGBTQ+ bias continues to fuel a lack of testing and treatment. 

MCDOT's Ride With Pride bus will be integrated into routes all over the county throughout Pride month.  Fare is $1, the same as all Montgomery County buses, and is free for seniors and members of the disability community with specialized SmartTrip cards and free for youth with Youth Cruiser cards. Note that Zero Fare begins June 29 on all County Ride On buses including Ride On extRa, Flash and flex.

Catch Us if you Can

Catching the MCDOT Pride Bus is meant to be a whimsical, fun and spontaneous moment. We are rotating the bus between all three of our bus depots to ensure it can be seen all over the county. 

A sure way to get a peek is to stop by the Montgomery County Raising of the Pride Flag Ceremony on Tuesday, June 3, at 9 a.m. in the Executive Office Building Plaza, 101 Monroe Street, in Rockville, where the Ride with Pride bus will have its reveal. We are also planning to support Pride on the Plaza on June 29 in Silver Spring. 

Public Transportation Empowers Communities 

Public transportation fosters social cohesion by bringing people together from different backgrounds and communities. Public transit has a significant impact on society, affecting economic growth, environmental sustainability and providing accessibility. Our public transit system must continually evolve to meet the needs of the Communities it serves.

We have recently reassessed our entire public transportation system with a Ride On Reimagined Study , a comprehensive assessment of our transportation network to address community needs. This project relied greatly on public engagement and rider feedback and developed recommendations that will begin as soon as June 29, 2025. 

Together, we are building an inclusive community where everyone is seen and everyone belongs. 

We hope you will help spread the word and support the Pride campaign on social media platforms liking , sharing and posting pictures of the Ride On Pride Bus tagging @MCDOTNow on  X , Facebook and Instagram and using the hashtag  #RideWithPride.

Look out for pictures and videos which we'll post and highlight on social media throughout the month of June.

Happy #Pride to all!


2025 Bus Wrap: