MCDOT is Proud to Support the LGBTQ+ Movement... and 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. Wrapped with the Intersex-inclusive Pride Progress Flag , adorned with Ride With Pride messaging and neon lights to stand out at night, the bus is dedicated to the uplifting of LGBTQ+ voices, culture, and civil rights. Additionally, the flag is 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. Interior bus cards have also been placed within each of the nearly 400 Ride On buses to amplify awareness.
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 June 1, at 1 p.m. in the Executive Office Building Plaza, 101 Monroe Street, in Rockville, where the bus will have its reveal. After that, we will post the general location of the bus here.
Public Transportation Empowers Communities
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation believes deeply in equality and inclusiveness.
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 are currently reassessing our entire public transportation system with a Ride On Reimagined Study , a comprehensive assessment of our transportation network to address community needs. This project relies greatly on public engagement and feedback and we welcome you to engage.
Together, we are building an inclusive community where everyone is seen and everyone belongs.
We hope you will help spread the word on social media platforms with pictures of the Ride On Pride Bus tagging @MCDOTNow and @RideOnMCT on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram and using the hashtag #RideWithPride.
Look out for pictures and videos, which we'll post on this page throughout the month.
Happy #Pride to all!
