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Kids Ride FREE - Youth Cruiser SmarTrip Card - Get Yours Today

KIDS RIDE FREE Program

The Kids Ride Free program provides free rides on County Ride On buses and certain Metrobus routes within Montgomery County to kids ages 18 and under (older if still in high school) who are Montgomery County residents. The free rides are available weekdays between 2 and 8 p.m.

The program, which is for students, operates year-round. Students should show their Youth Cruiser SmarTrip Card when boarding buses.  School photo identification cards (IDs) have been used in the past and will continue to be accepted until a cutoff date is set.   All student riders are requested to have a Youth Cruiser SmarTrip Card for use as soon as possible.  Some schools, all Montgomery County libraries, the Silver Spring TRiPS Store and the Treasury Division office sell the cards for $2.  Please see the list of schools at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dot-transit/kidsridefree/schools.html  New schools can sign up to participate by contacting Paula Van Hagen at Paula.Vanhagen@montgomerycountymd.gov. 

Other facts about the program are:

• TheYouth Cruiser SmarTrip® Card is a rechargeable farecard sold only to Montgomery County residents 18 years and younger (older if still in high school). It’s plastic, like a credit card, and is embedded with a special computer chip that keeps track of the values on the card. Monthly and summer passes are loaded electronically on to the card.

• Using the Youth Cruiser SmarTrip® Card is FAST AND EASY. The Youth Cruiser SmarTrip® Card is good on any regional transit system that accepts SmarTrip, including Metrobus and Metrorail, but the card must have stored value.

• A parent or child must come in person with proof of residency and age to purchase a Youth Cruiser SmarTrip® Card.  

**** Proof of age: birth certificate, state identification, learner's permit, passport

**** Proof of residency: child's state identification, learner's permit, school transcript or school correspondence which has name and address

• The Youth Cruiser SmarTrip Card is a SmarTrip card unique to Montgomery County.  As a SmarTrip card, added value can be purchased online (www.SmarTrip.com) or in person for use on Ride On, Metro, and other regional partner transit agencies.

• A charge of $4.25 is required when taking Express Route 70 outside of Kids Ride Free hours -- weekdays between 2 and 8 p.m. There is NO upcharge during Kids Ride Free hours.

• Kids Ride Free on Metrobus within Montgomery County - weekdays between 2 and 8 p.m - is limited to these routes: C2, C4, C8, D5, F4, J1, J2, J3, J4, K6, K9, L8, Q2, Q4, Q6, T2, Y2, Y7, Y8, Z2, Z6, Z7, Z8, Z11.  Youth Cruiser passes are not accepted on Metrobuses outside of Kids Ride Free hours.

• Student bus rides at times other than weekdays between 2 and 8 p.m. require payment, either by cash or using the added value on a Youth Cruiser SmarTrip card.

Youth Cruiser passes allow those 18 and under to take Ride On at steeply discounted rates.  The cost is $11 a month, good for unlimited rides on Ride On buses. During the summer, a three-month pass costs only $18. The Summer Pass pays for itself in 10 rides.  This is a great value for kids and families. Monthly and summer passes are loaded electronically on to the card.

Youth Cruiser Monthly Pass and Summer Pass may be purchased at the:

• Silver Spring TRiPS Store, 8404 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, inside the Paul Sarbanes Transit Center.

• the Mobile Commuter Store

• Montgomery County Treasury Division, 255 Rockville Pike, Suite L-15, Rockville

·    Certain Giant Food stores in Montgomery County. See list for details.

·    Certain CVS Pharmacy stores in Montgomery County. See list for details.

·    Certain other retail stores. See list for details. 

* www.SmarTrip.com

Montgomery County Libraries Partners With Ride On As Outlets for Youth Cruiser SmarTrip® Cards Available to Ride On Customers 5 to 18 years of age (older if still in high school)

Youth riders 18 years of age and under are able to purchase a Youth Cruiser SmarTrip® card at Montgomery County libraries. Proof of age and County residence are required to obtain a Youth Cruiser SmarTrip® card. Riders or their parents must obtain the card in person.  The young person does NOT have to be present to purchase the card. The cost is $2.  Proof of age and residency documents include birth certificates, passports, driver's license, any state issued ID, written correspondence from your child's school with the vital information.

Once riders have their Youth Cruiser SmarTrip® card, they can add stored value or passes to their card at certain locations (excluding libraries).  For special savings during the summer, youth riders can purchase a special Youth summer pass with unlimited rides on only Ride On from June 1 through August 31 for only $18.  Also, a Youth Monthly pass provides youth unlimited rides for only $11 a calendar month, a significant savings over regular fares.

Stored value can be added to the card for usage on Metrorail, Metrobus and other transit agencies that accept SmarTrip® cards.

In addition to Montgomery County Libraries, the Youth Cruiser SmarTrip® Card can be obtained at:

TRiPS Store 8404 Colesville Road, Silver Spring 240-773-8747

Mobile Commuter Store

Treasury Division 255 Rockville Pike, Suite L-15, Rockville 240-777-8930

Select Schools (click on drop down for Schools)

Youth Summer Pass Update - GET YOURS NOW!

Get Yours NOW for $18 and enjoy unlimited rides on Ride On buses June 1st through August 31st this summer!  The summer pass is added electronically to the Youth Cruiser SmarTrip card.  It can be purchased at  the Silver Spring TRiPS Store, the Mobile Commuter Store, the Montgomery County Treasury Office, CVS, Giant, and certain retail outlets.  See list for details.

* The Ride On Youth Summer Pass will be available for purchase starting Thursday, May 10, 2018. The Youth Summer Pass can be loaded on a Youth Cruiser SmarTrip^® card through July 31, 2018.

* The pass will also be available for purchase online from Thursday May 10, 2018 through Sunday July 15, 2018.

* For any problems with the SmarTrip^® device, call the SmarTrip^® Regional Customer Service Center at 1-888-762-7874.