Paying Tribute to Rosa Parks On Transit Equity Day
Annually, February 4 is celebrated nationally as Transit Equity Day. This day honors civil rights activist Rosa Parks on her birthday. Parks is best remembered for her brave act of resistance in 1955, when she refused to give up her seat to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama. Her actions inspired the local Black community to organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott, led by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The boycott lasted more than a year and ended only when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that bus segregation was unconstitutional. The year of the boycott was filled with hardship for the Black community, many of whom were dependent on buses for transportation. Parks lost her job and experienced harassment but became a nationally recognized representation of dignity and strength in the fight to end racial segregation.
Park’s role highlighted racism in the public transit system and ignited change. It affirmed that transportation equity is a civil right and highlights the importance and great responsibility that all transit departments have to ensure that all residents are served equitably.
At the Montgomery County Department of Transportation, everything we do is through a lens of equity. Bus fares have been reduced to $1, from the $2 pre-pandemic fare, to make transit more affordable and the department honors local programs providing free rides to seniors, people with disabilities, and county youth.
We have been working to reassess our transit system to best meet the needs of residents through our Ride On Reimagined Study. Through public engagement and feedback, the study produced system-wide recommendations to better serve over one million County residents.
Our mission is to move people and connect places with seamless, equitable transportation options that are safe, environmentally responsible, and support economic growth and vibrancy in Montgomery County.
To commemorate Transit Equity Day, all Ride On buses will display a commemorative poster to honor Rosa Parks for her bravery and the importance of the movement she ignited. Be sure to visit our library of customer videos to hear about what transit equity means to our riders. We will be adding videos throughout February.
Low-Income Transportation Resources
Connect-A-Ride Provides free information on transportation programs available for older adults and members of the disability community.
Call-N-Ride is a subsidized taxi service for low-income seniors aged 65 and older and low-income persons with disabilities ages 18-62. Subsidy assistance is provided on a sliding fee scale determined by total household income.
Bike & Scooter Programs
Capital BikeShare Provides the Capital BikeShare For All program, offering free unlimited 60-minute rides on pedal and e-bikes with and a free helmet to qualifying low-income residents.
Bird Provides the Bird Access program that offers unlimited 30-minute e-scooter rides for free to low-income riders that are enrolled, or are eligible to be enrolled, in government assistance programs.
Lime Provides the Lime Access program, providing qualifying users with significantly discounted e-bike and e-scooter rides.
Spin Provides the Spin Access program, offering a variety of cheaper ride rates for e-bikes and e-scooters to users with limited incomes.