Ride On Review -- October-December 2016

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Quarterly Newsletter      Montgomery County Department of Transportation    October - December 2016


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Come Drive With Us...Ride On is Hiring

The bus operator position is open until filled. Come and join Montgomery County Government. We are looking for applicants with excellent communications skills, and the ability to serve the riding public and fellow employees with honesty and integrity. We’re looking to hire more than 100 operators this year. The starting salary for the position is over $39,000.

Minimum Qualifications:

Must be 21 years of age, possess a valid driver’s license, and have 3 years driving experience, and no more than 1 point on driving record.  One year of direct customer service experience required. Experience driving a transit bus is a plus.

To apply go to: www.montgomerycountymd.gov/careers.


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Service Improvements on 18 Routes Went into Effect January 8th, 2017

Ride On made service changes to 18 routes on January 8, 2017. Most of the changes involved minor time adjustments so that bus schedules more closely match actual travel times in traffic.

The following routes were affected: 5, 8, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 24, 33, 42, 51, 52, 75, 93, 97 & 98. Click on the route number to view the new schedule.

Routes 12, 13, 75, 93 and 98 had map changes but no time changes. The maps for Routes 12 and 13 were updated to reflect the long-term detour routing that uses Sligo Creek Parkway in Takoma Park while the Carroll Avenue Bridge is undergoing a rehabilitation project. The Route 75 map now shows Gosnell Farm Drive, which is the site of the bus stops used to service the new Clarksburg Premium Outlets. For Route 93, the detour routing became the permanent routing. The Route 98 map now includes a new road, Waters Road, in Germantown that the route will use as it travels between Waterford Hills Boulevard and Wisteria Drive.


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Route 301 Service Debuts New Set of Wheels

Ride On’s Route 301 service between Tobytown Drive and Rockville Metro Station first hit the road in early October 2016, but about six weeks later, the route took to the streets with a brand new set of wheels.

Starting November 21, 2016, Route 301 began operating in a new 24-seat cutaway bus. The vehicle, which was leased specifically for Route 301, is the only one used to provide service on this route. Shortly before it was put into the service, the bus was wrapped with a vinyl cover so that the look and color scheme of the bus matches the rest of Ride On’s fleet.

The debut of the new bus coincided with the end of the free introductory fare period which ran since the service was started. Regular fares now apply on Route 301, and riders can also take advantage of the Kids Ride Free and Seniors Ride Free programs on this service.


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Ride On Moves into New Safety Training Center

Ride On’s training facility has found a new home at Montgomery County’s new Public Safety Training Academy, which was unveiled on Oct. 28, 2016.

Instructors and trainees now have access to a 2,075 square-foot building with classrooms and offices, and a training track that allows bus operators to practice on different types of roadway sizes and surfaces. The building, which occupies just one part of the academy’s property, is located at 8751 Snouffer School Road in Gaithersburg.

The facility hosts about 4 to 6 training sessions per year, with each session lasting 6 weeks. The sessions are usually filled with new operators, who are required to complete the six weeks of training, but it’s also open to veteran operators for retraining. Each session can have a maximum of 20 participants.

The new Public Safety Training Academy is also heavily used by the Montgomery County Police Department, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, the Montgomery County Sherriff’s Office, the Montgomery County Department of Corrections and other local agencies.


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Route 75 Provides Service to New Clarksburg Premium Outlets

Shoppers who are ready to modify the financial condition of their wallets at the new Clarksburg Premium Outlets can leave their cars behind and take Ride On’s Route 75 to the new retail wonderland.

When the Clarksburg Premium Outlets opened in late October 2016, Route 75 began to provide bus service to two newly established bus stops on Gosnell Farm Drive, which is located just outside of the outlets’ property.

Currently, service to the outlets runs Monday through Friday from approximately 5:15 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. The map above gives an aerial view of the new bus stops.


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Mark Your Calendar

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Open Houses

Presidents' Day

  • Monday, February 20, 2017 - Ride On will run on a Holiday Schedule

Sign Up for Ride On Text Alerts!

Text MONTGOMERY RIDEON to 468311


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Rider Tips

  • Have your fare ready when boarding and understand how to insert the fare correctly
  • Move to the rear of the bus so others may board quickly
  • Allow seniors and disabled persons to occupy priority seating
  • Please do not occupy more than one seat when others need seating
  • Close your strollers and have children seated for their own safety
  • Refrain from smoking, eating, drinking or spitting
  • Use headphones when playing audio devices at low volume
  • Stay behind the safety line on the bus when you are standing
  • Allow the operator to drive the bus safely by not speaking with the operator while the bus is moving
  • As a courtesy, exit from the rear and hold the rear door open for the person behind you when exiting
  • Use the light of your cell phone to signal the bus when it is dark
  • For your safety, don’t run after the bus if you miss it. Another bus will come