UPDATED: Montgomery County Transit Services for Federal Workers Returning to Office

Federal employees returning to in-person work can take advantage of accessible and convenient transit services from the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT). MCDOT Ride On buses service Federal work locations across Montgomery County and larger transit hubs to facilitate travel into Washington, D.C. Additionally, passengers who ride Metro buses or rail receive a free same-day transfer to Ride On buses.  

“For those looking for commuting solutions, the good news is that the region is better connected than ever before, and in Montgomery County, public transit is affordable with a fare of $1 for all MCDOT Ride On buses,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “MCDOT has steadily increased bus service over the last few years, with faster, high-frequency bus service that uses sections of dedicated bus lanes and traffic signal priority to reduce congestion impacts on bus speed.”  

Public transportation ridership in Montgomery County has been steadily growing since the pandemic. 

“Ride On has a growing ridership, with weekday ridership up to 58,000 in 2024 from 46,000 in 2023,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “The County hosts quite a few federal institutions and the hope is that employees returning to worksites will give transit a try and keep this momentum moving in a positive direction.”

In addition, MCDOT and other County agencies have been working with Federal agencies to expand parking availably near select Federal installations.  

List of Bus Routes Near Major Federal Offices Within Montgomery County: 

• National Institutes of Health (NIH), 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda. Ride On boardings at the Medical Center Metro bus loop - 30, 33, 34, 46, 70, 101.  The Metro Red Line and Metrobus Routes J1 and J2 service this location. MTA Commuter Bus 203 is also available at this location. 

• Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, 8901 Rockville Pike, Bethesda. Ride On boardings at the Medical Center Metro bus loop - 30, 33, 34, 46, 70, 101.  The Metro Red Line and Metrobus Routes J1 and J2 service this location. MTA Commuter Bus 203 is also available at this location. 

• Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring. Ride On bus route 10 boards on New Hampshire Avenue; Bus route 22 boards at FDA entrance bus loop; Flash boards to the left of the FDA bus loop - 10, 22 and Flash. Metrobus Routes K6, K9 and C8 are also available near the FDA Campus. MTA Commuter Bus 203 and 204 are also available at this location.  

• Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Lansdowne Street (near N. Bethesda Metro Station), Ride On routes 5, 26, 38, 46, 42, and 101. Customers can board at 4 bus stops (South and North bound) at Marinelli Rd and Rockville Pike.

• Department of Energy Campus, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown. Ride On bus route 83 boards at Germantown Transit Center, Century Boulevard (Bus Stop Id. 15012 / Bay F). All other Ride On bus routes board on GTC Aircraft Drive - 55, 61,74, 75, 83.  

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring. Ride On bus route 28 stops in front of NOAA; all other bus routes stop around the corner at the Silver Spring Transit Center - 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 28.  The Metro Red Line, MARC Commuter Rail Brunswick Line and numerous Metrobus routes including J1, J2, S2, S9, Q2, Q4, Y2, Y7, Y8, Z2, Z6, Z7, Z8, F4, 70 and 79 service this location. MTA Commuter Buses 305, 315 and 325 are also available at the Silver Spring Transit Center. 

• Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville. All Ride On bus routes board at Rockville Pike and Marinelli Drive - 5, 26, 46, 101. The Metro Red Line is also available at this location via the North Bethesda Stations. 

• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg. Ride On bus route 54 boards outside the gate to the NIST campus - 54.  

• Internal Revenue Service (IRS), 6010 Executive Blvd., Rockville. Ride On bus boardings at Executive Boulevard and Jefferson Street (Bus Stop Id. 22052 or 22038) - 5, 26. 

• Social Security Administration, 10229 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring, 20903. All Ride On bus routes board at the Hillandale Transit Center - 10, 20, 22, and 24. Metrobus Routes K6, K9 and C8 are also available near this location. 

• National Cancer Institute, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Rockville. Ride On bus boardings at Medical Center Drive (Bus Stop Id. 23996) - 43, Ride On extRa Pink.

• Department of Health and Human Services, 5600 Fishers Lane. Ride On bus route 10 and Metrobus route C4 - Customers can board at 2 bus stops (opposite) both are located at Parklawn Drive and Parklawn Building.

Local Transportation Options and Incentives: 

• MCDOT Ride On has four transit lines, including Ride On, Ride On extRa, Flash Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and flex book and go bus service, providing about 80 bus routes throughout the County. Every ride is $1 and free for seniors 65 and over, customers with disabilities and youth under 19 with specialized SmarTrip cards.  

• Download the Ride On Trip Planner App, which makes it easy to navigate regional transportation options. In addition to the local Ride On bus services, the app integrates Metro bus and rail, MARC commuter rail, Capital Bikeshare and other modes, displaying the fastest arrival times.   

• Metrorail - schedule/timetable, fare / fare options, Trip Planning 

• Metrobus - schedule/timetable, fare / fare options, Trip Planning 

• MARC Train- schedule, fare, Trip Planning  

• MTA Commuter Bus - schedule, fare, Trip Planning 

• Fairfax County launched bus service between Northern Virginia and Bethesda with the Fairfax Connector Express Route 798 in September 2024.

• Montgomery County’s Bus Rapid Transit line, Flash, runs on US 29/Colesville Road and provides direct access to the FDA building from the Silver Spring Transit Center to the south and access as far north as Burtonsville. Flash buses arrive every seven to 15 minutes, allow bikes onboard and operate more like light rail, stopping at each of the modern, weather-protected stations. Flash offers amenities such as Wi-Fi and USB charging onboard. Seven additional, integrated Flash corridors are planned, with the next, along Veirs Mill Road between Downtown Rockville and Downtown Wheaton, moving into construction later this year.  

• The Great Seneca Transit Network, Pink, and Lime extRa routes launched last year and provide high-frequency service, running east-west connections between the Shady Grove Metro and the Traville Gateway Transit Center, adjacent to the Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville. The Pink Route links the busy Shady Grove corridor with the Life Sciences Center via Medical Center Drive. The Lime Route uses I-370 to provide an express route to RIO, Crown Farm and the heart of the Life Sciences Center at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center. 

• MCDOT has been implementing bus priority projects for faster buses. In some cases, MCDOT works with the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA). For example, the dedicated bus lanes on University Boulevard and Georgia Avenue help decrease bus travel time between Montgomery County and Washington, D.C. and provide faster and further-reaching access to Metro. 

• Montgomery County’s transit service was recently assessed with a two-year study, Ride On Reimagined. The study looked broadly at all transit offered in the County and engaged the public to make in-depth recommendations to better serve ridership needs. Changes to Ride On bus services to boost efficiency will take effect as early as this summer. 

• Using transit to counter the stress of regular commuting to the office has well-documented health benefits. Public transit supports health by increasing step count, providing fresh air and allowing time to check emails and news while someone else does the driving. It also saves money compared to the cost and maintenance of a single-occupancy vehicle and parking fees.