Ride On (Maryland)

Ride On

The current logo for Ride On
Ride On bus at the Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center
Formerly	Ride-On
Parent	Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT)
Founded	March 31, 1975
Headquarters	101 Monroe Street, 5th Floor Rockville, Maryland, US
Service area	Montgomery County, MD
Service type	fixed-route bus service, paratransit, demand responsive transport, and bus rapid transit
Routes	82
Depots	Nicholson, Gaithersburg, and Silver Spring
Fleet	400 (est.)
Daily ridership	60,600 (weekdays, Q1 2026)
Annual ridership	19,640,400 (2025)
Fuel type	CNG, diesel, and battery electric
Operator	Montgomery County Department of Transportation, Route 301 and FLEX operated by external contractors.
Manager	Christopher Conklin
Website	Official Site

Ride On, formerly Ride-On, is a local bus transportation system in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. Managed by the Montgomery County Department of Transportation, Ride On primarily serves Montgomery County, with short segments of service crossing borders into Prince George's County and Washington, D.C. It is a separate entity from WMATA, which also provides a bus service in Montgomery County, along with a rail service. Ride On operates on 82 routes throughout Montgomery County.

In fiscal year 2018, it operated with a US$112.3 million budget. In 2025, the system had a ridership of 19,640,400, or about 60,600 per weekday as of the first quarter of 2026, making it one of the most heavily ridden suburban bus systems in the United States.

History

Ride On's former logo, used in the 1970s and 1980s

Ride On's former logo, used from the mid-1990s to late 2008

1970s–1990s

Ride On began service on March 31, 1975, as Ride-On, in response to WMATA asking Montgomery County to pay for the operation of Metro Bus routes within the county. Serving Silver Spring and Takoma Park, two routes were in operation with 20 buses: the Blue and the Green. Within a few weeks, Ride-On was carrying twice the number of passengers projected: about 2,000 riders per day. Ride-On was the first major local bus operator to emerge in the DC Region following the formation of Metro Bus in 1973.

In the fall of 1984, as the Washington Metro's Red Line extension to Shady Grove station was complete, Ride On saw its largest route expansion to date. Numerous routes were added to accommodate passengers who would utilize the eight new Metrorail stations along the western portion of Montgomery County.

2000s

In 2000, Ride On buses were painted in a special livery to commemorate Ride On's 25th anniversary.

On September 11, 2001, Ride On buses were used to transport Montgomery County firefighters to The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia to assist in search and rescue operations following the terrorist attacks that occurred on that day.

In 2006, Ride On began accepting SmarTrip cards and in August of that year, all the Ride On buses started to be equipped with compatible fareboxes.

2010s

On May 20, 2011, a Ride On bus crashed into a KFC restaurant in Glenmont around 7:30 AM. Authorities believed the driver passed out while making a left turn onto Georgia Avenue and lost control of the bus due to having a heart attack. There were three passengers on the bus; the driver and one of the passengers were taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. The only occupant in the building of the crash was not injured. While the damage to the building was considered minor, an inspector deemed it unsafe, and the restaurant never reopened afterward.

Ride On celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2015 with certain buses wrapped in the transit agency's 40th anniversary livery.

In 2017, Ride On extRa route 101, a new Peak-Hour limited stop service, was launched with service between Lakeforest Mall in Gaithersburg and Medical Center Metro in Bethesda. The route provided a more frequent alternative to existing routes in the corridor, with limited stops and running every 10–15 minutes.

In October 2018, Ride On received a $4.365 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration to replace diesel buses with 10 new battery electric buses. The first buses were built in 2019 and entered service in 2020.

2020s

In March 2020, Ride On significantly altered bus service in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many routes were suspended with other routes having significantly reduced service. Fare collection was also suspended until July 2022.

On October 14, 2020, Ride On's bus rapid transit service, FLASH, debuted along US 29 between Briggs Chaney and Silver Spring, with peak hour service continuing to Burtonsville. FLASH was the second BRT system to be launched in the DC region, after WMATA's Metroway in Virginia.

In July 2023, Ride On launched their official mobile app, Ride On trip planner, created in partnership with Moovit. The app provides trip planning tools and real-time arrival information for Ride On buses.

On December 27, 2023, a Ride On bus crashed into a house in Silver Spring around 7:30 PM. The driver reportedly lost control of the bus while entering a roundabout, hit a parked car, and collided with the side of the house. There were no passengers on the bus, and the house was not occupied at the time. It was later discovered that the same vehicle had previously been involved in the aforementioned KFC incident in May 2011.

In September 2024, the first phase of the Great Seneca Transit Network was launched, with two new Ride On extRa Routes being added to serve the Life Sciences region and the Universities at Shady Grove. The Pink and Lime routes run frequent service all-day and weekend services.

Ride On celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025 with multiple buses featuring a special 50th anniversary wrap.

On June 29, 2025, the agency launched the first phase of its "Ride On Reimagined" transit master plan. Most of the changes in this phase were made to complement WMATA's system-wide Better Bus Network Redesign which took effect on the same day. It also eliminated all fares on all of its transit services beginning the same day, becoming the 4th operator in the DC region to go fare-free, after DASH, TheBus, and CUE Bus.

On February 2, 2026, Ride On launched its third Flex Zone route, serving areas near White Oak, Sandy Spring, and New Hampshire Avenue to cover areas previously served by the discontinued Metrobus route Z2.

On July 1, 2026 Ride On discontinued their original launched Flex zone route that served areas such as Rockville, Glenmont, Wheaton, after a 7-year operation run that started on June 26, 2019 and ended on the day of July 1, 2026.

Routes

Ride On offers 82 routes throughout Montgomery County. All the routes run through peak rush hour periods between 6 and 9 AM and between 3 and 7 PM on weekdays. Many routes offer services for off-peak hours and weekends as well. The following table contains the full list of local and supplemental routes currently in operation.

Local Service Routes

Route	Unofficial Name	First Terminal	Second Terminal	Service	Notes
1	Connecticut/East-West	Friendship Heights	Silver Spring Transit Center	Daily	via Connecticut Avenue & East-West Highway
2	Lyttonsville	Ride-On Operations Center		Daily
4	Wheaton/Kensington	Wheaton Metro		Weekday Peak	via Kensington
5	Strathmore Avenue/Kensington	Twinbrook Metro		Daily	via Kensington
6	Grosnevor Lane	Montgomery Mall	Parkside Condos	Mon-Fri	via Grosnevor-Strathmore Metro
7	Inwood Drive	Wheaton Metro	Forest Glen Metro	Weekday Peak	Peak direction service (AM to Forest Glen, PM to Wheaton)
8	Forest Glen		Silver Spring Transit Center	Daily	via Forest Glen Road & Metro Holy Cross Hospital (Eastbound Only from Forest Glen Metro)
9	Arcola/Colesville				via Arcola Avenue
11	East-West Supplimental	Friendship Heights		Weekday Peak	Supplemental to Route 1 Peak direction service (AM to Friendship Heights, PM to Silver Spring)
12	Flower Avenue	Takoma Metro		Daily
13	Sligo Creek			Weekday Peak
14	Franklin Avenue			Mon-Sat
15	Manchester Road	Takoma Langley TC		Daily
16	Caroll/Langley Park	Takoma Metro			via Langley Park
17	Philadelphia Avenue	Takoma Langley TC
18	Fenton Street/Takoma				via Montgomery College TPSS Sunday Service Between Takoma and Langley Park Only.
19	Northwood	Forest Glen Rd/Burnett		Weekday Peak	via Northwood neighborhood Peak direction service (AM to Silver Spring, PM to Dallas Avenue/Northwood)
20	Piney Branch/New Hampshire	Hillandale Center		Daily
21	White Oak/Fairland	Briggs Chaney P&R		Weekday Peak	via US-29 Peak direction service (AM to Silver Spring, PM to Briggs Chaney)
22	Cresthaven	Hillandale Center		Weekday Peak	Serves the White Oak FDA Campus
23	MacArthur Boulevard	Sibley Memorial Hospital	Friendship Heights	Mon-Sat	via MacArthur Blvd and Brookmont
24	Piney Branch Supplimental	Hillandale Center	Takoma Metro	Weekday Peak	Peak direction service (AM to Takoma, PM to Hillandale Center)
25	Maple Avenue	Takoma Langley TC	Takoma Metro	Weekday Peak
26	Aspen Hill/Old Georgetown	Montgomery Mall	Glenmont Metro	Daily	via Aspen Hill Road, Twinbrook & North Bethesda Metro Stations, and Old Georgetown Road
27	Powder Mill Road	Hillandale Center	Tech Rd / US-29	Daily	via White Oak Adventist Hospital Enters Prince George's County as part of the route.
28	Silver Spring Circulator	Silver Spring Transit Center		Mon-Sat	Silver Spring Circulator
29	Glen Echo	Bethesda Metro	Friendship Heights	Daily	via Glen Echo
30	Pooks Hill Road	Medical Center	Bethesda Metro	Mon-Fri
31	Kemp Mill	Glenmont Metro	Wheaton Metro	Weekday Peak	via Kemp Mill
32	Carderock/Cabin John	Bethesda Metro	Naval Ship R&D Center	Weekday Peak	via MacArthur Blvd
33	Kensington Parkway	Glenmont Metro	Medical Center	Weekday Peak	via Kensington
34	Cedar Lane/Kensington	Bethesda Metro	Wheaton Metro	Daily	via Kensington
36	Bethesda Loop	Bethesda Metro		Mon-Fri	via Bradley Bouelvard
37	Tuckerman Lane/Potomac	Potomac Community Center	Wheaton Metro	Weekday Peak	via Kensington, Grosnevor Metro, and Tuckerman Lane
38	Garrett Park	North Bethesda	Wheaton Metro	Daily
39	Good Hope Road	Briggs Chaney P&R	Glenmont Metro	Weekday Peak	via Good Hope Road
40	Veirs Mill Road	Montgomery College (Rockville Campus) (MC Business Hours Mon-Sat) Rockville station (Early AM, Late PM, Sunday)	Wheaton Metro	Daily	Operates to Montgomery College during business hours Mon-Sat. Early AM, Late PM and all Sunday Service ends at Rockville Station.
41	Connecticut Avenue/Aspen Hill	Grande Pre / Bel Pre	Wheaton Metro	Daily	via Weller Road, Glenmont Metro and Connecticut Avenue.
42	Montrose/Bells Mill	Montgomery Mall TC	North Bethesda	Mon-Sat
43	Shady Grove Road	Traville / USG	Shady Grove	Daily	via Shady Grove Road
44	Edmonston/Monroe	Twinbrook Metro	Rockville Station	Weekday Peak
45	Baltimore Road/Fallsgrove	Fallsgrove Center	Rockville Station	Mon-Sat
46	Rockville Pike	MC Rockville	Medical Center	Daily
47	Seven Locks/Greentree	Bethesda Metro	Rockville Station	Daily	via Montgomery Mall and Park Potomac
48	Rock Creek/Veirs Mill	Rockville Station	Wheaton Metro	Daily	via Rock Creek Village
49	Bel Pre Road		Glenmont Metro	Daily	via Bel Pre Road
51	Layhill/Norbeck	Georgia Ave/ICC P&R	Glenmont Metro	Weekday Peak
52	Norbeck Road	Rockville Station	Medstar Montgomery	Weekday Peak	via Norbeck Road
53	Bowie Mill/Olney	Shady Grove	Glenmont Metro	Weekday Peak	via ICC/MD-200 and Olney
54	Muddy Branch/Rio Lakefront	Rockville Station	Lakeforest Transit Center	Daily	via RIO Lakefront
55	Frederick Avenue	Rockville Station	Germantown Transit Center	Daily
56	Darnestown/Quince Orchard	Rockville Station	Lakeforest Transit Center	Daily	via Quince Orchard & Darnestown Roads
57	Redland/Gaithersburg	Shady Grove	Lakeforest Transit Center	Daily	via Old Town Gaithersburg
58	Snouffer School Road	Shady Grove	Lakeforest Transit Center	Daily	via Snouffer School Road
59	Deer Park/Crabbs Branch	Rockville Station	Montgomery Village/Club House	Daily	via Crabbs Branch Way and Lakeforest Transit Center.
60	Centerway/Flower Hill	Shady Grove	Montgomery Village/Club House	Weekday Peak	via Centerway Road Peak direction service (AM to Shady Grove, PM to Montgomery Village)
61	Watkins Mill Road	Shady Grove	Germantown Transit Center	Daily	via Watkins Mill Road
63	Piccard Drive	Rockville Station	Shady Grove	Mon-Fri	via Piccard Drive
64	Emory Grove Road	Shady Grove	Montgomery Village/Club House	Daily	via Emory Grove Road
65	Midcounty Highway Limited	Shady Grove	Montgomery Village/Club House	Weekday Peak	via Mid-County Highway Limited-Stop Service Peak direction service (AM to Shady Grove, PM to Montgomery Village)
66	King Farm/Medical Center	Shady Grove	Traville / USG	Weekday Peak	via King Farm neighborhood Peak direction service (AM to Traville, PM to Shady Grove)
67	Dufief Mill Road	Shady Grove	Traville / USG	Weekday Peak	via Dufief Mill Road Peak direction service (AM to Shady Grove, PM to Traville)
70	Germantown/Bethesda Express	Bethesda Metro	Milestone P&R	Weekday Peak	Express via I-270 Peak direction service to Medical Center (AM to Bethesda, PM to Milestone)
71	Dawson Farm/Clopper	Shady Grove	Kingsview P&R	Weekday Peak	via Dawson Farm Road Peak direction service (AM to Shady Grove, PM to Kingsview)
73	Cabin Branch	Shady Grove	Cabin Branch	Weekday Peak	via Clarksburg
74	Great Seneca Highway	Shady Grove	Germantown Transit Center	Mon-Sat	via Great Seneca Highway
75	Germantown/Clarksburg	Germantown Transit Center	Clarksburg Correctional Facility	Daily
76	Darnestown/Poolesville	Shady Grove	Poolesville	Mon-Sat	via Darnestown and Kentlands
78	Richter Farm/Clopper	Shady Grove	Kingsview P&R	Mon-Sat	via Richter Farm Road
79	Clarksburg	Shady Grove	Gateway Center	Weekday Peak	via Clarksburg Peak direction service (AM to Shady Grove, PM to Clarksburg)
81	Tower Oaks	Rockville Station	North Bethesda station	Weekday Peak	via Tower Oaks Blvd
83	Milestone/Germantown	Germantown Transit Center	Holy Cross Germantown Hospital	Mon-Sat	via Milestone Center
90	Damascus	Shady Grove	Damascus/Milestone Center	Mon-Fri	via Damascus Midday Service extends to Milestone Center
96	Rock Spring/Grosnevor	Montgomery Mall TC	Grosvenor	Weekday Peak	Montgomery Mall served during Midday Only.
97	Germantown Loop	Germantown Transit Center		Daily	via Crystal Rock Drive
98	Germantown/Kingsview	Germantown Transit Center	Kingsview P&R	Mon-Sat	via Richter Farm Road
100	Shady Grove/Germantown Express	Shady Grove	Germantown Transit Center	Daily	Non-stop via I-270
301	Travillah/Glenstone	Rockville Station	Tobytown Drive	Daily	via Glenstone Museum Operated by external contractor.

Flash BRT & Ride-On Extra Network

These high-frequency corridors utilize dedicated lanes and "Transit Signal Priority" to bypass congestion.

Route	First Terminal	Second Terminal	Service	Notes
FLASH Blue	Silver Spring Transit Center	Burtonsville Park and Ride	Weekday Peak	bypasses White Oak To be extended to Howard County in September 2026.
FLASH Orange	Silver Spring Transit Center	Briggs Chaney Park and Ride	Daily	via White Oak
ExtRa 101	Medical Center Metro	Lakeforest Transit Center	Weekday Peak	Operates to 13 stops every 10 minutes.
ExtRa Pink	Shady Grove Metro	Traville Gateway TC/USG	Daily	High-frequency medical and life sciences corridor.
ExtRa Lime				Serves RIO / Washingtonian Center and Crown.

Deviations as part of

Route	Deviation
1	Select Trips serve Leland Street, Mon-Sat Only. Select Peak-Hour Trips via Ross/Spencer Roads.
2	Peak Hour Trips via Fort Deterick (AM to Lyttonsville, PM to Silver Spring).
5	Select Trips serve Victory Forest Apartments.
12	Select Trips via Twelve Oaks Drive on Request.
14	Select Weekday Takoma-Bound Trips via Eastern Middle School.
19	Select PM Trips serve Parkway Plaza
20	Select Weekday Trips extend to Cresthaven
30	Select Trips via Whitley Park Terrace
32	Persimmon Tree Road and Eggert Drive served in the Peak Direction Only (AM to Carderock Springs, PM to Bethesda)
36	Peak Hour Trips via Hillandale Road (AM Inbound, PM Outbound)
38	Select Trips via Westfields Wheaton Select Weekday Trips serve the Holiday Park Senior Center
43	Weekday Trips via Gaither Road (6AM-8PM Only)
45	Select Weekday Trips serve the Rockville Senior Center
52	Service on portions of the route run Peak-Direction Service Only Avery Treatment Center served in the Peak Direction Only (AM to Olney, PM to Rockville) Select Trips operate to the Our Lady of Good Counsel High School
53	Service on portions of the route run Peak-Direction Service Only Non-Stop Express between Norbeck Road and Glenmont Metro Serves the IIC P&R in the Peak Direction Only (AM to Glenmont, PM to Shady Grove/Olney) Some Peak-Direction trips operate non-stop along MD-200 to and from Shady Grove Select Trips via Magruder HS
54	Limited Peak-Hour Service to NIST Select Trips via Muddy Branch Shopping Center, Mon-Sat Only
55	Buses do not serve Montgomery College Germantown on Sundays
56	All Weekday Trips operate via Edison Park
58	Peak Hour Trips serve Turkey Thicket Drive
59	Peak Hour Trips going towards Montgomery Village bypass Walker's Choice
75	Select Weekday trips via Clarksburg HS Peak Hour service extends to Germantown MARC Station
76	Poolesville served during Weekday Peak Hours Only Off-Peak and Saturday Service ends at Quince-Orchard High School
78	Peak Hour Trips via Metropolitan Grove (AM to Shady Grove, PM to Kingsview)
83	Peak Hour service extends to Germantown MARC Station
90	Some segments of the line change routings throughout the day Midday Service extends to Milestone P&R County Airpark served towards Shady Grove in the AM and towards Damascus/Milestone in the PM
97	AM Clockwise, PM Counter-Clockwise Peak Hour trips via Germantown MARC Station
98	Select Weekday Trips via Germantown Community Center Peak Hour Service to Cinnamon Hill Select Saturday Trips via Maryland Soccerplex
301	First and Last two trips do not serve Glenstone
FLASH Orange	Peak Hour, Peak Direction service to the FDA White Oak Campus (AM to Briggs Chaney, PM to Silver Spring)

Regional Transit Hubs

Montgomery County's bus network is anchored by several "Super Hubs" that serve as multi-modal gateways. The ongoing construction of the Purple Line, a 16-mile light rail line scheduled to open in late 2027, is the primary driver of infrastructure updates at these locations. Ride On serves 13 Metrorail stations and numerous transit centers that facilitate these regional connections.

Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center (Silver Spring): The county's largest hub, connecting Ride On, Metrobus, MARC, and the Metrorail Red Line. In early 2026, the station saw temporary closures to finalize the Purple Line platform on the third level (north side), which will allow seamless transfers between bus levels and light rail.

Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center: Located at the intersection of University Blvd and New Hampshire Ave, this $35 million facility serves as the primary "East County" anchor. It is currently being integrated with a major Purple Line stop to link Langley Park residents to both Bethesda and New Carrollton.

Bethesda Transit Center: A massive engineering project is nearing completion to connect the deep-level Red Line station to the new Purple Line terminus. As of February 2026, construction on the South Entrance is advancing to link the two systems, and the Capital Crescent Trail tunnel is slated to reopen by late 2026 or early 2027.

Shady Grove & Rockville: These remain the primary hubs for the MD-355 corridor. While not directly on the Purple Line, they are being upgraded with enhanced Flash BRT docking stations to feed passengers into the county's growing high-capacity transit spine.

Major Facilities and Connections

The county's transit network includes transit centers, major park-and-ride lots, and WMATA Metro stations, along with connections to neighboring agencies and various passenger rail services.

Location	Facility Name	Connecting Agencies	Rail Connections
Silver Spring	Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center	Metrobus (WMATA)	Red Line, MARC Brunswick Line
Langley Park	Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center	Metrobus, TheBus	Purple Line (2027)
Bethesda	Bethesda Metro Station	Metrobus, Fairfax Connector	Red Line, Purple Line (2027)
Rockville	Rockville Station	Metrobus	Red Line, MARC Brunswick Line, Amtrak Floridian
Derwood	Shady Grove Metro Station	None	Red Line
Wheaton	Wheaton Metro Station	Metrobus	Red Line
Glenmont	Glenmont Metro Station	Metrobus	Red Line
White Oak	Tech Road Park and Ride	Metrobus	None
Fairland	Briggs Chaney Park & Ride	Metrobus	None
Burtonsville	Burtonsville Park & Ride	Metrobus	None
North Bethesda	North Bethesda Metro Station	Metrobus	Red Line
Rockville	Traville Gateway TC/USG	Shuttle-UM	None
Friendship Heights	Friendship Heights Metro	Metrobus	Red Line
Hillandale	Hillandale Center	Metrobus	None
Takoma	Takoma Metro Station	Metrobus	Red Line
Olney	Montgomery Medical Center	Metrobus	None
Aspen Hill	Georgia Avenue/ICC Park & Ride	Metrobus	None

Additional services

Along with standard fixed-route operations, Ride On operates three additional services, Ride On extRa, Ride On Flex, and Flash BRT.

Ride On extRa

Logo of Ride On extRa

Ride On extRa is a limited stop bus service to complement major local bus routes by following similar routing but making fewer stops to help speed up travel time.

Route 101 began service on October 2, 2017, complementing routes 55 and 46 along Maryland Route 355, serving 13 stops from Medical Center Station in Bethesda to Lakeforest Transit Center in Gaithersburg. The route operates every 10–20 minutes in both directions with service during weekday peak hours only.

The Great Seneca Transit BRT Network began service on September 8, 2024, with the first phase consisting of two routes, Pink and Lime, with another two routes planned for the second phase. The Pink and Lime routes both start at Shady Grove station and end outside The Universities at Shady Grove campus, but follow different routing to provide service to the Great Seneca Life Sciences Complex and various neighborhoods and business districts in Gaithersburg. Both routes operate daily with varying service levels.

Ride On Flex

Logo of Ride On Flex

Ride On Flex is an on-demand bus service that began serving Montgomery County on June 26, 2019 and was effectively discontinued on July 1, 2026 that ran in and around Rockville, Glenmont, Wheaton, and currently only serves White Oak, Sandy Spring as of July 2026 with its release in February. using 11-passenger cutaway buses. Passengers are able to request a bus using an app.

Flash BRT

Main article: Flash BRT

Logo of Flash BRT

Flash is a bus rapid transit network that began service on October 14, 2020. The first route operates between Silver Spring Metro station and Burtonsville Park & Ride along US Route 29 (route is planned to get extended to the mall at Columbia Transit Center). The second route operates between Silver Spring Metro station and Briggs Chaney Park and Ride along US Route 29. Future routes are in development throughout Montgomery County. Flash has dedicated bus stops with prepayment machines and operates in a mix of traffic and dedicated lanes using articulated buses.

Fares

In 2009, the agency stopped the issue or acceptance of paper transfers, requiring all riders to use the WMATA operated SmarTrip system in order to get discounted fares and free transfers. Fares were suspended from March 2020 to July 2022 in response to COVID-19. A month later, Ride On set one-way fares at $1.00 regardless of payment method, while qualified riders were allowed to continue riding fare free.

In 2025, the Montgomery County Council elected to make all the buses free, eliminating all the fares starting on June 29, 2025.

Fleet

Ride On has a fleet consisting of diesel, CNG, and battery electric buses produced by Gillig Corporation, Nova Bus, and Starcraft. Its operations are divided among three garages: Nicholson (Kensington), Silver Spring, and Gaithersburg. The agency also has a climate action plan to transition to a completely zero-emissions fleet by 2035.

Active fleet

Image	Year	Make/model	Fleet numbers	Engine	Transmission	Notes
	2008	Gillig Low-Floor 40 ft	5726-5746	Cummins ISL EPA07	Allison B400R5-B400R6	Final buses delivered in the 2nd gen blue/white paint scheme 5727, 5729, 5731, 5740, & 5741 are retired from service, with 5729 and 5731 being involved in accidents. 5737, 5744, & 5746 in FLASH wrap. 5726, 5728, 5732-5736, & 5742-5743 are currently redeployed at Silver Spring. 5730, 5738-5739, & 5745 are currently deployed at Gaithersburg. All 2nd gen/regular paint units are inactive as of current/reserve-fleet.
	2009		5747-5757		Aliison B400R5	First buses delivered in the 3rd gen blue/yellow/green paint scheme. 5751 and 5753 are only used for operator training. 5752 and 5757 retired in 2021 and are used for parts. 5755 and 5756 no longer in service as of 2026. Only 5747-5750 and 5754 are active.
		Gillig Low-Floor 29ft	5007-5031		Allison B400R5	Originally retired in 2020 and replaced by 42001D-42039D, 5 units re-actived in July 2022 for the launch of Route 27. 5008 was retired after crashing into a house in Silver Spring in 2023. It was previously involved in another accident in 2011 where it crashed into a KFC in Glenmont. 5011 retired in 2025. Only 5017, 5025 and 5027 are active.
	2013	Gillig Low-Floor 40ft	5759-5770	Cummins ISL9 EPA10	Allison B400R6	5759-5761, 5769 and 5770 deployed to Silver Spring, 5762-5768 deployed to Gaithersburg.
	2013	Gillig Low-Floor 29ft	5032-5059		Allison B400R6	All units repainted into the 4th gen paint scheme.
	2014	Gillig Low-Floor 40ft CNG	5837-5855	Cummins-Westport ISL G EPA13	Allison B400R6	First Gillig CNG buses delivered. 5840 retired due to accident damage. 5842 is out of service following an accident on May 1, 2026. 5843 is retrofitted with a Cummins Westport L9N EPA 2024 engine.
	2014	Gillig Low-Floor 29ft	5060-5091	Cummins ISL9 EPA13	Allison B400R6	Last buses to use a 4-digit number scheme. 5091 retired after suffering fire damage. 5072 retired due to accident damage. Most units are repainted into the 4th gen paint scheme. 5060-5068 deployed to Nicholson, 5069-5090 deployed at Silver Spring.
	2016	Gillig Low-Floor 40ft	44000D-44039D		Allison B400R6	First buses to use a 5-digit number scheme and include the build year with the unit number. 44000D-44024D deployed to Silver Spring, 44025D-44039D deployed to Gaithersburg.
	2016	Gillig Low-Floor 40ft CNG	44040C-44055C	Cummins-Westport ISL-G EPA13	Allison B400R6
	2016	Gillig Low-Floor 29ft	42000D	Cummins ISL9 EPA13	Allison B400R6
	2017	Gillig BRT Plus 40ft	44056D-44072D	Cummins L9 EPA17	Allison B400R6	Ordered for the launch of Ride On extRa route 101 in 2017. Also used on the Lime and Pink routes since their 2024 launch, and used occasionally as FLASH reserve buses.
	2017	Gillig Low-Floor 40ft	44073D-44080D		Allison B400R6
	2017/2018	Gillig Low-Floor 40ft CNG	44081C-44118C	Cummins-Westport L9N EPA17	Allison B400R6	44115C-44118C built in 2018 but are noted as part of the 2017 batch of Gillig CNGs. 44118C is used only for training. 44104C is out of service following an accident on January 28, 2022. 44115C was retired from service following an accident on an unknown date. 44101C is out of service following an unknown incident on May 22, 2025.
	2019		44119C-44141C	Cummins-Westport L9N EPA19	Allison B400R6	Last CNG order for Ride On. 44129C-44139C repainted into Ride On extRa scheme in 2024 for service on the Lime & Pink routes. 44141C is used only for training. 44131C was retired from service following an accident on December 10, 2024.
	2019	Gillig Low-Floor 40ft	44142D-44144D	Cummins L9 EPA19	Allison B400R6
	2019/2020	NovaBus LFS Artic	46000D-46015D		Allison B500R6	Second non-WMATA articulated bus operator in the region Ride On's only NovaBus order. Used exclusively on the FLASH BRT.
	2020	Gillig Low-Floor 40ft	44145D-44153D		Allison B400R6
	2020/2021	Gillig Low-Floor 29ft	42001D-42039D	Cummins L9 EPA19/EPA21		Last diesel buses ordered by Ride On. 42001D-42022D deployed to Nicholson, 42023D-42025D and 42037D-42038D deployed to Silver Spring, and 42026D-42036D, 42039D deployed to Gaithersburg.
	2022	Gillig Low-Floor Plus 40ft EV	44154E-44163E	Cummins/Accelera BES		First Gillig EVs delivered to a DC region operator.
	2024		44164E-44175E			44165E in Ride On extRa livery
	2025		44176E-44236E			44225E-44236E in Ride On extRa livery
	2026		44237E-44265E			44237E-44241E deployed to Silver Spring, 44242E-44249E & 44251E-44252E deployed to Gaithersburg 44256E is delivered in the FLASH livery with a total of 4 ordered units for the FLASH Blue route extension coming in September 2026. Units currently being delivered, total number of units unknown. Goal for this fleet is currently 112+ units in service by the end of FY26.
	2026-2028	New Flyer Industries XHE60	46016H-46028H	Ballard FCmove-HD+ fuel cell ZF AVE 130 (center axle) Cummins/Accelera ELFA3 (rear axle)		46016H and 46018H confirmed to be delivered with 46016H being the first one revealed by MCDOT in May 2026. 46019H built/delivery in progess. Units currently being delivered as of May 2026. To be used on the FLASH BRT routes by 2028. First Xcelsior buses for Ride On, and the first hydrogen fuel cell buses in the DC region.

On order

Manufacturer	Model	Length	Year built	Numbers (total)	Fuel	Notes

Cutaway vehicles

Image	Year	Vehicle Model	Fleet Numbers	Notes
	2016	Ford E-450/Starcraft Allstar	59-61	Only used on route 301 Operated by JCA Only 59 and 61 operating. 60 is retired.
	2019	Ford Transit 350HD/Starcraft Starlite	1000D-1006D	Used for Flex on-demand services Operated by an external contractor

Retired fleet

Delivered	Make	Model	Numbers	Retired	Image	Engine	Transmission	Notes
1979–1981	Transportation Manufacturing Corporation	T-30 CityCruiser 30 ft	5100-5256	1998		Caterpillar 3126	Allison MT-740	Ordered as part of a joint-order with Frederick TransIT. Originally used Detroit Diesel 6V53T engines.
1984	Orion Bus Industries	Orion I	5257-5297	2010		Detroit Diesel 6V71N	Allison MT-643	One was used to transport Montgomery County first responders to The Pentagon to assist in search and rescue operations after the attacks on September 11, 2001.
1990/1991			5500-5544			Detroit Diesel 6V92TA	Allison HTB-748
1988/1989	Gillig	Phantom	5300-5356	2004		Cummins C8.3	Allison MT-647	Only transit phantoms powered by Caterpillar 3208T engines. Re-powered to Cummins in the 1990’s.
1994-1996			5360-5397			Detroit Diesel Series 50	Voith DIWA 863.3
1997			5400-5409
1999			5410-5423			Cummins ISM	Allison B400R5
1993	Flxible	Metro D	5700-5703	2008		Cummins C8.3G	Unknown	Former MDOT MTA units Powered by LNG Used mostly on the route 70 Bethesda-Germantown express. Replaced by 5726-5746
1993	Orion Bus Industries	Orion V	5546-5547			Detroit Diesel 6V92TA	Allison HTB-748	Unit replacements unknown
1996			5550-5565			Cummins M11	Voith DIWA 863.3
1998			5572-5579			Cummins M11E
1999			5705-5725			Detroit Diesel Series 50	Voith DIWA 864.3
2001/2002			5580-5611
1996		Orion V CNG	5997-5999	Unknown		Cummins L10G	ZF HP590
1997		Orion V	5100-5130	2015??		Detroit Diesel Series 50	Allison B400R5	Ex-WMATA units, purchased in 2012.
1999/2000		Orion V CNG	5803-5821	2014/2015		Detroit Diesel Series 50G	Voith DIWA 864.3	Replaced by 5837-5855.
1995	Orion Bus Industries	Orion VI CNG	5801-5802	2005		Cummins L10G	Allison B400R4	Originally Orion demonstrator buses. One unit trialled with London Transit and the other with the TTC in Toronto. Sold to Ride On in or around 1999. Rarely used under Ride On, and replaced by 5822-5836 in 2005.
2003	Orion Bus Industries	Orion VII CNG	5900-5917	2017-2019		Detroit Diesel Series 50G	Voith DIWA 864.3E	Replaced by 44081C-44141C from 2017-2019.
2004			5918-5932			Cummins-Westport C-Gas Plus
2005			5933-5957				ZF EcoMat 5HP592C
2005	New Flyer Industries	C40LF	5822-5836	2020			Allison B400R6	First New Flyer buses ever ordered by Ride On. Withdrawn in 2020 during the COVID pandemic due to rear door malfunctions. Replaced by 44119C-44141C and 42001D-42039D
2006/2007	Gillig	Low Floor 40 ft HEV	5300-5313	2020		Cummins ISB EPA04	Allison EP40 Hybrid System	First Gillig Low Floors in the fleet, and the first hybrid buses for Ride On. Withdrawn in 2020 due to age and reliability problems. Replaced by 44145D-44153D Originally numbered in the 5700s range, renumbered to the 5300s range to avoid conflicting numbering with the 2009 Gillig LF40 diesels and hybrids being delivered.
2009			5314-5348	2025		Cummins ISB EPA07		5314 was delivered as 5349 and eventually renumbered. 5329 was struck by a WMATA XD40 in a head-on collison inside Silver Spring station on November 7, 2024 which led to it being subsequently retired from service. Replaced by 44164E-44224E in November 2025, with the series starting retirement phasing in June 2025 through final units November 2025. 5333 was the final unit in service of the 2009 fleet on November 22, 2025.
2011			5349-5360	2025-2026		Cummins ISB6.7 EPA10		Replaced by 44176E-44224E in 2025/2026, with units beginning withdrawl in November 2025. 5353 was the final unit in service of the 2011 fleet on January 8, 2026.
2012			5361-5367					Last order of hybrids for Ride On. Replaced by 44176E-44224E and 44237E-44241E in May 2026, with 5361 and 5362 withdrawn in January 2026, and 5363-5367 withdrawn in May of the year. 5363 last ran on May 1, 2026, ending 20 years of hybrids at Ride On and being the final unit in service.
2011		Low Floor 40ft	5758	2026		Cummins ISL9 EPA10	Allison B400R6	Retired from service on January 8, 2026 and replaced by 44164E-44224E. Only diesel bus ordered for Ride On with an EPA10 Cummins ISL9 engine.
2008	Gillig	Low Floor 30 ft	5001-5006	2020-2021		Cummins ISL EPA07		First 30ft Gilligs for Ride On. 5003 ran until April 2021. 5001 previously used for training, replaced by 44141C in 2025. Replaced by 42001D-42039D
2019	Proterra	Proterra Catalyst BE-35	43000E-43003E	2025		UQM/Eaton		First electric buses for Ride On. Some units were retired in 2024 due to Proterra’s bankruptcy and the resulting shortage of spare parts, with 43002E-43003E being retired in September 2025. Replaced by 44176E-44224E

Divisions

The bus fleet, owned and operated by Ride On, is distributed among three garages that are Nicholson, Silver Spring and Gaithersburg.

Garage	Address	Capacity	Routes	Buses	Notes
Silver Spring	8710 Brookville Road Silver Spring, MD 20910	200	1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 34, 36, 39, 40, 41, 47, and 51 Weekends: 23, 29, 38, and 42	Diesel: 5759-5761, 5769-5770, 44000D-44024D, 44145D-44153D, 5017, 5025, 5027, 5069-5090, 42000D, 42023D-42025D, and 42037D-42038D Ready reserve fleet: 5726, 5728, 5732-5736, and 5742-5743 (all units OOS/sidelined) Electric: 44154E-44164E, 44166E-44224E, 44237E-44241E	Served by route 2. Underwent renovations to include a solar microgrid for battery electric buses. Houses most of the Ride On Gillig EV 40' fleet (all Ride On extRa units are stored at Gaithersburg with a few regular service units).
Gaithersburg	16700 Crabbs Branch Way Gaithersburg, MD 20855	200	43, 46, 48, 49, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 70, 71, 73, 74, 75, 76, 78, 79, 90, 100, 101, Lime, Pink, FLASH Blue, and FLASH Orange Weekends: 45, 83, 97, and 98	Regular routes: Diesel: 5747-5750, 5754, 5762-5768, 44025D-44039D, 44073D-44080D, 44142D-44144D, 42026D-42036D, and 42039D Training diesels: 5751 and 5753 Ready reserve fleet: 5730, 5738-5739, and 5745 (all units OOS/sidelined) CNG: 5837-5839, 5841, 5843-5854, 44040C-44055C, 44081C-44114C, 44116C-44117C, 44119C-44128C, and 44140C Training CNGs: 5855, 44118C, and 44141C Electric: 44242E-44249E, and 44251E-44252E Ride-On Extra: Diesel: 44056D-44072D CNG: 44129C-44139C Electric: 44165E and 44225E-44236E FLASH BRT: Diesel: 5737, 5744, 5746, and 46000D-46015D Electric: 44256E-TBD (4 2026 Gillig Low Floor Plus EVs ordered/delivery in progress for the Howard extension for route FLASH Blue) Hydrogen: 46016H and 46018H delivered, and 46019H delivery in progress (46016H-46028H)	Stores and maintains the training fleet. Stores and maintains Ride On's CNG fleet. Houses buses for Ride On extRa and the FLASH BRT.
Nicholson	4700 Nicholson Court Kensington, MD 20895	68	Weekdays: 6, 7, 23, 29, 31, 32, 33, 37, 38, 42, 44, 45, 52, 53, 81, 83, 96, 97,98, and Ride On Flex Midday: 47 and 75 Late night: 30 and 75	Diesel: 5032-5068 and 42001D-42022D Flex: 41000D-41006D	Only houses 30ft buses. Weekdays only as of October 2021 Houses the Flex Vehicles.
Shady Grove (Unofficial)	16651 Crabbs Branch Way, Derwood, MD	Any open space	None (Storage for retired buses)	Diesel: 5001, 5011, and 5758 Hybrid: 5314-5348, 5349-5360, and 5361-5367 Electric: 43000E-43003E CNG: 5842, 44101C, 44104C, 44115C, and 44131C	Shared with the MCPS Shady Grove school bus lot. Stores retired buses awaiting sale for scrapping or reuse.

External links

• Official website
• Official real time tracking site
• Ride On - A look back at 48 years of innovation