Free fare on county Ride On buses on Tuesday, Feb. 4

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will offer free fares on all county buses on Tuesday, Feb. 4 to recognize Transit Equity Day. Transit Equity Day commemorates the life and legacy of Rosa Parks on her birthday. Free fare will be offered on Ride On, Ride On extRa, Flash and Flex. MCDOT Ride On buses also will display internal placards celebrating Rosa Parks and her lasting influence in establishing transportation equity as a fundamental civil right. 

"Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat was about more than one moment—it was about challenging an entire system of injustice," said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. "Public transit should be a tool for opportunity, not a barrier. In Montgomery County, we recognize that equity in transportation is about access—to jobs, to education, to health care and to a better quality of life. Offering free bus service on Transit Equity Day is a way to honor Parks’ legacy and reaffirm our commitment to making transit more affordable, reliable and accessible for everyone." 

The county offers several affordable transit options, with bus fares of $1 and free fare for seniors, people with disabilities and county youth with specialized SmarTrip cards. 

Transit Equity Day is part of a larger recognition of the contributions of Black Americans and the role of Black history in the pursuit of racial justice and equality during February, which is Black History Month.