Students Can Ride County Buses Free with Youth Cruiser Card

MCPS students aged 5 to 18 (older, if the student is still in high school) can ride for free all the time on all Montgomery County Ride On buses, including Ride On extRa, Ride On Flex and Flash. The card also will waive fares on most Metro buses operating in the county. Value also can be added to the card for service on Metrorail and Metrobuses outside the county.  

Students can pick up a free Youth Cruiser card at area schools and libraries. Youth Cruiser cards offer free bus fare for all Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) Ride On buses and most Metro buses.

Bicycles can be mounted on the front of all Ride On buses or taken aboard the Flash bus, currently operating on U.S. 29/Columbia Pike, which makes using buses a friendly option for young riders.

The Ride On Trip Planner can be downloaded for regional trip planning including Ride On, Metro rail and bus, Bikeshare and scooters. The app is free and provides live updates and shortest routes. Download from the Apple App store or Google Play.

Schools interested in being a Youth Cruiser card provider can email Coletta Mercado at MCDOT or call 240-777-5935 to get free cards.