Celebrates Earth Day with Montgomery County | Register Now for Bike To Work Day

Volume 10

March 2022

Montgomery County Celebrates Earth Day

In celebration of Earth Day, Montgomery Commuter Services will be attending Greenfest 2022. Hosted on April 23 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, participants can enjoy:

Face painting
Interactive musical petting zoo and games
Kid’s tree climbing
Plant and tree giveaways
Green Arts and Crafts Fair
Over 60 exhibitors featuring environmental nonprofits
Children’s yoga
Electric vehicle and car show
Food trucks (vegan options available)
And more!

Free parking and shuttle service between Glenmont Metro Station and Brookside Gardens will be available. Join us to walk the trails and enjoy nature while discovering how you can go green at home and in the community.

Looking to learn more? Visit the Greenfest 2022 website or follow #MCGreenFest on social media.

Bike to Work Day Registration Is Now Open

Registration for Bike to Work Day is now open. Join thousands of Montgomery County commuters on Friday, May 20, as they ditch their cars and routine commutes to participate in Bike to Work Day (BTWD).

The day kicks off with 100 early morning “pit stop” events located throughout the region, including 13 here in Montgomery County. Pit stops start as early as 6:30 a.m. and run for at least two hours. At each pit stop, you can enjoy raffle prizes, snacks, beverages, t-shirts, and more! Find the nearest pit stop to you and be sure to register in advance so you’ll be eligible for prizes.

The event is a great opportunity for commuters to try out biking to work over other forms of transportation. And for employers, encouraging biking to work can reduce healthcare costs, decrease absenteeism, increase productivity, reduce parking costs, and increase corporate social responsibility. Participate in Bike to Work Day and see if you can make it part of your daily routine!

Working from home? Teleworkers and remote employees are welcome, too! Stop by a pit stop to grab food, beverages, and raffle prizes!

Please visit the Bike to Work Day website to learn more.

Montgomery County’s ‘Go Electric’ Event Sparked Interest

Thank you to everyone who came out for our Go Electric event on March 19! To encourage switching from gas to electric in our communities, this event offered educational resources on how to reduce the impacts of climate change. Participants were also able to bring in old lightbulbs in exchange for up to three LED bulbs.

Guests also enjoyed sustainable and plant-based food, family fun, and information on Montgomery County’s green initiatives.

MCDOT showcased an electric bus, e-scooters and e-bikes for visitors to take on test rides. Highway services also demonstrated electric equipment such as mowers.

Interested in learning more about what we’re doing to save the environment? Visit our website to see how you can get involved in “going green” today.

Gas Prices Are Rising, But Ride On Is Still Free

Worried about the rising cost of filling your tank? Not only will Montgomery County’s Ride On bus service remain free until at least July 2, 2022, service levels were increased on March 13. Schedule changes include:

Ride On Flex, the on-demand service in Wheaton/Glenmont and Rockville, was restored.
Ride On extRa, the limited stop service along MD 355 between Lakeforest Transit Center and Medical Center, was restored. See new Ride On extRa schedule (PDF).
Flash, the bus rapid transit (BRT) line serving the US29 corridor, resumed full weekday service, and will continue to include service to the Food and Drug Administration campus in White Oak. See new Flash schedule.
Additional weekday trips will be added to these nine bus routes:
Route 9 - new weekday schedule
Route 14 - new weekday schedule
Route 20- new weekday schedule
Route 30 - new weekday schedule
Route 43 - new weekday schedule
Route 56 - new weekday schedule
Route 61 - new weekday schedule
Route 63 - new weekday schedule
Route 100 - new weekday schedule

Stay on top of Ride On’s schedules and updates here.

Another Way to Cut Commute Costs: FareShare

Employers, you can help your employees cut the cost of their commute by participating in FareShare. Montgomery County’s FareShare program provides matching funds to increase the dollar impact of an employer’s subsidy for employees who commute via vanpool or public transportation. The County will reimburse the employer for any amount provided over the $25 minimum contribution, up to $280/month. (A maximum of $40,000 is available in one year to any one employer.)

FareShare staff will visit your office free of charge to help you set up a commuting benefits program that is tailored to your company's and employees’ needs. Learn more about the FareShare program here.

Face Mask Still Required on Public Transportation

Safety is our top priority, so you must continue wearing an appropriate face covering for the entire duration of your trip while riding public transportation in Montgomery County. This includes Ride On buses, Ride On extRa, Flex, Flash, Metrobus, Metrorail, taxis and on-demand car services. All MCDOT buses can provide face coverings for those who don’t have their own.

Buses are cleaned twice daily with hospital-grade disinfectant. Bus filters and ventilation systems also are treated each night with a disinfectant.

Questions? Learn more here.

The Climate Commitment: How MoCo Is Taking Action

Montgomery County is committed to cutting community-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80% by 2027 and 100% by 2035. Achieving those goals requires a variety of actions that touch transportation, clean energy, buildings, carbon sequestration, climate adaptation, governance, and public engagement. Get a summary of what the County is doing in all those areas in this news release, or read the full 2nd quarter update (PDF) on the Fiscal Year 2022 Climate Work Plan.

Transportation-specific highlights include:

The County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) implemented the first dedicated bus lane project in the County (in Germantown) and expanded micro-mobility services to the Germantown area.
The MCPS Electric Vehicle school bus charging infrastructure is complete and operational for the first location at the Bethesda Depot. Fourteen buses have been delivered to MCPS and are in the process of road-testing.

Discover more about the Climate Action Plan here.