Kids Ride Free

Beginning July 1, the Kids Ride Free program will once again provide free rides on County Ride On buses and certain Metrobus routes within Montgomery County to kids ages 18 and under. The free rides will be available weekdays between 2 and 7 p.m.

The program, which is for students, will operate year-round. Students should show their school photo identification cards (IDs) when boarding buses. The Montgomery County Division of Transit Services will be printing a special ID for elementary, home school, and private school students who do not have school photo IDs. Those without IDs should contact their school first or call 311.

Other facts about the program are:

• An additional charge of $2.15 in cash is required when taking Express Routes 70, J7 and J9, even during Kids Ride Free hours -- weekdays between 2 and 7 p.m. Students riding the Express Routes at other times must pay the express fare of $3.65 when using a SmarTrip card and $3.85 when paying cash.

• Kids Ride Free on Metrobus is limited to these routes: C2, C4, C8, D5, F4, F6, J1, J2, J3, J4, J5, J7, J9, K6, L8, Q1, Q2, Q4, Q5, Q6, T2, Y5, Y7, Y8, Y9, Z2, Z6, Z8, Z9, Z11, Z13 and Z29.

• Student bus rides at times other than weekdays between 2 and 7 p.m. require payment, either by cash, a Youth Cruiser Pass or a 7-Day Pass.

Youth Cruiser passes allow those 18 and under to take Ride On at steeply discounted rates. (Youth Cruiser passes are not accepted on Metrobus.) The cost is $11 a month, good for unlimited rides. During the summer, a three-month pass costs only $18. Students must show proof of age when purchasing the Youth Cruiser Pass.

Youth Cruiser or 7-Day passes may be purchased at the:

• Silver Spring TRiPS Store, 8413 Ramsey Avenue;

• Friendship Heights TRiPS Store, 17 Wisconsin Circle; and

• Montgomery County Transit Information Center, 101 Monroe Street, 5th Floor, Rockville.

Monthly Pass

The Ride On Monthly Pass, which provides passengers with unlimited rides for one month, will increase to $40 beginning July 1.

Call ‘n Ride

Participants in the Call ‘n Ride program may purchase two coupon books a month, each of which provide $60 worth of taxicab rides. Beginning July 1, the price of the first monthly coupon book will remain at $5.25, but the price of the second monthly coupon book will increase by $5 to $10.25. The change will mean that patrons can purchase $120 worth of coupons for $15.25 every month.

For more information about Ride On, go to www.rideonbus.com.