Spending your Earth Day Monday in Maryland means spending less on public transportation and more time saving the planet.
In Montgomery County, Ride On buses, which includes Ride On, Ride On extRa, Ride On flex and Flash, will be free to use on Monday, April 22, in celebration of Earth Day, according to a statement from the Montgomery County Department of Transportation.
“Earth Day is a great opportunity to try public transportation,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “I especially encourage residents to try some of our innovative transportation options such as Flash, our Bus Rapid Transit line, and Ride On Flex, an on-demand shared ride system.”
County Executive Marc Elrich is encouraging anyone traveling through the state to enjoy alternatives to driving that could be more friendly to our environment and planning.
“By choosing public transportation, you can reduce your carbon footprint, and you could read or relax and let someone else worry about the driving,” Elrich said.
Don’t worry if you’re not in you’re not in the state’s most populated county because the Maryland Transit Administration is also offering free trips for those using “Light Rail, [the Baltimore-area Metro Subway], Commuter Bus, MARC and Mobility” options across the state.
In a statement from the state’s transportation department, Secretary Paul Wiedefeld and Administrator Holly Arnold encouraged riders to choose public transportation, aid in decreasing congestion on the roads and lower vehicle emissions throughout the region.
“As stewards of our planet, we must embrace sustainable transit solutions that foster healthier communities. Offering a day of free transit allows Marylanders to experience the many transit options available to them and effect change in meaningful way,” Wiedefeld said.
New riders can use their transit app of choice or visit the Maryland Transit Administration website to plan their trip. Regular riders can commute as normal and “enjoy the free ride,” MTA said.
WTOP has a guide to Earth Day events across the D.C. area
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