Montgomery County will help Ride On passengers adhere to Gov. Larry Hogan’s executive order requiring public transportation riders to wear face coverings during the coronavirus pandemic.
The program, which began Tuesday, outfits buses with individually wrapped face coverings for passengers who do not have their own or who forget to bring one. Buses in Silver Spring are the first to have the face coverings.
Because of the limited supplies, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation is asking those who have their own face coverings to use them.
“We are grateful to the Department of General Services’ efforts to provide the supplies needed to help protect our riders,” MCDOT Director Chris Conklin said in a statement.
“That said, I strongly encourage Ride On passengers to provide their own face coverings whenever possible … so we can reserve these spare coverings for those who have no alternative. I also want to reinforce that bus service is being provided for essential travel only.”
MCDOT has also announced that passengers are now required to board the bus from the rear door; the front doors are reserved for passengers with a disability or stroller.
The number of passengers per bus will be limited to accommodate social distancing on-board.
Ride On services are still temporarily free to all passengers.
