MCDOT ‘Essential Plus’ Service to Expand Over the Weekend

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) is adding to their Ride On bus “Essential Plus” service starting Sunday, July 5.

According to a press release by the county government/county officials, the expansion is in cooperation with county reopening adjustments — changes spearheaded by County Executive Marc Elrich’s Phase 2 plans. In order to meet both traffic and demand needs, extra buses will operate on certain routes. Additionally, a number of “diversion” stops, which had been halted for a time, will be reinstated. Service hours and frequency will also change. Details can be found here.

🆕 @MCDOTNow will expand @RideOnMCT bus service beginning Sunday, July 5. Changes include activating additional buses to provide more trips on about half of the routes in service. Learn more: ➡https://t.co/GcfaobA4xy. pic.twitter.com/SLH1Q8TUIc

— Montgomery County MD (@MontgomeryCoMD) June 30, 2020

Other changes made by MCDOT during the pandemic are still in place: riders are required to wear a face mask during the entirety of their trip and must attempt to maintain a safe social distance from non-family members. Those in need of a ramp may board at the front of the bus, while everyone else must get on in the back. Service continues to be free while Essential Plus is in place. The expansion will not alter the weekday or weekend routes established when the plan was first implemented.

About Tori Bergel

Tori Bergel was a summer 2020 intern at Montgomery Community Media. At the time, she was a rising senior within the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland.

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