Montgomery County launches new Ride On Trip Planner app

Credit: Montgomery County Department of Transportation

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) has announced the launch of a new Ride On Trip Planner app aimed at enhancing the convenience and accessibility of the Ride On bus service. Developed in collaboration with Moovit, the app can now be downloaded from the Google Play or Apple app store.

This innovative app offers users the ability to plan trips across multiple modes of transportation, including Ride On buses, Metrorail and Metrobuses, scooters and bike-share. Furthermore, it provides real-time reports on wait times and ridership levels for Ride On buses by utilising a crowd-sourcing information feature.

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said: “Improving mass transit ridership and eliminating cars from our roads is critical to our goals to combat climate change. I expect this app will help improve customer service, as well as help attract more riders to use Ride On services. I am thankful to the Federal Transit Administration for providing us with a grant for this effort.”

The Ride On Trip Planner app allows for the dynamic allocation of more buses to busier routes based on demand. It also includes features such as first- and last-mile directions to selected bus stops and push notifications to inform users when they have reached their destination. In addition to the mobile app, a web-based version is available for use.

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“MCDOT’s new Ride On Trip Planner app addresses two common requests we hear from customers,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “They can determine their travel times in advance and see more travel options with the inclusion of other modes such as Metro and bike-share. The app is a big step forward in making public transportation more accessible for everyone.”

The Ride On Trip Planner app also incorporates dashboards for the Ride On Central Communications team to monitor bus loads and dispatch additional buses more efficiently during peak travel times. This feature aims to reduce wait times for riders and enhance overall service.

During a trial period lasting 30 days, MCDOT had encouraged riders to download the app and provide feedback through various channels. The feedback received from users will be used to optimise the application, and MCDOT continues to welcome additional input.