According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of Montgomery County is around one million people. Many of those people rely on advanced infrastructure for transportation, including public methods of transportation. The bus system in the county is important, not just for civilians, but also for students. This applies specifically to high school students, who may need transportation to their jobs, their homes, or even the library, and they need free fare to do so. To aid this need for public transportation, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation made changes to the county’s Ride On bus service for more frequent service on several routes. This change went into effect Sunday, Jan. 29, according to Jack Moore of WTOP news.
For students, bus fare is free if they make sure to bring a student ID for identification by a bus driver. According to WTOP, a total of 31 bus routes are going to be provisioned with an increased frequency of buses. This is based on recent ridership, so the increased frequency of buses was based on the increasing number of people taking these routes. However, there will also be a reduced number of buses on four routes: 45, 46, 75, and 96. These routes will experience less frequent buses due to the reduced number of people riding them. Other routes will also change when they operate. Meaning, buses will arrive earlier or later than they used to.
The changes in bus schedules have had positive reactions from local high school students. Thomas S. Wootton High School junior Dena Shao said, “[I] think it would be a really good thing because for some people who may live far away from hangout areas, it would be more convenient for them to take a bus home.”
Furthermore, Montgomery County resident Senthil Jyothiprakashan noted the environmental benefits of the new change. “It helps people use public transportation more than having to drive cars, which is ecologically friendly,” Jyothiprakashan said.
Additionally, the more frequent bus service may prompt county residents to take the bus more often due to increased convenience. Overall, the increase in bus route service is seen as beneficial for many people in the Montgomery County community.
Written by Tarun Senthil of Thomas Wootton High School
Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons