Starting February 1, 2026, Montgomery County students will need to tap a Youth Cruiser SmarTrip card to receive free rides on Metrobuses throughout the county. The requirement is separate from Ride On's existing zero-fare policy. MCDOT has highlighted bus routes serving several county high schools, including Springbrook, Northwest, Montgomery Blair, Seneca Valley, and Gaithersburg High Schools.
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Source: Montgomery County, MD, “January 2026 Ride On Newsletter”, received Jan 17, 2026.
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This alert didn't include additional links. The primary source is the county email cited above.
Key dates
2026-02-01
effective — Youth Cruiser SmarTrip card required to ride Metrobuses fare-free in Montgomery County
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