Montgomery County Department of Transportation Announces the Return of Decorated Winter Holiday 'Flash Lights' Buses

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) has announced the return of "Flash Lights" buses for the 2024 holiday season. The buses feature colorful winter lights around the bus windows and a neon sign reading "Happy Holidays" along the side. Residents can ride on one of the five decorated Flash Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses running along Colesville Road/U.S. 29 throughout December.

"The Flash Lights buses have become a wonderful holiday tradition in Montgomery County, and I'm glad to see them return this year," said County Executive Marc Elrich. "These buses bring festive cheer to our communities while highlighting our Flash BRT system. This service is about making transit accessible and enjoyable for everyone, whether heading to work, shopping or simply taking in the holiday spirit along U.S. 29. I encourage everyone to hop on a Flash Lights bus this holiday season."

Riders are encouraged to post pictures of the Flash Lights buses on their Bluesky, X, Facebook, Threads and Instagram accounts and tag @MCDOTNow for a chance to win a $25 gift card. Each winner will be randomly selected from all participants in a weekly drawing. The contest will run until Friday, Jan. 6. The first winner will be announced on Monday, Dec. 9.

"The Flash Lights buses have been delighting residents since 2021," said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. "We created this tradition to bring attention to the Flash BRT service and create a memorable experience for riders and onlookers. Flash buses have been very popular with the community, with high-frequency buses, real-time bus arrival information at weather-protected stations and features such as level boarding for wheelchairs, strollers and bikes onboard. They allow travelers to access shopping, entertainment centers easily and other vital services along the corridor."

The decorated Flash buses run along Colesville Rd/Columbia Pike (U.S. 29) between the Silver Spring Transit Center, Briggs Chaney and Burtonsville, with stops along the way. The County-operated bus line began in 2020 and offers fast, convenient service running every seven to 15 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes on weekends.

Fares on Ride On for most riders is only $1 per ride. Seniors (65 and older), persons with disabilities and youth under 19 ride free with specialized SmarTrip cards. The U.S. 29 Flash buses are the first of a series of Flash BRT corridors planned for the County to provide a premiere bus service, often with dedicated lanes and signal priority. MCDOT will start construction in the Veirs Mill Road corridor next year to implement Flash service and improve pedestrian and bicycle safety in the corridor.

Visit RideTheFlash.com to learn more about Flash BRT and how to ride the bus. To encourage riders to try out the Flash around the holidays MCDOT has created a Holiday Get Around Guide highlighting the many shopping centers and attractions accessible by the Flash U.S. 29 route.

For more information on MCDOT programs and services visit montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot, follow @MCDOTNow on Bluesky, X, Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to MCDOT's "Go Montgomery!" newsletter.