As Thanksgiving Day approaches, Montgomery County Department of Transportation is adjusting its transportation services for the holiday, and commuters should plan accordingly if they're looking to navigate around the county. Montgomery County Department of Transportation offices will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 27, in observance of the holiday, and public parking garages, lots, and curbside meters are giving drivers something to be thankful for—they're free for the day.
The staple of local mobility, the Ride On bus service, is dialing back to a Sunday schedule, which means fewer buses and potentially longer wait times, the official Montgomery County Department of Transportation announcement states, and since the calendar dictates it’s a day of rest, the Ride On extRa, including the Pink and Lime bus services, and Flex will also be following a Sunday schedule; meanwhile, the extRa (Route 101) and Flex services will take a total break from service.
For those accustomed to the rhythm of the Ride On Flash bus service, there's a partial reprieve—the Orange Route is still running on a Weekend/Holiday schedule, thus there’s a lifeline for some riders; however, the Blue Route waves the white flag, surrendering to the holiday as it will not be in service on Thanksgiving Day. The TRiPS Silver Spring commuter store and its mobile counterpart will also be closed, leaving commuters to look elsewhere for their transit-related services and questions, as reported by the Montgomery County Department of Transportation.
Anybody planning to hit the city or visit friends and family by train or bus should note the Metrorail and Metrobus are on a Weekend Late Night schedule that starts at the crack of dawn—6 a.m. and runs until the stroke of midnight; on the upside of commuting, the Metro will revert to its regular schedule the day after Thanksgiving, according to the same Montgomery County Department of Transportation press release. MARC Train users might find themselves stuck at the station with no service on all three lines on Thanksgiving Day, and Friday doesn’t hold much better, only the Penn Line will be operating, and that too on a Saturday schedule—the Brunswick and Camden lines will still be on a break.
Lastly, the MTA Commuter bus service is mostly pausing for a two-day breather, not operating on either Thursday or Friday, except for Route 201, which keeps its wheels turning on the Weekend/Holiday "S" schedule. Travelers relying on these services are urged to check out their respective websites for more detailed information about the holiday schedule adjustments to avoid any unwelcome surprises during their Thanksgiving Day commutes, as per the Montgomery County Department of Transportation.
