First phase of improvements implemented on December 27, 2009

Click here to see the information card placed on Q Line buses.
Click here to read the brochure about the Q Line changes.
Click here to read Frequently Asked Questions about the Q Line.

Following a study of transit improvement options for the Veirs Mill Road Line that took place in 2008-09, the project team received Metro Board approval to implement the first phase of improvements on December 27. The first phase of changes is described below.

In the first phase of improvements, two new overlapping routes were added to the line:

• Q4 - Rockville Metro to Silver Spring Metro (all stops, daily, 15-minute schedule during peak periods and 30-minutes midday)
• Q6 - Shady Grove Metro to Wheaton Metro (all stops, Monday-Saturday, 15-minute schedule during peak periods and 30-minutes midday)

The study showed that most activity on the line takes place on Veirs Mill Road. The two new routes overlap along the busiest part of the corridor and provide more service to riders between Rockville and Wheaton.

In addition to the Q4 and Q6, two more routes were added:

• Q1: Shady Grove to Silver Spring, bypassing Montgomery College (early and late full-length trips, daily)
• Q5: Shady Grove to Wheaton, bypassing Montgomery College (typical midday schedule, Sunday)

During the study, many riders indicated that the service to Montgomery College is time-consuming for those who want to get to other destinations along Frederick Road/Hungerford Drive. The addition of the Q1 and Q5 means that riders who want to bypass the college will now have that option.

The existing Q2 route (from Shady Grove to Silver Spring via Montgomery College) remains in place for early and late full-length trips daily, meaning that five routes in total now serve the Veirs Mill Road corridor.

Operational Improvements Included:

In addition to the route changes taking place along the Q2/Veirs Mill Road Line, several operational improvements are happening to make the service run more smoothly. Among these are:

• Increased Supervision – a team of Metrobus supervisors is focus ing only on the operation of the Q Line. They are in direct communication with bus drivers, advising them about problems on the road, suggesting detours as needed, and ensuring that buses don’t get bunched up along the routes.

• Greater Parking Enforcement – Enforcement of parking regulations around bus stops helps improve the overall flow of the bus service, especially along Georgia Avenue and in Silver Spring.

• Enhanced Bus Driver Training – additional training is being given to bus drivers to help them deal with problems specific to the Q Line.

Pending Metro Board approval, a second phase of improvements may be implemented in the near future. Please visit this website throughout 2010 for developments!



A Q2 bus stops at Rockville Metro. Metro, in partnership with the Montgomery County and Maryland Departments of Transportation, conducted a study of transit improvements for the Veirs Mill Road corridor in 2009, including a rider survey, public meetings, and a comprehensive technical analysis. The previous Q2 service averaged about 10,200 passengers every weekday—one of the highest riderships in the Metrobus system.

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