Speakers cite free Montgomery County bus service, urge continued focus on transit equity

An unidentified speaker at a Montgomery County event tied the legacy of Rosa Parks to current transit policy on the county's free bus network, saying, "And here in Montgomery County, we have fast, free, and frequent bus service."

The speaker, identified in the transcript as Speaker 1, cited agency data in support of the program: "Ridership has increased 5.4%" and "riders have saved about $1,200 a year because of our policy." Those figures were presented as the primary performance metrics for the county's fare-free service.

Another attendee, listed in the transcript as Speaker 2, said the week's events were "a tremendous reminder" of obstacles transit riders face and urged both county and state governments to act. In the recorded remarks, Speaker 2 said officials must "pay attention to, making sure that we have safe, reliable, convenient transit for everyone."

Speaker 3 said the commemoration occurs twice a year and noted the timing around Rosa Parks' birthday. The transcript includes a garbled reference to "Chair Glass" and language about refusing to move a seat; the record is unclear about who is being described or whether that comment referred to Rosa Parks or a local official, so this article does not attribute that specific claim to any named person.

No motions, votes, or formal board actions were recorded in the provided transcript. The discussion focused on celebrating Parks' legacy, publicizing Montgomery County's fare-free transit metrics, and calling for continued government attention to barriers riders face. The event organizers said the commemoration is held twice a year and coincides with Parks' birthday.