In honor of Veterans Day, the MTA will offer free rides to U.S. military veterans, active-duty military and members of the National Guard and Reserves all day Wednesday, November 11.
This is the eighth consecutive year that the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) will honor people who have served in the military by giving them free rides on Veterans Day.
“The MTA is proud to again provide a small token of our thanks to our veterans and military personnel by providing them free rides on our services on Veterans Day,” said Tony Bridges, Maryland Transit Administrator. “We hope the free ride offer makes it easier for veterans, service members and their families to take in the commemorative events and memorials going on around the area on the holiday.”
Free transit will be available on Maryland Transit Administration Local Bus, Metro Subway, Light Rail, MARC Train, Commuter Bus and Mobility. Eligible riders need to present one of three IDs:
- Department of Defense-issued ID (Armed Forces/Uniformed Services/Military Retiree);
- Department of Veterans Affairs-issued ID; or
- Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration Veteran designation on a driver’s license or state ID.
Riders who are not eligible to ride for free can use the CharmPass mobile ticketing app for purchasing tickets as usual, and the Transit app to help navigate the transit system. The Transit app is free and gives riders real-time schedules, predicted arrival times and step-by step navigation for all fixed-route service including Local Bus, Light Rail, Metro Subway, MARC Train and Commuter Bus. Riders who use the app also receive alerts on any service disruptions.
The MTA also participated in the Baltimore City Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, Nov. 7 as a way of supporting veterans.
Veterans Day is a holiday dating back to November 1918, during World War I. An armistice, or temporary halt in hostilities, was declared between the Allied nations and Germany at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of that year. The following year it was commemorated in many nations as Armistice Day, and in 1938, November 11 became a federal holiday in the United States. After World War II and the Korean War, Armistice Day became known as Veterans Day.
