The Veirs Mill Road Line, designated routes Q2, Q4, Q6, were daily bus routes operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Silver Spring and Shady Grove Metro stations of the Red Line of the Washington Metro. The line operated every 16–30 minutes at all times at a combined frequency of 10 minutes during weekday peak-hours, 15 minutes during the weekday midday and weekends, and 30 minutes during the late nights. All trips roughly took 55–60 minutes. The line operated along the Veirs Mill Road (MD 586) corridor connecting passengers to various Metro stations and communities. The line was transferred to Ride On and renamed to Route 40 during WMATA's Better Bus Redesign in June 2025.
Background
The Veirs Mill Road Line consisted of routes Q2, Q4 and Q6. Route Q2 operated between Silver Spring and Shady Grove Metro stations. Route Q4 operated between Silver Spring and Rockville Metro stations. Route Q6 operated between Wheaton and Shady Grove Metro stations. All three of the routes operated under the same routing between Wheaton and Rockville stations. Most of the Q2 and Q6 trips served Montgomery College's Rockville campus, except during early morning and late night hours (before 6 AM and after 10 PM), and all day on a Sunday. During AM peak, the Q4 route did not operate, and all of the Q2 trips operated between Silver Spring and Montgomery College's Rockville campus only. The scheduling of the routes went as the following: Route Q2 operated during the AM Peak Hours and after 6:20 PM on weekdays, and before 8:00 AM and after 7:00 PM on Saturdays and before 8:00 AM and after 5:00 PM on Sundays. Route Q4 operated daily until 7:00 PM between Monday and Friday, until 8:00 PM on Saturdays and until 5:00 PM on Sundays. Route Q6 operated from Monday through Friday from 5:05 AM until 7:35 PM, from 7:00 AM until 7:35 PM on Saturdays and from 9:00 AM until 5:35 PM on Sundays.
Routes Q2, Q4 and Q6 operated out of Montgomery division. They sometimes utilized articulated buses due to their high ridership volumes.
Route stops
Bus stopDirectionQ2Q4Q6ConnectionsMontgomery County, MarylandSilver Spring stationBus Bay 218Northbound station,Southbound terminal Metrobus: 70, 79, F4, J1, J2, S2, S9, Y2, Y7, Y8, Z2, Z6, Z7, Z8 Ride On: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 28, Flash BRT (Blue, Orange) MTA Maryland Bus: 915, 929 Shuttle-UM: 111 Peter Pan Bus Washington Metro: MARC: Brunswick Line MTA: Purple Line (Planned)Georgia Avenue / Ellsworth DriveNorthbound Metrobus: F4, Y2, Y7, Y8 Ride On: 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 20Wayne Avenue / Dixon AvenueSouthbound Metrobus: 70, Y2, Y7, Y8Georgia Avenue / Colesville RoadSouthbound Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8 Ride On: 8, 21, 22Georgia Avenue / Cameron StreetBidirectional Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8 Ride On: 28Georgia Avenue / Spring StreetBidirectional Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8Georgia Avenue / Ballard StreetBidirectional Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8Georgia Avenue / Noyes DriveBidirectional Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8Georgia Avenue / Highland DriveBidirectional Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8Georgia Avenue / Grace Church RoadBidirectional Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8Georgia Avenue / Luzerne AvenueBidirectional Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8Georgia Avenue / Seminary PlaceBidirectional Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8Georgia Avenue / Forest Glen RoadForest Glen stationBidirectional Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8 Ride On: 7, 8 Washington Metro: Georgia Avenue / Tilton DriveNorthbound Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8Georgia Avenue / American Finnmark EntranceSouthbound Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8Georgia Avenue / Belvedere BoulevardBidirectional Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8Georgia Avenue / August DriveNorthbound Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8Georgia Avenue / Hildarose DriveSouthbound Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8Georgia Avenue / Dexter AvenueBidirectional Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8Georgia Avenue / Dennis AvenueBidirectional Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8Georgia Avenue / Evans ParkwayNorthbound Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8Georgia Avenue / Evans DriveSouthbound Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8Georgia Avenue / Dayton StreetNorthbound Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8Georgia Avenue / Predella DriveSouthbound Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8Georgia Avenue / Plyers Mill RoadBidirectional Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8 Ride On: 37Georgia Avenue / Windham LaneBidirectional Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8 Ride On: 37Georgia Avenue / Veirs Mill RoadSouthbound Metrobus: Y2, Y7, Y8 Ride On: 37Wheaton StationBus Bays A and CBidirectional Ride On: 7, 8, 9, 31, 34, 37, 38, 48 Metrobus: C2, C4, Y2, Y7, Y8 Washington Metro: Veirs Mill Road / University BoulevardBidirectional Metrobus: C2 (Eastbound only), C4 Ride On: 8 (Northbound Only), 9 (Northbound only), 34, 38, 48Veirs Mill Road / University BoulevardBidirectional Metrobus: C4 Ride On: 34, 38, 48Veirs Mill Road / Galt AvenueNorthbound Metrobus: C4 Ride On: 34, 38, 48Veirs Mill Road / College View DriveSouthbound Metrobus: C4 Ride On: 34, 38, 48Veirs Mill Road / Norris DriveBidirectional Metrobus: C4 Ride On: 34, 38, 48Veirs Mill Road / Newport Mill RoadBidirectional Metrobus: C4 Ride On: 33, 34, 38, 48Veirs Mill Road / Claridge RoadBidirectional Metrobus: C4 Ride On: 33, 34, 38, 48Veirs Mill Road / Andrew StreetNorthbound Metrobus: C4 Ride On: 34, 38, 48Veirs Mill Road / Gail StreetSouthbound Metrobus: C4 Ride On: 34, 38, 48Veirs Mill Road / Centerhill StreetSouthbound Metrobus: C4 Ride On: 34, 38, 48Veirs Mill Road / Connecticut AvenueBidirectional Metrobus: C4, L8 Ride On: 34, 38, 48Viers Mill Road / Ferrara AvenueBidirectional Metrobus: C4 Ride On: 38, 48Veirs Mill Road / Bushey DriveBidirectional Metrobus: C4 Ride On: 48Veirs Mill Road / Randolph RoadBidirectional Metrobus: C4, C8 Ride On: 10, 48Veirs Mill Road / Gridley RoadBidirectional Ride On: 48Veirs Mill Road / Havard StreetBidirectional Ride On: 48Veirs Mill Road / Turkey Branch ParkwayNorthbound Ride On: 48Veirs Mill Road / Edgebrook RoadSouthbound Ride On: 48Veirs Mill Road / Parkland DriveNorthbound Ride On: 48Veirs Mill Road / Gaynor RoadSouthbound Ride On: 48Veirs Mill Road / Robindale RoadBidirectionalVeirs Mill Road / #12701NorthboundVeirs Mill Road / #12704SouthboundVeirs Mill Road / Arbutus AvenueNorthboundVeirs Mill Road / Parklawn MemorialSouthboundVeirs Mill Road / Aspen Hill RoadBidirectional Ride On: 26Veirs Mill Road / Twinbrook ParkwayBidirectional Ride On: 26, 45Veirs Mill Road / Meadow Hall DriveBidirectionalVeirs Mill Road / Atlantic AvenueBidirectionalVeirs Mill Road / #1902NorthboundVeirs Mill Road / #1907SouthboundVeirs Mill Road / Nimitz AvenueNorthboundVeirs Mill Road / Midway AvenueSouthboundVeirs Mill Road / Okinawa AvenueBidirectional Ride On: 44Veirs Mill Road / Broadwood DriveBidirectional Ride On: 44Veirs Mill Road / Clagett DriveBidirectionalVeirs Mill Road / Edmonston DriveBidirectionalVeirs Mill Road / Woodburn RoadBidirectionalVeirs Mill Road / First StreetBidirectionalVeirs Mill Road / Dodge StreetBidirectionalRockville StationBus Bays D and GBidirectional Ride On: 44, 45, 46, 47, 52, 55, 56, 59, 63, 81, 101, 301 Metrobus: T2 Washington Metro: MARC: Brunswick Line Amtrak: Capitol LimitedHungerford Drive / Beall AvenueBidirectionalHungerford Drive / #451BidirectionalHungerford Drive / North Washington StreetBidirectionalHungerford Drive / Frederick AvenueBidirectional Ride On: 45, 46, 55Mannakee Street / Hungerford DriveBidirectional Ride On: 46, 55Mannakee Street / South Campus DriveBidirectional Ride On: 46, 55Montgomery College / West Campus DriveBidirectional Ride On: 46, 55, 101Mannakee Street / South Campus DriveBidirectional Ride On: 46, 55Mannakee Street / Hungerford DriveBidirectional Ride On: 46, 55Frederick Road / Mannakee StreetBidirectional Ride On: 45, 55Hungerford Drive / Campus DriveBidirectional Ride On: 45, 55Frederick Road / College ParkwayBidirectional Ride On: 45, 55 (Northbound only)Frederick Road / East Gude DriveNorthbound Ride On: 45, 55Frederick Road / West Gude DriveSouthbound Ride On: 45Frederick Road / #15501Northbound Ride On: 55Frederick Road / West Gude DriveSouthbound Ride On: 55Frederick Road / Indianola DriveNorthbound Ride On: 55Frederick Road / Watkins Pond BoulevardSouthbound Ride On: 55Frederick Road / Redland RoadBidirectional Ride On: 55Sommerville Drive / Redland RoadBidirectional Ride On: 55, 57, 59, 63, 66Sommerville Drive / #15910Southbound Ride On: 55, 57, 59, 63, 66Shady Grove stationBus Bay CSouthbound station,Northbound terminal Ride On: 43, 46, 53, 55, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 71, 74, 76, 78, 79, 90, 100, 101, PINK, LIME MTA Maryland Bus: 201, 202, 991 Washington Metro:
History Introduction Route Q2 originally operated under the Washington Suburban Lines bus company when it was introduced in the 1940s. The line provided service along Veirs Mill Road between Wheaton and Rockville Maryland and later Silver Spring. 1970s The Washington Suburban Lines was later acquired by DC Transit, and then became a WMATA route on February 4, 1973, when WMATA acquired DC Transit.
The Veirs Mill Road Line originally consisted of routes Q1, Q2, and Q7. They would all operate between Silver Spring station and Montgomery Village. The Q1 would make some trips to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission in Germantown, while the Q7 would operate through Wheaton Woods via Aspen Hill Road and Parkland Drive.
On February 21, 1978, routes Q1 and Q7 were eliminated. Meanwhile, the Q2 would be truncated from Montgomery Village to the Rockville Campus of Montgomery College. On the same day, routes Q4 and Q8 would be added to the line. Route Q4 would operate between Silver Spring station and Rock Creek Village, and route Q8 would operate between Montgomery Mall and Silver Spring station.
1980s On December 15, 1984, when both Shady Grove and Rockville Metro stations opened, route Q2 was extended to terminate at Shady Grove Metro station and route Q4 was extended to Rockville Metro station.
On January 27, 1985, route Q4 would be redesignated as the Parkland Drive Line. That designation would remain until 1994, when it would be replaced by Ride On's current route 48. On the same day, Metrobus route Q8 would be eliminated and replaced by Ride On routes 38 and 47. Route 38 would replace the portion of the route between Wheaton Mall and Congressional Plaza, while route 47 would replace the portion of the route that operated along Seven Locks Road.
1990s On September 22, 1990, the line was slightly rerouted to serve the Wheaton station bus bays when the station opened. On the same day, route Q1 would be reincarnated to operate between Wheaton station and Rockville station. It would provide supplemental express service along Veirs Mill Road during rush hour.
Routes Q1 and Q2 would operate the Veirs Mill Road Line on its own between Silver Spring station and Shady Grove station via Montgomery College along Georgia Avenue and Veirs Mill Road.
2000s On January 13, 2001, route Q1 was discontinued and replaced by route Q2.
In 2009, WMATA proposed to restructure the Veirs Mill Road Line. In coordination with Montgomery County and the Maryland Department of Transportation, WMATA proposed to restructure route Q2 in order to address continuing performance-related issues, including schedule adherence, bus bunching, traffic congestion, delays, passenger crowding, and long trip duration.