Capital Bikeshare riders who use the service in the Rockville-Shady Grove area could be eligible for free membership for a year.

Montgomery County is debuting Capital Bikeshare in three areas, including Bethesda-Chevy Chase, in September. One of the other areas is Rockville and Shady Grove, where county officials hope to encourage low-income commuters to use Bikeshare with subsidized membership.

The county got a $1.3 million grant from the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board to test if bikesharing will work in the suburbs and if low-income commuters, who haven’t used it in D.C., will take part.

The program provides free membership for a year, which costs $75, and is open to all Montgomery County Capital Bikeshare users. But one part of the commuter’s trip must be in the Rockville-Shady Grove area, meaning Bethesda participants likely will have to include a Metro ride in their commute.

If successful, the county has left open the possibility that the program will be expanded.

For more info, call the Department of Transportation’s commuter services office at 240-777-8380.