Pols, civics lament Q74 elimination

[w8Hou]

Queens elected officials and civic leaders blasted the MTA’s decision to eliminate the Q74 bus and said it will present major hardships for the many students and seniors who rely on the line that runs from Kew Gardens to Flushing.

 

“The 74 is the lifeblood that feeds the Pomonok Houses, Queens College, CUNY Law School and Townsend Harris High School,” City Councilman James Gennaro (D-Fresh Meadows) said. “In such an economy as this, the MTA should be making it easier for people to get to their destinations, not impeding them.”

 

The Q74 was one of 37 bus routes to be eliminated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board, which voted last week to approve drastic service cuts, including shutting down the and subway lines, in an attempt to fill the agency’s $800 million budget gap.

 

“So many people rely on the Q74, whether they’re taking it to school, to Borough Hall, to shopping on Main Street, going to the court house, or connecting with the E and F subway lines,” said state Sen. Toby Stavisky (D-Whitestone). “They’re going to cut off residents with the rest of the city.”

 

MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz said the Q74 was axed in part because its average weekday ridership numbers are lower than the city average. About 2,100 people take the Q74 on weekdays, compared to the average of about 12,000, Ortiz said.

 

“We’re cognizant that any type of service cuts are painful measures that we didn’t want to implement, but given our current financial situation it’s something we had to move forward with,” Ortiz said.

 

Queens Civic Congress President Patricia Dolan, also the president of the Kew Gardens Hills Civic Association, said the young, the old and everyone in between will be negatively affected by the MTA’s decision.

 

“We are very, very disappointed that after spending a great deal of time and effort trying to explain to the MTA why it should not be cut, they continued to cut it,” Dolan said. “This is going to be extremely unpleasant for Queens College students and, unfortunately, in our opinion, it will force many more to drive to school.”

 

The Q74 also goes to a large number of yeshivas and senior centers, all of which will be hurt by the bus line elimination, Dolan said.

 

Dolan questioned why the MTA chose the Q74 to go instead of bus lines ridden by fewer people, including the Q14 in Whitestone, which has an average ridership of about 2,062.

 

“At the end of the day, the MTA gave a good hard slap in the face to Kew Gardens Hills and everything in it,” Dolan said.

 

Ortiz said deliberations were made based on not just ridership, but also the possibility of alternative modes of transportation.

 

State Assemblyman Rory Lancman (D-Fresh Meadows) expressed his displeasure at the removal of the Q74 and said it was a route the MTA “promised to save when the [state] Legislature bailed out the MTA last year.”

 

Stavisky said she hopes the MTA will reconsider cutting the Q74.

 

“We haven’t given up yet,” she said.

 

Source: http://www.yournabe.com/articles/2010/04/01/whitestone_times/news/wt_q74_elimination_20100401.txt

[QM1to6Ave]

O well..I always liked riding the 74, its such a nice quiet route.

[Kamen Rider]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[Shortline Bus]

There-in lies the problem.

 

I always thought why the never had for routes like the Q74 that have lower than average ridership should have shorter 30-35-foot buses used on Low used LI Bus and Beeline in Westchester. That would solve the problems.

[Infamous85]

I always thought why the never had for routes like the Q74 that have lower than average ridership should have shorter 30-35-foot buses used on Low used LI Bus and Beeline in Westchester. That would solve the problems.

 

I've wondered the same thing, not every route should have 40-42 footers.

[Shortline Bus]

I've wondered the same thing, not every route should have 40-42 footers.

 

Or artics as well.

[metsfan]

I'm sorry, but i give up on . Till they get their act together i'll only be using it to get to and from mets games, and the occasional urban exploration stint with my girlfriend.

 

- A

[Forest Glen]

This is bullsh**. Many Townsend Harris and Queens College students use this route. This is a direct route from the to these respective institutions. The other alternatives will add 10-20 minute to the average commute of people in the area.

[Kamen Rider]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[Infamous85]

I'm sorry, but i give up on . Till they get their act together i'll only be using it to get to and from mets games, and the occasional urban exploration stint with my girlfriend.

 

- A

 

The service is inadequate, it doesn't even make any sense to keep patronizing the . I'll only be using the to get to and from school and that's about it. I hate to say it because its not entirely their fault but the sucks, we got a car now so they're irrelevant.

 

This is bullsh**. Many Townsend Harris and Queens College students use this route. This is a direct route from the to these respective institutions. The other alternatives will add 10-20 minute to the average commute of people in the area.

 

I used the Q44 when I went to Townsend Harris.

 

But I agree though, service in Queens already sucks and they're cutting important routes.

[Grand Concourse]

You want to pay $3-$4? You who is always going on about how the fare is already too high...

 

Totally agreed, you can't have it both ways. It's either keep the bus line with the few riders and force everyone else to subsidize it via higher fares or cut the line and keep the fare hikes low. I'd much rather have the cut than a fare hike.

 

Of course it would be nice if the MTA had 30' buses for lower use routes than wasting a standard 40' bus, but then that would really hamper flexibility.

[petabread]

I never call any route useless because it's not useless to the people who use it. However, in NYC we are very spoiled with our system no matter how much we complain about the service it's still the best around. I believe there are routes out there that can and should be cut, the Q25, Q34 provide in my opinion a better transit option to Queens College than the Q74 does. The Q44, Q20A and B go to Townsend Harrisruns along main street. The problem with NYC is we're becoming or have become to lazy to walk. We also have this idea that the route we've been using for a long time is the best way to go, when in fact it may not be but we're not willing to try it out.

[NX Express]

I never call any route useless because it's not useless to the people who use it. However, in NYC we are very spoiled with our system no matter how much we complain about the service it's still the best around. I believe there are routes out there that can and should be cut, the Q25, Q34 provide in my opinion a better transit option to Queens College than the Q74 does. The Q44, Q20A and B go to Townsend Harrisruns along main street. The problem with NYC is we're becoming or have become to lazy to walk. We also have this idea that the route we've been using for a long time is the best way to go, when in fact it may not be but we're not willing to try it out.

 

I heard NYers walk 5 miles a day. Still saying we're lazy?

[Shortline Bus]

I never call any route useless because it's not useless to the people who use it. However, in NYC we are very spoiled with our system no matter how much we complain about the service it's still the best around. I believe there are routes out there that can and should be cut, the Q25, Q34 provide in my opinion a better transit option to Queens College than the Q74 does. The Q44, Q20A and B go to Townsend Harrisruns along main street. The problem with NYC is we're becoming or have become to lazy to walk. We also have this idea that the route we've been using for a long time is the best way to go, when in fact it may not be but we're not willing to try it out.

 

Petabread come up upstate ny to the Hudson Valley where 90-plus% of residents own a car. Or most of the rest of America as well. They really could walk more than NYC residents.:eek:

 

Back to topic. Perfect solution if the had monies would be to use 35-foot buses on the Q74 at all times.

[petabread]

Lazy may not be the best word to use... I see it everyday, students taking buses one or two stops which is walking distance. Have any of you seen the Q69? The last stop is Queens Plaza, a lot of people however, want to stay on there to go down a few blocks which, if they walked would be faster. Or students taking the bus from Jamaica ave and parsons to hillside ave and parsons.

 

All I'm saying, and I do agree compared to the country we do walk a lot, is that we may over abuse transit options.

[nel070]

Eliminating the Q74 is a big mistake its the only source of public transportation that serves the entire Queens College Campus. In addition it serves as a crosstown between Main street and Kissena blvd south of the LIE. The route also serves Vleigh Place and its a decent walk to Main st to catch the 44 or 20A/B. They should at least keep the route around for weekdays between 7am and 9pm. The 74 is also used from the Union Turnpike Station by many passengers living in flushing south of the LIE.

[aemoreira81]

Eliminating the Q74 is a big mistake its the only source of public transportation that serves the entire Queens College Campus. In addition it serves as a crosstown between Main street and Kissena blvd south of the LIE. The route also serves Vleigh Place and its a decent walk to Main st to catch the 44 or 20A/B. They should at least keep the route around for weekdays between 7am and 9pm. The 74 is also used from the Union Turnpike Station by many passengers living in flushing south of the LIE.

 

That's a short distance; the Q64 is a 3-minute walk away. The problem and why it was doomed is that everything is duplicated or a stone's throw away from another line.

 

BTW, Townsend Harris has trippers on the Q44.

[Shortline Bus]

Eliminating the Q74 is a big mistake its the only source of public transportation that serves the entire Queens College Campus. In addition it serves as a crosstown between Main street and Kissena blvd south of the LIE. The route also serves Vleigh Place and its a decent walk to Main st to catch the 44 or 20A/B. They should at least keep the route around for weekdays between 7am and 9pm. The 74 is also used from the Union Turnpike Station by many passengers living in flushing south of the LIE.

 

 

Nel, while i agree the Q74 should have stayed it should have been a rush hour only route running between 6am-930am mornings and 230pm-8pm evenings using 35-foot buses such as those used on those used on low used LI Bus shuttles and Bee Line routes like Route 16 in the Peekskill area.

[nel070]

Nel, while i agree the Q74 should have stayed it should have been a rush hour only route running between 6am-930am mornings and 230pm-8pm evenings using 35-foot buses such as those used on those used on low used LI Bus shuttles and Bee Line routes like Route 16 in the Peekskill area.

 

I can agree with the smaller buses but as bus that goes around a college students have classes all hours in the day. if you think the Q44 is crowded now wait until the Q74 is eliminated and all those riders who used to get off at Kew Gardens have to go into Jamaica to get the Q44,Q24 and Q35.

[Shortline Bus]

Nel while you make a good point college students at Queens College go to school all day. However What about the S93 which runs between Bay Ridge and College of SI main campus? The S93 runs rush hours only. I was suggesting the Q74 run rush hours only as a compromise and better than no service at all.

[nel070]

Nel while you make a good point college students at Queens College go to school all day. However What about the S93 which runs between Bay Ridge and College of SI main campus? The S93 runs rush hours only. I was suggesting the Q74 run rush hours only as a compromise and better than no service at all.

 

True because without the Q74 there will be a lot more people getting off the and at Briarwood Van Wyck, Sutphin Archer and Jamaica Center needing Main st and Kissena Blvd. Not to mention the people down Melbourne who depend on the Q74.

[Forest Glen]

Nel while you make a good point college students at Queens College go to school all day. However What about the S93 which runs between Bay Ridge and College of SI main campus? The S93 runs rush hours only. I was suggesting the Q74 run rush hours only as a compromise and better than no service at all.

 

Many CUNY students go to school during odd hours. Most classes (at least at CCNY) start at 11 AM.

[EE Broadway Local]

Mr. Levi has started a Q74 petition and it has 707 signatures already, so it seems this weekday only Queens route is has a little popularity.

 

Link to Mr. Levi's petition and signatures: http://www.petitiononline.com/Q74BUS/petition.html

[JohnQPine]

Getting rid of the Q79 and the Q31 is even crazier, as there are no alternatives now and more ppl will crowd the buses to Flushing because there's no bus to Jamaica from Bayside anymore.

The one time I took the 31 it was quite busy. Another reason I just dont get the MTA. They are creaming local riders with cuts yet hardly any cuts for express buses. The Q13 is gonna be a huge mess when the Q31 is gone. And without the Q74, the 44 is gonna have folks standing on the roof.:eek:

[QM1to6Ave]

Its 708 signees now lol.