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Middle Village Community Slams Q38 Delay


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MidVill Slams (Q38) Delays

Residents report horror stories of long commutes on bus line

It’s the end of the line for Middle Village straphangers who said they have put up with spotty service on the Q38 line for far too long.

 

Residents aired long-held grievances to a representative of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority who attended a meeting of the Juniper Park Civic Association last Thursday.

 

“The (Q38), I think we can safely say, is the worst bus line in New York City,” said civic President Robert Holden as the audience responded with cheers and cries of affirmation.

 

“How many people here have waited forever and have got some extra gray hair because of the (Q38)?” he asked.

 

There was no shortage of answers.

 

“It was the worst night of my life,” said Pat Zinza, who recounted a cold February night spent waiting for the elusive vehicles.

 

Zinza and a friend were trying to get home after emerging from the Metropolitan Avenue stop on the (M) train.

 

They walked on an icy sidewalk to the bus stop at Metropolitan Avenue and 69th Street and began waiting around 6:30 p.m., she said.

 

Nearly two hours passed before Zinza — along with the roughly 20 other people who had arrived in the meantime — saw two (Q38) buses lumber into view.

 

“They love to travel in pairs,” she said.

 

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The much-maligned route runs along 63rd Drive and Penelope and Elliot avenues through Rego Park, Middle Village and Elmhurst.

 

The (MTA) did not respond to a request for comment by press time, but Susan Czelusniak, a representative from the (MTA), took down notes on her legal note pad at the meeting with the intention of passing them along to her colleagues.

 

But that was little comfort for Gary Colter, whose son has to take the (Q38) as part of his morning commute to Molloy College on Long Island.

 

“It’s so stressful every morning,” he said. “Sometimes the neighbors have to drive him down to the train station.”

 

He said his son can never predict when the bus will show up, but he typically waits 30 to 40 minutes.

 

Steve Sheridan also has daughters who have used the (Q38) to commute to school for years.

 

“It’s a horror story with my daughters,” he said. “You have students trying to get to school.”

 

Holden and the Juniper Park Civic Association would like the (MTA) to publish an accurate schedule and stick to it.

 

Subway service is nonexistent, aside from the terminus of the (M) train, he said. And since Queens is underserved by train lines, the city should do more to ensure bus service is up to par.

 

“We’re paying taxes,” he said. “We should really get decent bus service.”

 

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DUH IT'S A LOOP ROUTE WHAT DO THEY EXPECT???? All loop rtes are stupid and unreliable anyway just look at it's routing it's asking for disaster It needs to be broken up.

 

It's not a loop route, know the difference.

 

The Q38 really does travel through some tight roads on both sides of the route and like what was said earlier, if there's some sort of double parking or an accident, the route will be jacked up.

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It's not a loop route, know the difference.

 

The Q38 really does travel through some tight roads on both sides of the route and like what was said earlier, if there's some sort of double parking or an accident, the route will be jacked up.

 

I meant roundabout sorry thanks for the correction but I meant almost a loop. The routing itself is indirect and sloppy we both know that

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No, you "meant" loop.

 

The nature of the route isn't the problem, like I said, it's the streets themselves. Another bus using the same kind of streets would be having the same kinds of problems, reguardless of wether it's a realtivly straight route, or one like the Q38. The B24 has a simlier routing but it doesn't have these problems, becuase it doesn't have these pain in the neck narrow streets to deal with.

 

agreed that too I only stated one of the reasons.

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lack of buses (service) + tight residential roads along the route + intentional crawling =

Similar results with what we're seeing out of the Q38..... It really is that simple.

 

These ppl. (unlike country club) actually have a legitimate gripe.

 

The Q38 needs to be broken up already.

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lack of buses (service) + tight residential roads along the route + intentional crawling =

Similar results with what we're seeing out of the Q38..... It really is that simple.

 

These ppl. (unlike country club) actually have a legitimate gripe.

 

The Q38 needs to be broken up already.

one part I would merge with Q50 then Q50 gets more service as a result absorbing the southern portion of Q38
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lack of buses (service) + tight residential roads along the route + intentional crawling =

Similar results with what we're seeing out of the Q38..... It really is that simple.

 

These ppl. (unlike country club) actually have a legitimate gripe.

 

The Q38 needs to be broken up already.

I've been saying that for a long damn time

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they're a bunch of bleep*-holes.

 

 

Oh, please, don't be ridiculous. I grew up in Middle Village, but does that make me an arse-hole? Of course it doesn't. Just because some people are like that does not mean that the whole neighborhood is like that. As for the Q38, the eight years that I had to rely on that bus were a time during which I had no choice but to learn the virtue of patience. The routing ought to be changed, no doubt. They should either merge it, split it, or simply restructure it. And they should definitely publish a schedule. But there's no need to immaturely refer to Middle Village as "a bunch of bleep-holes". I mean really.

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The Q38 is a horrendously inefficient route the way it is now. 1 because of the stupid loop routing, and 2. because of the fact that it runs 20 minute headways all day.

 

I've been saying this over and over again the MTA needs to split the Q38 into two routes (the 38 was originally two routes to begin with anyway)- one route from Fresh Pond to 108th (or better yet Flushing) and second route can go down Eliot Ave. The old Q50 used to run down Eliot Ave before it was merged into the Q38.

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I would also split it into two routes. However, the Q58 to the north might have to be rerouted in order to avoid redundancies.

 

1. The Q38 would be the Eliot route, running between Ridgewood Terminal and Flushing (7) station. It replaces the Q58 in Flushing.

 

Route: Gates Av, Forest Av, Metropolitan Av, 69th St, Eliot Av, Woodhaven Blvd, 57/59 Avs, Junction Blvd, LI Expwy, College Point Blvd, Roosevelt Av

 

As for its headways, the Q38 would match those of the Q29 (10 mins during rush, 15 mins during Middays & Saturdays, and 20 mins on Sundays & evenings).

 

2. The Q58 would be rerouted to terminate at Corona Plaza, retaining the direct connection to the (7) for those traveling between Grand/Corona Avs and Flushing.

Route: Corona Av, National St

 

3. The Penelope Av portion of the Q38 would be called the Q51, running between the Forest Hills Co-Ops and Williamsburg Bridge Plaza (helping out the Q54 on Metro Av).

 

Route: Broadway, Wythe/Kent Avs, Metropolitan Av, 69th St, 69th Lane, Penelope Av, 63rd Drive, 110th St

 

Headways for the Q51: 12 mins rush hrs, 20 mins middays & saturdays, 30 mins evenings & sundays

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30 min would definitely not work seeing how the 38 is the only bus line available for many people..I would say 15min at all times. (many duplicate bus routes have better headways than this anyway). the 38 wait time is so ridiculous that many times it would just be faster to walk home from 63rd than to actually wait for the bus. (If i dont see a large crowd waiting for the 38, i usually just walk)

 

running the 38 to Williamsburg also wouldn't be the best idea imo since it makes the route much longer and therefore more prone to delays and congestion (not to mention it would cost more as you'd need more buses and drivers)

 

the 38 should remain as the main route, it would travel from Ridgewood to Flushing through Middle Village and 63rd Drive, turn left at 108th like it does now but instead of ending there it will go straight to the LIE, and follow the Q58 for the rest of the route.

 

the Eliot half of the 38 would be the 51 or whatever other # (it was originally like this anyway the old 50 ran the Eliot half) and would travel from Ridgewood to Otis (or perhaps even Flushing as well following the 58).

 

Rerouting the 58 is not a good idea as it would inconvenience many, the 7 is already crowded enough as is and there is no good reason to dump more people on the 7. Additionally some people boarding the 58 may have already used up their transfer and would have to pay an extra fare to enter the 7 train.

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Another idea is a (Q88) extension via Eliot, and into Ridgewood. (Eliot is better for the extended route, because it is straight, and quicker).

 

Now, if only the people would get this angry about the 39 next, which they are making even more crooked instead of quicker.

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The Q38 is a horrendously inefficient route the way it is now. 1 because of the stupid loop routing, and 2. because of the fact that it runs 20 minute headways all day.

 

I've been saying this over and over again the MTA needs to split the Q38 into two routes (the 38 was originally two routes to begin with anyway)- one route from Fresh Pond to 108th (or better yet Flushing) and second route can go down Eliot Ave. The old Q50 used to run down Eliot Ave before it was merged into the Q38.

I just mentioned the loop routing yet I get bashed for stating the obvious how pathetic
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I rode with a friend of mine last night on the Q-29, we didnt see ANY Q-38s AT ALL!!!! And the Q-38 is going back to LGA? jeez.

 

IMO the Q38 performed better with LGA. The bunching wasn't as bad when it was under that depot. By the way, I was at Applebee's inside Queens Center for about 30-40 minutes and I only saw ONE Q38 run along 57th Avenue.

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Q38 is that sad??? wow

 

It's the bunching and the loop route that results in Middle Village riders using the Q29 to reach Queens Center Mall. Those heading to Rego Park transfer to the QB local from the mall.

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