Queens Division Bus Proposals/Ideas

[78 via Stew Leonards]

could the QM3 use a Wall Street variant? I think the Wall St route would get more ridership

[Q43LTD]

I would just add more trips on the QM3. Then we can start talking about adding downtown variants.

[bobtehpanda]

Agreed, to a point....

 

The main utilization of the Q79 (before it got axed) wasn't so much that of being an LIRR shuttle - But instead, the transporting of pax from Northern/LNP to either Union Tpke or Jamaica av (and vice versa)..... Although anyone still on the bus north of Northern were definitely heading for the RR..... The one thing I'll say is that Glen Oaks folks would utilize it, almost as much as they did (board) the (Glen Oaks/260th) Q46... It was "their" (backyard) route, so to speak; they'd ride it b/w HHE & Union Tpke... Felt sorry for those seniors.

 

The wild assumption about the route (to those that never took it) was that its ridership lived & died w/ the LIRR.... Wasn't the case...

Matter fact, I'd say most the trips I rode on the Q79 were a] SB from Northern & b] had more people waiting for it at Northern, than people already on the bus before it hit Northern (basically, the buses that picked up virtually, or literally no one at the RR sta. itself).... But yeah, ridership would accumulate with little to no dropoffs b/w northern & Union Tpke (with Union tpke not inclusive)..... From Union Tpke on down is where you started noticing dropoffs....

 

Although the damage has been done, I still favor bringing back that route, over having any long winded extension of some other route - on the basis of simple coverage....  Extending any bus from Jamaica (esp.) to cover the old Q79 route instantly makes bus service less reliable than a LNP only route.....

 

A route running b/w LIRR QV & LIRR LNP I wouldn't have a problem with....

 

Ah, back in the day I would ride from Hillside north in the middle of the day and not notice more than 4 people on the bus, so I assumed that was the extent of the ridership. I guess that makes sense, since LNP otherwise has no ridership generators; there are no big destinations on Springfield, and odds are if you live LNP or east you have a car and can speed through the nonexistent traffic on LNP.

[Gotham Bus Co.]

 (LNP would have 30 minute headways during the daytime hours instead of 30 during the rush and 40 during middays because of the Q36's headways during midday hours).

 

Have you looked at the Q36 schedule lately? LNP headways are already 30 minutes during middays and 15 minutes during the PM rush.

[IAlam]

could the QM3 use a Wall Street variant? I think the Wall St route would get more ridership

 

 

I would just add more trips on the QM3. Then we can start talking about adding downtown variants.

 

The QM3 would be better off being a downtown route over an Midtown route.

 

Even though the Midtown get good usage, it would make more sense in expanding it for downtown service over Midtown service due to close proximity to the LIRR.

 

 

Have you looked at the Q36 schedule lately? LNP headways are already 30 minutes during middays and 15 minutes during the PM rush.

 

Yeah 15 is too much I'd only do 30 as the most frequent. 

Edited November 22, 2016 by IAlam

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Have you looked at the Q36 schedule lately? LNP headways are already 30 minutes during middays and 15 minutes during the PM rush.

Well, it wasn't always like that. The Q36 headway used to be every 20 minutes (which meant that since every other bus went to Little Neck, the headways were every 40 minutes on LNP. The PM rush headway is also new, and I wonder why it was added. Well, at least service on LNP is not as much of an issue then.

[checkmatechamp13]

Well, it wasn't always like that. The Q36 headway used to be every 20 minutes (which meant that since every other bus went to Little Neck, the headways were every 40 minutes on LNP. The PM rush headway is also new, and I wonder why it was added. Well, at least service on LNP is not as much of an issue then.

 

One of the things mentioned in the NE Queens bus study is that buses weren't holding at the LIRR stations for connections. Maybe having more frequent departures from Little Neck was their compromise for not holding the buses.

[bobtehpanda]

One of the things mentioned in the NE Queens bus study is that buses weren't holding at the LIRR stations for connections. Maybe having more frequent departures from Little Neck was their compromise for not holding the buses.

 

The LIRR runs a clockface schedule on the PW; all that would be required is to run the Q79 or whatever to leave Little Neck Station a little after and arrive a little before.

[Q43LTD]

I wonder if the Q79 went to Queens Village LIRR instead of 257 like the Q36, would it still be around today?

[Gotham Bus Co.]

I wonder if the Q79 went to Queens Village LIRR instead of 257 like the Q36, would it still be around today?

 

Back in 1996, they tried to send the Q79 to Floral Park LIRR. The village elders complained that buses would clog the roads and target their children.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Back in 1996, they tried to send the Q79 to Floral Park LIRR. The village elders complained that buses would clog the roads and target their children.

LMAO... Village elders...

[Q43LTD]

Back in 1996, they tried to send the Q79 to Floral Park LIRR. The village elders complained that buses would clog the roads and target their children.

Oh, won't someone please think of the children? 1996? That's how far that proposal went back?

[NewFlyer 230]

Back in 1996, they tried to send the Q79 to Floral Park LIRR. The village elders complained that buses would clog the roads and target their children.

On a block like that, yeah I don't think children would be playing on Tulip Ave.

[B35 via Church]

I wonder if the Q79 went to Queens Village LIRR instead of 257 like the Q36, would it still be around today?

The Q74 would like to have a sit down interview with you

[Q43LTD]

The Q74 would like to have a sit down interview with you

Sure. I'll schedule some for the Q14 and Q75 too.

[B35 via Church]

Sure. I'll schedule some for the Q14 and Q75 too.

The point is, if they got rid of the Q74 (whose route largely paralleled the Q20/44), had the Q79 paralleled Jamaica from LNP to Springfield, I have no reason to believe they would have kept such a route around either (hence the )...

 

T'hell with the Q36 - I'll go as far as to say they would've brought up the N24 to support axing the thing.....

Edited November 24, 2016 by B35 via Church

[Q43LTD]

The point is, if they got rid of the Q74 (whose route largely paralleled the Q20/44), had the Q79 paralleled Jamaica from LNP to Springfield, I have no reason to believe they would have kept such a route around either (hence the )...

 

T'hell with the Q36 - I'll go as far as to say they would've brought up the N24 to support axing the thing.....

I understand now. It still makes me scratch my head on why the Q36 was sent up there.

[Interested Rider]

The Q/74 (Q/44VP) was basically a shuttle that connected the Union Turnpike Station with Main Street and initially ended at Jewel Avenue. Right before I started my graduate work at Queens College in 1971, it was extended there. The bulk of the ridership got off by the end of Vleigh Place and from there, I was usually the only passenger left on the bus. and this was during the rush hour. What I liked about it was that it stopped right across the street from where i had classes so I did not have to walk to Jewel Avenue.

 

To be quite honest, I am surprised that the route lasted this long!

 

For those interested in bus trivia: The equipment was primarily 5700 Flxibles which ran during the rish hour and 4456-4463 GM New looks which provided the later trips. Both series were later sent to Staten Island.

[NewFlyer 230]

I always thought that Little Neck Parkway should of had the Q43 serve it instead of the Q36. The Q43 is more direct to Jamaica and the subway anyways. Plus you eliminate the need for the bus to go to Jamaica Ave, travel via Jamaica Ave and then back to Hillside via 212th street. It don't know how the Q36 on Little Neck is doing but it could potentially do a little better than it does now if only if the trip was faster. The only problem now is that 268th will have some of its service gone and Little Neck service between Jamaica and Hillside gone. I don't think the MTA wants the Q79 as it was before 2010 back.

 

The Q/74 (Q/44VP) was basically a shuttle that connected the Union Turnpike Station with Main Street and initially ended at Jewel Avenue. Right before I started my graduate work at Queens College in 1971, it was extended there. The bulk of the ridership got off by the end of Vleigh Place and from there, I was usually the only passenger left on the bus. and this was during the rush hour. What I liked about it was that it stopped right across the street from where i had classes so I did not have to walk to Jewel Avenue.

 

To be quite honest, I am surprised that the route lasted this long!

 

For those interested in bus trivia: The equipment was primarily 5700 Flxibles which ran during the rish hour and 4456-4463 GM New looks which provided the later trips. Both series were later sent to Staten Island.

Possibly the reason for the Q74 downfall was Q65A now Q64 was always more popular than the Q74. The Q64 serves Forest Hills-71 Ave which is a express and local stop with the as suppose to Kew Gardens Union Turnpike for only the and .

The Q64 takes a more direct route to the train station then the Q74 traveling south to go to Kew Gardens. The Q20 and Q44 ran more frequently then the Q74 itself did. For example in October 2007 the Q20 to Jamaica ran about every 10 minutes. The Q44LTD to Jamaica ran about 7-9 minutes so buses were showing up much quicker than the 20 minute Q74. Basically those people take the Q20/Q44 to Biarwood or the Q64 to Forest Hills.

[Interested Rider]

 I used the Q/44 VP for two years or 1971 -1973 and my observations are based on that time frame only. This was before the Queens Express Services became what they are today..Serving Queens College directly at that time (I am not referring to the periphery which was served by the Q/17 that turned at the expressway) was Queens Transit's turf and they served it quite well. It seems to me that already in that time frame, the extension to the college was either in response to community pressure or was done with the hope that the route which was performing poorly anyway, would attract sufficient ridership. The Q/65A was doing quite well and it usually it was standee only. I did not hesitate to take the 65A bus when the VP  did not show up or when I had an 8 AM class in the summer of 1972.. In my opinion. the death knell for the 44VP (and for that matter the Q/75) should have occurred much sooner than 2010  It occurred when the Queens and Steinway Express Services became the better way to travel from the area and riders switched to the one seat ride to Manhattan. 

[NewFlyer 230]

I used the Q/44 VP for two years or 1971 -1973 and my observations are based on that time frame only. This was before the Queens Express Services became what they are today..Serving Queens College directly at that time (I am not referring to the periphery which was served by the Q/17 that turned at the expressway) was Queens Transit's turf and they served it quite well. It seems to me that already in that time frame, the extension to the college was either in response to community pressure or was done with the hope that the route which was performing poorly anyway, would attract sufficient ridership. The Q/65A was doing quite well and it usually it was standee only. I did not hesitate to take the 65A bus when the VP did not show up or when I had an 8 AM class in the summer of 1972.. In my opinion. the death knell for the 44VP (and for that matter the Q/75) should have occurred much sooner than 2010 It occurred when the Queens and Steinway Express Services became the better way to travel from the area and riders switched to the one seat ride to Manhattan.

I think the only reason why it was kept as long as it was is because of the fact it served the college. I used the route as the Q74 because I was never alive when it was the Q44VP and the route would carry pretty much air. Most of the time I would see no more than at best 8 or 9 people but even then that was sometimes. The Q65A (Q64) as you explained it is pretty similar however now it's very frequent and buses are packed a lot. With the eventual addition of the Q88 in 1974 and with the Q25/Q34, Q17, Q44/Q20 and Q64 running frequently I don't see the Q74 coming back. I wish it was more popular because it would serve as a faster way to get to Mid Southern Queens faster than it currently is now. But hey now Queens College has its own Shuttle bus service to Jamaica and Flushing so this are functioning fine without the Q74.

More serious cuts like the elimination of Q76 and Q31 service on weekends I didn't see why they touched it in the first place. Major roadways with no service and eventually had to add it back because of pressure.

[checkmatechamp13]

More serious cuts like the elimination of Q76 and Q31 service on weekends I didn't see why they touched it in the first place. Major roadways with no service and eventually had to add it back because of pressure.

 

The Q76 actually didn't run on Sunday before the cuts. They cut it from 6 days a week to 5 days a week, and then brought back Saturday service and added Sunday service.

[IAlam]

More serious cuts like the elimination of Q76 and Q31 service on weekends I didn't see why they touched it in the first place. Major roadways with no service and eventually had to add it back because of pressure.

Doesn't matter if they are major roadways, if no one uses it. Part of the problem is most LIRR users in North Shore don't rely on the bus. If many people relied on the bus to connect to the LIRR, you'd probally see much better ridership on routes like the Q31, and Q36, and maybe the Q76 is it was re routed to serve the LIRR.

[NewFlyer 230]

The Q76 actually didn't run on Sunday before the cuts. They cut it from 6 days a week to 5 days a week, and then brought back Saturday service and added Sunday service.

Yeah I know the 76 didn't run on Sunday's. Lol I was being lazy I didn't want to take the time to be more specific, sad right .

I just didn't understand why they did the Q31 and Q76 like that. They are basically coverage routes and the majority of its ridership does come from seniors and students.

The Q76, Q77 and Q79 and probably a few others in other boroughs that I don't know of were unique in that they didn't have Sunday service. Does anyone know why these routes were set up like that as suppose to other routes having 5 days or 7 days a week service. The Q77 and Q76 are doing pretty well on Sunday's, not as high as a route like the Q30 but they aren't carrying only air.

Edited November 27, 2016 by NewFlyer 230

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Yeah I know the 76 didn't run on Sunday's. Lol I was being lazy I didn't want to take the time to be more specific, sad right .

I just didn't understand why they did the Q31 and Q76 like that. They are basically coverage routes and the majority of its ridership does come from seniors and students.

The Q76, Q77 and Q79 and probably a few others in other boroughs that I don't know of were unique in that they didn't have Sunday service. Does anyone know why these routes were set up like that as suppose to other routes having 5 days or 7 days a week service. The Q77 and Q76 are doing pretty well on Sunday's, not as high as a route like the Q30 but they aren't carrying only air.

The Q76 doesn't see all that much ridership (at least not in Whitestone anyway).  I use it from time to time when I'm too lazy to walk over to the QM2 after I've finished shopping and I usually see one or two people on it at best. With such crappy headways it isn't a shocker.  A bus running every 30 minutes on weekends won't attract many people.  The only way I catch it is I have look at the schedule before time and make sure I finish my shopping in time to get it, which often times doesn't happen, so I just walk over to the QM2.