South Ozone Park residents angry about being left in dark about Q41 change

[Shortline Bus]

 

 

"The old adage says that if you miss a bus, there’s always the next one — unless you live in South Ozone Park.

Local residents say they were caught off guard by a recent route change of the Q41 bus that kicked in without giving local residents a proper heads up.

And it’s not just confused riders who are complaining.

Residents who live along the new route said they now have to deal with issues of parking, traffic and garbage strewn on the streets.

“We just woke up one morning and there was a bus stop in front of our house,” said Geraldine Bruccoleri, 48, a 39-year resident of 109th Ave.

The route, which used to run along 111th Ave., was moved on July 1 as a cost-saving measure, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, because the new route would require less travel time.

But residents said they are angry about not being informed of the decision to re-route the bus, especially considering a 35-1 vote by Community Board 10 opposing of the change.

“There was absolutely no communication with the people affected,” said Sherry O’Neil, a 40-year resident of a home near one of the new stops. “And when we reached out to elected officials, they told us it was our responsibility to know about these things.”

 

 

Read more: http://www.nydailyne...4#ixzz20Dpgour2

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Wow... I don't think it can be any clearer about what the residents wanted here...

[Cait Sith]

I knew this was gonna happen....

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Just wow

[Q43LTD]

I'm surprised. What next, Richmond Hill's going to complain?

[Cait Sith]

I'm surprised. What next, Richmond Hill's going to complain?

 

When it comes down to folks losing their parking especially in that area...dont be!

[Astoria Line]

I'm curious, how did rerouting save money? Unless there was a change in amt of buses or scheduling, etc. then I don't see how there could be costs cutted.. Can someone explain to me?

 

Also I noticed the change very hastily, I went on the MTA.info website and saw "service change" and saw the Q41 change, and thought "Why wasn't this announced earlier?" (before the actual route change, just to make the residents aware)

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I'm curious, how did rerouting save money? Unless there was a change in amt of buses or scheduling, etc. then I don't see how there could be costs cutted.. Can someone explain to me?

 

Also I noticed the change very hastily, I went on the MTA.info website and saw "service change" and saw the Q41 change, and thought "Why wasn't this announced earlier?" (before the actual route change, just to make the residents aware)

 

Yeah the article stated that the re-route would be quicker which means buses getting to their destination faster or at least that's what the thinks anyway.

[checkmatechamp13]

I'm curious, how did rerouting save money? Unless there was a change in amt of buses or scheduling, etc. then I don't see how there could be costs cutted.. Can someone explain to me?

 

Also I noticed the change very hastily, I went on the MTA.info website and saw "service change" and saw the Q41 change, and thought "Why wasn't this announced earlier?" (before the actual route change, just to make the residents aware)

 

Yeah. The thing is that you would have to read those monthly committee reports and everything, which the average rider definitely wouldn't do.

 

As for saving money, the new route is shorter, and also has fewer turns, which save a little bit of time (and make the route a little more reliable)

[Astoria Line]

Yeah. The thing is that you would have to read those monthly committee reports and everything, which the average rider definitely wouldn't do.

 

As for saving money, the new route is shorter, and also has fewer turns, which save a little bit of time (and make the route a little more reliable)

 

Since it is quicker, would it mean that the time of the last run is earlier as well? and yeah, I'm not on of those committee types. It makes the route more reliable, which isn't a bad thing, residents should have just been informed sooner...

[VWM]

They are becoming LIB, one major screw-up at a time....

[AndrewJC]

OK, three people don't like the new routing, because they've grown accustomed to storing their private cars on public property for free and now they can't anymore (at least not directly in front of their own houses). Pardon me for not having much sympathy for them. They don't own the street. (And, by the way, there's now more parking on the streets no longer served by the Q41.)

 

How about the bus riders? The Q41 has 7000 weekday passenger trips. What do those riders think of the change? Surely the most important criterion in evaluating a bus route change is the impact on the bus rider - but the two articles I've read don't even touch on that, focusing exclusively on NIMBY complaints about parking!

 

When was the Community Board informed of the pending change, and why didn't they inform the community? Did the Community Board object because they thought the new routing would be bad for bus riders, or did they object because three of their constituents whined about parking?

[checkmatechamp13]

Since it is quicker, would it mean that the time of the last run is earlier as well? and yeah, I'm not on of those committee types. It makes the route more reliable, which isn't a bad thing, residents should have just been informed sooner...

 

 

Nah, I'm referring to those monthly committee meetings Amtrak7 posts. The only people who read those things are transit fans like us, but the average citizen isn't going to go searching for these meetings when 99% of the time it doesn't affect their neighborhood (and aside from that, I doubt they even know they have these meetings).

 

As far as the last run, I guess you'll have to compare the old schedule to the new one. The last bus might leave a few minutes later and arrive at the old time to the opposite terminal.

[Shortline Bus]

Being fair the Q41 did have too many turns in Ozone Park and needed to be modernize. Aside from the NIMBY's another example of the not consulting with a local community board in finding common ground.

[AndrewJC]

Being fair the Q41 did have too many turns in Ozone Park and needed to be modernize. Aside from the NIMBY's another example of the not consulting with a local community board in finding common ground.

 

 

But they did consult with the Community Board. How else would the Community Board have voted against it?

 

The article doesn't state why the CB objected - was it because they didn't think it was a good change for the bus riders, or was it because of three NIMBY's who didn't want to lose "their" on-street parking?

 

I have my suspicions, but in either case, the CB knew about it and should have gotten the word out to the local community.

[Shortline Bus]

But they did consult with the Community Board. How else would the Community Board have voted against it?

 

The article doesn't state why the CB objected - was it because they didn't think it was a good change for the bus riders, or was it because of three NIMBY's who didn't want to lose "their" on-street parking?

 

I have my suspicions, but in either case, the CB knew about it and should have gotten the word out to the local community.

 

 

Could be wrong but i dont think the MTA sent a rep to this CB on the Q41 route change. In many cases (i used to work for queens ledger community paper based in Maspeth)the MTA often *never* sends a rep to these CB meetings for route changes. That what i meant. I also agree some CB's are impossible to deal with issues from being anti transit to not caring for their residents.

 

Thus a major reason citywide partiuarly in outer boros, many bus routes is almost the same as in 1970.

[Rick44]

I know this might seem a little off-topic, but it seems that the MTA has done a lot of service changes recently in quick fashion with not much information given to the riders. An example of this is the train construction in C.I. I did not see one poster about that change until this past Saturday when it started. Also the B103 change back to 3rd Avenue, which I was happy to see, but wondered why it was changed back.

[NewFlyer 230]

These ppl should realized that life is not fair and u should not always expect everything to go ur way. I mean over there those ppl think the own the blocks the buses and the area so maybe this is a good lesson learned.

[qjtransitmaster]

I know this might seem a little off-topic, but it seems that the MTA has done a lot of service changes recently in quick fashion with not much information given to the riders. An example of this is the train construction in C.I. I did not see one poster about that change until this past Saturday when it started. Also the B103 change back to 3rd Avenue, which I was happy to see, but wondered why it was changed back.

 

They realized the B103 change made no sense

[aemoreira81]

I see their point here; the MTA did an awful job publicizing this change. It also leaves a bigger gap in the route network than existed prior...a better routing would have used Linden Boulevard and Hawtree Creek Road with some modifications to Hawtree Creek Road.

[B35 via Church]

I see their point here; the MTA did an awful job publicizing this change. It also leaves a bigger gap in the route network than existed prior...a better routing would have used Linden Boulevard and Hawtree Creek Road with some modifications to Hawtree Creek Road.

 

ehh, they would complain just as much if buses were to be moved onto Linden.... Their gripe is not being notified about the change.

 

 

I'm surprised. What next, Richmond Hill's going to complain?

 

heh, I'm more surprised they didn't complain when the Q37 got extended to serving the casino, given how subpar service on that route is......

 

 

When it comes down to folks losing their parking especially in that area...dont be!

 

...which'll be the same ones complaining about loss of bus service when parking spots open back up.....

On residential streets, you can't have all the parking spots & the bus service as well..... Have that happen, then they'll be complaining about buses picking up pax in the middle of the street, backing up traffic....

 

Total No-win situation.

[AndrewJC]

Could be wrong but i dont think the MTA sent a rep to this CB on the Q41 route change. In many cases (i used to work for queens ledger community paper based in Maspeth)the MTA often *never* sends a rep to these CB meetings for route changes. That what i meant. I also agree some CB's are impossible to deal with issues from being anti transit to not caring for their residents.

 

Thus a major reason citywide partiuarly in outer boros, many bus routes is almost the same as in 1970.

 

 

I agree with you about the Community Boards. But this Community Board clearly was notified in some fashion - last September! So why didn't the CB inform the community?

 

The one CB member who voted in favor of the change self-identifies as a Q41 bus rider. Do any of the other CB members ride the Q41, or any other bus for that matter?

 

By the way, the MTA did adopt the CB's suggestion elsewhere on the route. This clearly isn't a matter of the MTA outright refusing to listen to the CB's recommendations.

 

I know this might seem a little off-topic, but it seems that the MTA has done a lot of service changes recently in quick fashion with not much information given to the riders. An example of this is the train construction in C.I. I did not see one poster about that change until this past Saturday when it started.

 

 

The change was listed in the systemwide directory at every subway station last week. That you didn't see it doesn't mean it didn't exist. Short-term changes like this are rarely posted more than a few days in advance - otherwise they get lost in the clutter.

 

I see their point here; the MTA did an awful job publicizing this change.

 

 

Then why didn't the CB step up to the plate? They knew about it last September!

 

People are always going to be surprised by any change. Not everybody reads posters. Is the MTA obligated to knock on every door in the neighborhood to personally inform all of the residents?

 

It also leaves a bigger gap in the route network than existed prior...a better routing would have used Linden Boulevard and Hawtree Creek Road with some modifications to Hawtree Creek Road.

 

 

Congratulations, you're the first one to comment on the actual route. The Daily News article only discusses a few parking spaces on a public street.

[Q10 Airport]

Being fair the Q41 did have too many turns in Ozone Park and needed to be modernize. Aside from the NIMBY's another example of the not consulting with a local community board in finding common ground.

 

 

Speaking as one of those on 109th Avenue, I do understand that the Q41 will not have as many turns as a result of the change. However, it will hardly be "streamlining" service or saving much money. The problem with 109th Avenue is that there are a bunch of traffic lights (111th, 114th, 115th, 116th, 117th, 118th, Lefferts, 121st, 124th, and 127th) while 111th Avenue only has two lights (Lefferts and 127th).

 

Another problem with 109th is that it is not on the same street as two elementary schools in the area: Our Lady of Perpetual Help and PS 100. This was actually a major reason for Community Board 10's opposition to the Q41 route change.

 

There is also a problem with the MTA not finding ground with Community Board 10. I'm sorry, but when a community board votes 40-1 against the proposal, a different solution should be sought out by the MTA. They didn't do that, and everyone in the community is unhappy. The MTA shouldn't be surprised about that.

 

Finally, they didn't give advanced notice to Q41 riders, people on 111th Avenue, or people on 109th Avenue. Is that even legal?