MTA subway and LIRR Freedom Ticket is coming in 2018: Lhota

[NY1635]

42 minutes ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

It still helps for Downtown access and at the very least, some might use it as a quicker alternative to reachave Jamaica compared to the local bus or dollar van but I agree it would be better to allow access to Penn Station.

The buses and the dollar vans in SE Queens are much more frequent than the LIRR in the same area. Only the hourly Hempstead and Far Rockaway Branch serve Queens while the Babylon Branch runs express between Jamaica and Lynbrook, or in certain cases express thru Nassau to/from Babylon carrying air. 

[checkmatechamp13]

1 hour ago, NY1635 said:

The buses and the dollar vans in SE Queens are much more frequent than the LIRR in the same area. Only the hourly Hempstead and Far Rockaway Branch serve Queens while the Babylon Branch runs express between Jamaica and Lynbrook, or in certain cases express thru Nassau to/from Babylon carrying air. 

During rush hour, service is more frequent than hourly, so it still helps that it's an option. 

[NY1635]

2 hours ago, checkmatechamp13 said:

During rush hour, service is more frequent than hourly, so it still helps that it's an option. 

I should clarify that NE Queens has more frequent LIRR service while SE Queens is underserved. Only Jamaica has consistent service and it's only due to being a major transfer point. The Main Line has the excuse of Merriilon Ave, NHP, Mineola, and Hicksville being highly used stops and crowded during the rush for skipping stations in Queens. I don't know what are the most used stops on the Babylon Branch aside from Freeport, Baldwin, and Lynbrook.