April 2006 MTA Bus Service Changes

[QM18Express]

Wasn't the lone QM23 run the only GBL express route/run to go along 63rd Driver? The QM15/17 all turned right onto Woodhaven off of Queens Blvd. IIRC.

The QM15 used to travel up 63rd Drive in the mornings only. The QM23 went up and down 63rd Drive.

[NYCT Orion 05.501]

So today is April 9th...are the Q25, Q34 (actually that starts tomorrow) and Q65 rerouted to Jamaica LIRR Station yet?



Ray

[JA]

(1) The Q25, Q34, and Q65 extended to the Jamaica LIRR station. Neither the Q30 nor the Q31 carry many passengers to the LIRR station, and few passengers can be expected to board the Q25, Q34, and Q65 there. Most southbound passengers alight at Hillside Avenue for the subway, or at Jamaica Avenue for shopping or bus connections. The extension will help for none of these purposes. I suspect that the real reason for the extension relates to the person at MTA Bus who is in charge of route planning: he lives on Long Island and probably wants a bus to bring him from the LIRR Jamaica station to his office in College Point.

I think that the Q25, Q34, and Q65 have a larger market than the Q30 and Q31. The numbers won't be overwhelming, but they will do much better than the Q30 and Q31.

(2) The Q53 will now have slower service. This is a misunderstanding of the character of the route. It provides service to residents of the Rockaways who would not otherwise utilize public transportation because of the perceived dangers of using the "A" train through Brooklyn. The non-stop trip to the subway on Queens Boulevard bypasses the "A" train and is reasonably fast; this change will destroy both of those attributes. The Q53 also provides a connection from the Queens Boulevard subway in the summer to the Rockaway beaches, and with enough passengers to fill the buses to capacity, why inconvenience them with slower service?

You are absolutely right. However, Lindenwood, Howard Beach, and Ozone Park have substantially more political clout than anywhere in the Rockaways. Those "empty" Q53 buses could not be allowed to get away with those precious seats. The Q21 will become a subsidized school bus like the Q22A.

(3) Added off-peak service on the QM15 reverse peak and weekends. This service is so under-utilized now, this is just going to increase costs with barely any increase in ridership.

Meanwhile, local bus routes with capacity limitations continue to operate without adequate service.

You are absolutely right. However, Lindenwood, Howard Beach, and Ozone Park have substantially more political clout than anywhere in the Rockaways. Express bus riders have always had more clout than local bus riders. This will not change with MTA Bus. The express bus routes that operate serve many politically strong or affluent neighborhoods. The local buses are individuals that will be attended to in time...maybe.

[Petabread]

Yeap the Q25 and the Q65 have rerouted to LIRR-AirTrain today and the Q34 will begin tomorrow. Also the Q6, 8, 9 and Q41 going back to 165th Street are now using Jamaica Ave instead of Archer Ave.

[OrionV]

Yeap the Q25 and the Q65 have rerouted to LIRR-AirTrain today and the Q34 will begin tomorrow. Also the Q6, 8, 9 and Q41 going back to 165th Street are now using Jamaica Ave instead of Archer Ave.

Now thats a change! Have the Q6, 8, 9, 41 received new style bus stops along Jamaica Avenue?

[Petabread]

No, they have old style bus stop signs.

[NYCT Orion 05.501]

Yeap the Q25 and the Q65 have rerouted to LIRR-AirTrain today and the Q34 will begin tomorrow. Also the Q6, 8, 9 and Q41 going back to 165th Street are now using Jamaica Ave instead of Archer Ave.

Now thats a change! Have the Q6, 8, 9, 41 received new style bus stops along Jamaica Avenue?

Now why are they using Jamaica Av in both directions? That would mean the bus stops along Archer Av will have to be revised, correct?



Ray

[QM18Express]

I was able to cover the Q25/Q34 to Jamaica LIRR Station and the NEW Q53 LTD service. I really enjoy having the Q25/Q34 near me now(1- 1 1/2 blocks) as it now go's to the LIRR station. I got on 9956 going to the LIRR station. I was the only passenger left after the bus empty out at Jamaica Ave(Other then the supervisor who came aboard at Jamaica Ave). I was let off at by the departure TV monitors between tracks 6 and 7. The drop off zone go's from the Track 4 departure board to a little past the stairs for track 7 and 8. The Q25/Q34 and Q65 picks up infront of the Airtrain building and I say that is a great place to wait for the Q25/Q34 and Q65 since you can wait inside by the sutphin blvd exit doors.
Here is an idea, make the ground floor(Some of it) into a waiting area with seats for the Q25/Q34 and Q65 as well as for anybody waiting for their rides.
Also I manage to do the NEW Q53 LTD. A rare sighting happen at Cross Bay/ Liberty. GM RTS #7102 appear on the Q53! It did stop at Cross Bay/ Liberty stop and I only saw a old lady getting off. The Q53 S/B stop at Cross Bay/ Liberty is on that island by PC Richards. Look at the pic of 7102 below to see where I am talking about.
After that sighting, I got on 9780 going N/B on the Q53 LTD. The driver was asking people at the LTD bus stops on Woodhaven on where they where going. About 90% to almost 100% of people that was pciked up by my Q53 where going to Queens Center Mall from the Woodhaven Blvd stops. Only 1 drop off was made along Woodhaven and that was at Jamaica Ave. I did went back to the LIRR station in Jamaica to pick up a ticket and then waited inside the Airtrain building til my Q25 comes around. I got on 9887 for the return trip.
By the way, the former 1st stop(Northside of Archer between Parsons and 153) is now the next to the last stop for the Q25/Q34 and Q65 buses. Also the Q25/Q34 and Q65 now also stop at bus bay E on the southside of Archer near the 153 St exit from the E and J/Z trains.

[Green_713]

I find it strange that the Q53 stops at the island for the Liberty Ave. stop.  I would've ASSumed that it would've made the same stop as the Q6/7/11/21 stops do at Liberty Ave. and Woodhaven/CrossBay Blvd, perhaps a bit further down into the stop.  Technically, that stop is not Liberty and Woodhaven but actually Woodhaven and Roackaway Blvd. instead.  Not mention that stop is somewhat in the middle of "Nowhere", no easy bus transfers, crazy light sequence and the fact that you're on an island between the major streets.  Bah, bad transfer point, *IF* it could even be called a transfer point at all.

And now, I presume to fulfill the extra runs, they throw icky RTS-04's onto now.

Speaking of which, is it just me or have there been *NO* Orion V CNG's running on any LGA routes for about the past week?

[NYCT Orion 05.501]

I was able to cover the Q25/Q34 to Jamaica LIRR Station and the NEW Q53 LTD service. I really enjoy having the Q25/Q34 near me now(1- 1 1/2 blocks) as it now go's to the LIRR station. I got on 9956 going to the LIRR station. I was the only passenger left after the bus empty out at Jamaica Ave(Other then the supervisor who came aboard at Jamaica Ave). I was let off at by the departure TV monitors between tracks 6 and 7. The drop off zone go's from the Track 4 departure board to a little past the stairs for track 7 and 8. The Q25/Q34 and Q65 picks up infront of the Airtrain building and I say that is a great place to wait for the Q25/Q34 and Q65 since you can wait inside by the sutphin blvd exit doors.
Here is an idea, make the ground floor(Some of it) into a waiting area with seats for the Q25/Q34 and Q65 as well as for anybody waiting for their rides.

By the way, the former 1st stop(Northside of Archer between Parsons and 153) is now the next to the last stop for the Q25/Q34 and Q65 buses. Also the Q25/Q34 and Q65 now also stop at bus bay E on the southside of Archer near the 153 St exit from the E and J/Z trains.

That makes to have drop offs between those tracks since those are mainly outbound tracks. As for the bus lane itself, are the Q6, Q8, Q9, Q40, Q41 and Q60 using the bus lane too? Is the lane wide enough for the buses to pass each other? I can't wait to check this out next Saturday!



Ray

[Flatbush41]

Nice pic and short story Dominick. I'm not surprised at the expected usage of Liberty Av as a limited stop, and it once people start catching on that will certainly put some relief on the Q11 since most of the passengers are heading towards the mall anyway. I'm still convinced that most of those stops aren't needed but its good for the riding public to have a new option.

[Petabread]

The road is wide enough for the Q65, Q25 and Q34 to use as well as the rest going southbound to use as well. I haven't looked at all the former Q6, 8, 9, and 41 stops but the one that is by the Jamaica Center E J Z train station on the south side of archer across from 150th is now being used as a Q25, Q65 and Q34 stop with the route number on, this is the stop right before Parsons and Jamaica ave.

[QM18Express]

THe picture below is the island in question on Woodhaven between Liberty and Rockaway. The Q53 LTD stop heading north at Liberty/Cross Bay is at the Q7,Q11,Q41 stop but there is no sign for Q53 LTD there as of yet(The Q21 is there on that sign but the Q21 drop off is at the QM15,QM16,QM17 stop).
My review of the NEW Q53 LTD service is very good. Some people did not know about it until it pulled up and the driver that I had on 9780 starting asking people on where they where going and about all of them got on with 1 lady did not get on as she wanted Woodhaven and 90th road and the closest stop was Myrtle Ave then having to walk or wait for Q11. It would take some getting used to. Then again some kind of LTD service was needed along Woodhaven at 1 time or anouther.
And 1 more thing,  Me and 1 lady got on 9780 at Liberty/Cross Bay

[T J Trainman]

There are 4 Orion V CNGs left at LGAand they are: 7218 7220 7247 and 7249.

[Green_713]

Thanks for the update on the Orion V  T J Trainman!

Also, do all the Q53's now pull up to the new limited stops now despite someone wanting to get off or waving it down?  I ask this because if I want to use it now at say Liberty and the Q53 follows its old habit of staying in the left lane as it goes by despite having to stop at the limited stops to see if anyone desires to board or not?

[Flatbush41]

The new Q53 limited bus stops are all up except the one mentioned, which is the northbound at Liberty Av and sure enough the patronage for utilizing it has certainly caught on.

[M98 Limited]

I notice one bxm18 trip has been added in the afternoon.

[NYCT Orion 05.501]

Okay now I'm not sure if this is already taking place but now that this bus lane is back under Jamaica Station, are those livery cabs using it as well? I know that cars and trucks must bare left while buses bare right BUT I know those lovery cabs would do anything to sneak there way in their.



Ray

[QM18Express]

When I was there on sunday, no cabs where in the bus stop just a MTA Supervisor car(A Chevy Malibu) sitting there.

[QM18Express]

Here are a few pics of the Jamaica LIRR bus lane from sunday

[Mr. Brian]

Haha, so many routes drop off that it's just listed as "MTA"

Somewhere on SI, near the St. George Ferry Terminal, a similar sign exists, except it reads "NYCT"

[QM18Express]

I just bump into a new QM18 schedule.
I am very happy to know that a big gap between 8:15 AM and 10 AM is now covered as it now have a new 9 AM trip into Midtown. Also the 1st bus to Midtown is now at 6:30 AM and then service every 15 minutes from 7 AM to 8:15 AM.
The 2:30 PM to South Ozone Park now leaves 25 minutes later at 2:55 PM. New 3:55 PM and 4:25 PM trip to South Ozone Park is now added to fill in the 2 hour + gap in service. 5:10 PM and 5:40 PM(Last Bus) trip to South Ozone Park departs 5 minutes later at 5:15 PM and 5:45 PM. 5:20 PM Trip to South Ozone Park discontuned.
Stop added, Queens Blvd and 63 Drive. No longer have Queens Blvd and Woodhaven Blvd as a stop anymore.

[Green_713]

I just bump into a new QM18 schedule.
I am very happy to know that a big gap between 8:15 AM and 10 AM is now covered as it now have a new 9 AM trip into Midtown. Also the 1st bus to Midtown is now at 6:30 AM and then service every 15 minutes from 7 AM to 8:15 AM.
The 2:30 PM to South Ozone Park now leaves 25 minutes later at 2:55 PM. New 3:55 PM and 4:25 PM trip to South Ozone Park is now added to fill in the 2 hour + gap in service. 5:10 PM and 5:40 PM(Last Bus) trip to South Ozone Park departs 5 minutes later at 5:15 PM and 5:45 PM. 5:20 PM Trip to South Ozone Park discontuned.
Stop added, Queens Blvd and 63 Drive. No longer have Queens Blvd and Woodhaven Blvd as a stop anymore.

That's good with the tweaks, no one was ever on that 2:30PM run, sometimes a handful at most.  Perhaps now that it leaves somewhat later it'll have some more now.  And the other tweaks with the runs look good, even it out.  Instead of everyone crowding the 4:55PM run out of Manhattan after a 3 hour wait since the 2:55PM run.

And the removal of the Woodhaven stop is smart, there's always traffic at the service road off of the main road for Woodhaven that logs up the buses (Q60, Q58, Q53, QM10, etc...) from the run.

[NYCT Orion 05.501]

I forgot to mention that back on April 15th I was questioned by a Q25 bus driver about the NEW service to Jamaica LIRR Station. He told me ALL the NEW stops and I told him that this was very helpful to me because I use Track 8 to get home. All buses drop me off near Tracks 7 and 8. So good! Just thought I'd mentioned that.


Ray

[Mr. Brian]

Do the Q25, Q34 and Q65 now stop at those bus bays at Jamaica Center/Parsons-Archer?  Or have they always stopped there before MTA Bus extended those three routes to the Jamaica LIRR Station?

[NYCT Orion 05.501]

Do the Q25, Q34 and Q65 now stop at those bus bays at Jamaica Center/Parsons-Archer?  Or have they always stopped there before MTA Bus extended those three routes to the Jamaica LIRR Station?

The Q25, Q34 and Q65 stop at Jamaica Center at the SAME stop as the Q6, Q8, Q9 and Q41 use to. Right behind them (at the corner of Archer Av and 158th St) is the Q44 LIMITED bus stop. ONLY the Q44 LTD stops there. The Q30, Q31 and I think the Q24 are in front of the Q25, Q34 and Q65.



Ray

[QM18Express]

Do the Q25, Q34 and Q65 now stop at those bus bays at Jamaica Center/Parsons-Archer?  Or have they always stopped there before MTA Bus extended those three routes to the Jamaica LIRR Station?

The Q25, Q34 and Q65 stop at Jamaica Center at the SAME stop as the Q6, Q8, Q9 and Q41 use to. Right behind them (at the corner of Archer Av and 158th St) is the Q44 LIMITED bus stop. ONLY the Q44 LTD stops there. The Q30, Q31 and I think the Q24 are in front of the Q25, Q34 and Q65.



Ray

You are right and wrong on this. Right on the Q44 LTD stop is behind the Q25/Q34 and Q65 stop. Wrong is becuase Q24,Q30,and Q31 stops where the Q44 LTD and Q20A/Q20B bus stop is. The stop in front of Q25/Q34 and Q65 stop is the Q83 stop.

[QM18Express]

I have saw a service notice posted up at most MTA Bus Eastchester Depot bus stops. Here is the picture

[Mr. Harlem Line]

I knew it! I knew there was some sort of service increase on the Eastchester routes. This past Sunday, when I was going home from Pelham Bay, I saw a BxM7A in service. It left the Pelham Bay Station at 9:00PM sharp. Later that night, I looked up the Bxm7A schedule on MTA's website and the last bus to Manhattan on Sunday was 6:00PM. I thought I was wrong but I guess MTA needs to update that schedule. Thanks for the info!

[Dre Day]

I said this once before on another forum, I think when MTA Bus has full control on changing routes and shedules something is going to happen. I think MTA Bus will change all the BXM, QM, BM and ETC to X routes. Another suggestion why are they Called Bxm7a or Qm2a, don't you think it would have been easier to just call Bxm7 and replace the Bxm7a with the Bxm12. Sometimes people wont know the differences. When MTA bus took over Easterchester I didn't even the bus had a number, I would just see if its going to Co-op or Pelham.

[Andrew Kirschner]

In particular the two totally different QM1A's were always laughable, particularly with the numbers QM5 through QM9 wide open. If nothing else, one of them could have been the QM1B. But in the end, I think the X-prefix works better for expresses.

Andrew

[RailBus63]

I like the DOT express route number system better - I would think it's easier for new riders to learn and remember their borough code than to figure out which of the dozens of X routes is their bus.

Jim

[AMoreira81]

I like the DOT express route number system better - I would think it's easier for new riders to learn and remember their borough code than to figure out which of the dozens of X routes is their bus.

Jim

First things first...customers need to start reading the signs, instead of looking at the color on the bus.

[RTS4660]

Any changes have been discussed as of late or changes been communicated besides Triboro which is probably for next month. I am especially interested in the Rockaways interests MTA Bus has now including possibly to increase service on the Q21/22 and Q35.