Two Queens buses spared service ax
MTA agrees to boost service along pair of major routes serving east Queens communities
A Q46 bus on Union Turnpike in Glen Oaks Photo via Wikimedia Commons/Tdorante10
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Assemblywoman Nily
Rozic announced on Monday
that service will be restored
to the Q46 and Q44 bus
routes after reaching an
agreement with MTA New
York City Transit (NYCT).
“I am thankful that the
MTA and NYCT listened
to the concerns of the
eastern Queens bus riders
and restored Q46 and Q44
service — outer borough
transit riders must not
be neglected,” said Rozic.
“These service investments
will give riders more options
to get where they need to go,
more options during rush
hour, and more reason to
use subways and commuter
trains instead.
The changes, first of
which are to begin in the
coming season, will help
alleviate some of the recent
budget cuts that were felt
in all five boroughs. The
funding for the changes will
come from the outer borough
transit funds secured by
legislators and will have no
impact on the MTA budget.
There will be increased
bus service on the Q46 and
Q44 lines after Rozic had
expressed her opposition
to service adjustments in
January to the Q46 bus
route, which primarily
runs along Union Turnpike
from Forest Hills to
New Hyde Park.
The NYCT decreased Q46
service by reallocating a
number of trips to the local
AM peak hours from the
limited service.
According to Rozic,
following the cuts,
constituents had complained
of lengthy delays and wait
times along the Q46, which
runs primarily along Union
Turnpike through Kew
Gardens, Kew Gardens Hills,
Hillcrest, Fresh Meadows,
Jamaica, Oakland Gardens,
Glen Oaks and Floral Park.
“The New York City
Transit Authority needs
to improve service and
accountability across the
system, and it must develop
a plan for both improving
and increasing bus service,”
said Rozic, whose district
has no subway or train
service. “Outer borough
transit riders must be a
priority and sadly at NYCT,
that doesn’t seem to be
the case.”
There were also planned
cuts for the Q44 bus line
that had not yet been
implemented, but have been
canceled and service will
continue as is, according
to Rozic’s office. The Q44
is a Select Bus Service line
between Jamaica and the
Bronx and serves the heart
of Downtown Flushing
along Main Street.
With an agreement in
place to revert the cuts and
service changes, Darryl
Irick, president of the MTA
bus company, said they’re
pleased to be able to provide
additional bus service
along Main Street and
Union Turnpike, allowing
riders to get where they’re
going efficiently, in a way
that doesn’t add costs to
the MTA.
“Improving bus service
is a huge priority to the
MTA,” said Irick. “Which
is why we’ve launched a
comprehensive, borough
by borough, bus route
redesign effort so we can
provide better service to all
New Yorkers.”
Riders Alliance Senior
Organizer Stephanie
Burgos-Veras said that
restoration of bus service on
the Q44 and Q46 represents
a “giant leap” for riders.
“As part of state
leaders’ comprehensive
transit funding package,
Assemblywoman Nily
Rozic delivered better bus
service for thousands of
Queens riders, many with
punishing commutes far
from any subway station,”
said Burgos-Veras. “As
advocates for better transit
and congestion pricing, we
argued that it wasn’t just
about Manhattan nor just
about the train. Today, the
proof is in better bus service
for eastern Queens.”
Nick Sifuentes, executive
director of the Tri-State
Transportation Campaign
said, “With the recently
passed congestion pricing
plan, we can finally restore
services that were cut due
to lack of funding for our
subways and buses. If we are
to encourage fewer people
to commute by car, we must
make sure that transit
is a viable and efficient
alternative, especially in
parts of the city that lack
subway service and tend to
be more auto-dependent.”
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by email at
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718)
260–4526.
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