MTA Increases Queens Bus Service To Tempt Riders Onto Service

QUEENS, NY – The MTA will expand hours for two major Queens bus routes in Long Island City and Jamaica, it announced Thursday.

The change comes as part of the “Fast Forward” initiative which aims to bring urban commuters back to the city's bus system.

The MTA hopes that improving the bus service will persuade people to take the bus instead of the subway. Many recent subway delays have been blamed on overcrowding, so it's hoped both bus riders and subway riders will benefit if more people take the bus.

“Adding service outside traditional commute times and on weekends will benefit customers who take these routes as well as attract new customers who might be using other modes of transportation right now,” said MTA Bus Company President Darryl Irick.

Buses affected will be the Q6 and Q69, which will see increases in their off-peak service.

The Q6 runs from downtown Jamaica to JFK Airport, and the Q69 brings Jackson Heights residents to subway stops in Astoria and Long Island City.

The Q6 is frequented by JFK customers and Jamaica residents who work in the malls nearby, and the Q69 is frequented by Jackson Heights residents trying to get to the subway.

The MTA says that the change will affect more than 10,000 current Q6 riders and more than 9,500 current Q69 riders.

Compared to the subway, though, that is not many riders. 4.3 million New Yorkers take the subway, every day, or about 160,000 people per subway line each day.

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