news Officials Call for Better Bus Service to Douglaston, Queens

[User]

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – There’s a new push to improve bus service in the Douglaston section of Queens.

Federal, state and city officials gathered at a bus stop at Douglaston Parkway and 65th Avenue on Monday to announce they would seek new funding for increased bus service to Douglaston.

“Today we are calling for an increase in a federal grant program that funds buses and bus stops,” Rep. Steve Israel said, adding that the money could be used to replace, rehabilitate and purchase buses as well as build more bus stops.

New York State Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D-Fresh Meadows) also called for an increase in state funding to operate new bus lines – both local and express.

Officials said four out of the five bus routes currently servicing Douglaston have seen increased ridership in the past two years.

“When you have increased riders, you need more buses,” Israel said.

Many commuters said they currently deal with long waits and crowded buses.

“It’s horrible, every morning we have to wait like 30 to 40 minutes for a bus,” one bus rider said.

“I take the Q12 all the time and it’s infrequent if it does show up,” another bus rider said.

 

LINK: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/01/27/officials-call-for-increased-bus-service-to-douglaston/

 

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/475235-officials-call-for-better-bus-service-to-douglaston-queens/

 

http://bayside.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/northeast-queens-pols-call-for-increased-douglaston-bus-service

 

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If you look at the Patch article, they're calling for more service on the QM3 route.

[QM1to6Ave]

Good effort! I hope this comes to fruition

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Yes, it's about time that the Northeastern neighborhoods start speaking up.  I've long said that Queens has been shafted when it comes to express bus service and local bus service and there certainly should be far more QM3 service.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

I definetly agree with the addition of more QM3 service.

[Gotham Bus Co.]

“Today we are calling for an increase in a federal grant program that funds buses and bus stops,” Rep. Steve Israel said, adding that the money could be used to replace, rehabilitate and purchase buses as well as build more bus stops.

 

 

Build more bus stops? How do you "build" a bus stop? And won't his constituents then complain about all the lost parking?

[Jsunflyguy]

How much money can a stop cost, it's a metal pole. Maybe, if there's a small miracle, there will be a 3 seat shelter. But anyhow, good for them although if some money disappears going into "building" bus stops...

[NewFlyer 230]

The QM3 definitely needs more service I don't know how it still has 3 AM and 3PM trips when it should have at least full peak service maybe around 10-12 buses.

[Culver]

Build more bus stops? How do you "build" a bus stop? And won't his constituents then complain about all the lost parking?

And thus, we reach the quantum conundrum that is transit planning in NYC.

[qjtransitmaster]

The QM3 definitely needs more service I don't know how it still has 3 AM and 3PM trips when it should have at least full peak service maybe around 10-12 buses.

Walk up 5 minutes now your wait to manhattan becomes 10 minutes. I hope they get better local service and access to the LIRR. Or better yet why does the MTA insist on charging more for LIRR to queens anyway? The fare should not be separate from the rest of the system. This is why you have buses like N4 and N20 eating out potential riders the other being nonexistent reverse-peak service. Look at all the services surrounding the QM3 that's why.

[Vistausss]

How much money can a stop cost, it's a metal pole. Maybe, if there's a small miracle, there will be a 3 seat shelter. But anyhow, good for them although if some money disappears going into "building" bus stops...

 

And they need to add it to the schedules, inform the drivers, possibly train them if the stops are not along its current routing, ...

 

Not to say that it s expensive, which like you said, it ain t, just sayin that it s a little bit more than adding a metal pole...

[Missabassie]

Bus stops are not "built", bus stops are "allocated" if you will... Anyway, I'll throw my support behind this ad well. Service improvements are needed, lets git 'er done.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Walk up 5 minutes now your wait to manhattan becomes 10 minutes. I hope they get better local service and access to the LIRR. Or better yet why does the MTA insist on charging more for LIRR to queens anyway? The fare should not be separate from the rest of the system. This is why you have buses like N4 and N20 eating out potential riders the other being nonexistent reverse-peak service. Look at all the services surrounding the QM3 that's why.

Because, the LIRR is intended for people in Nassau and Suffolk (for the most part, or trips that end in Nassau and Suffolk). They don't want people in Long Island (within city limits) taking the train as much, and that's a reason for the sub-par service throughout the entire LIRR System within City Limits (besides Jamaica, the PW Branch stations, Atlantic Terminal, and Woodside). 

 

The QM3 should have a 6:10 AM trip to Manhattan, then a 6:40, 7:10, and 7:40 AM trip (as currently scheduled), then an 8:10, 8:40, and 9:10 AM trip.

 

Going back, the QM3 should run from 4:05 to 6:35 PM , every 30 minutes.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

The QM3 has had the same service levels for a long time. This would be the first time I believe, that Douglaston is speaking up for more service. Maybe it makes sense for the to start by adding a few (1 or 2) trips in the AM and PM and see how ridership responds. If it goes up, then maybe the will add more trips.

 

Who even knows if the will respond to these pushes. There's so much other service that's utilized more greatly than the QM3. The LIRR is busy as anything during rush hour and the Port Washington line earns tons of revenue from Little Neck, Douglaston, and Bayside. You can't really compare these to local bus service like some of the politicians did, but the Q12 and the n20 get great ridership as well from this area. They give links to the subway to get to Manhattan in Flushing.

 

I don't know, the could take a chance and see what happens. I'm curious to see what they do.

Douglaston should've spoken up a long time ago.  It's a relatively small area but Little Neck and Douglaston need to move into the 21st century and start encouraging residents to get out of their cars and walk to public transit.  I'm sure that the LIRR is well utilized, but I'm also sure that you have your express bus types that probably drive to the QM5, QM6 for Midtown and the QM7 or QM8 for Downtown service.  When we lost our X16 express bus in my neighborhood, our politicians did a lame job of fighting to keep our express bus despite us being very vocal about the X16 for years and crap service we received on that line (mainly buses going MIA, coming early or late) and what happened was people started driving to other express buses in other neighborhoods because they had better service.  It's not a good scenario because what happens is you have more traffic and less parking in those areas and it becomes a quality of life issue and people will start to move out if their commutes continue to become a problem. Perceived transportation issues can also keep housing values low.

 

Look at areas like Forest Hills.  It's expensive, but part of it is due to the various transportation options in the area... Express buses, subways and LIRR service and that counts for a lot.  I'm sure the is going to try to argue that QM3 riders have the LIRR, but the LIRR doesn't serve the same areas as the QM3 serves.  They should run express bus service there from 06:00 until 09:00 or 10:00 in the mornings, and coming back 16:00 until about 20:00.  I know you drive, but you should be supporting this as well.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

The area where the Representatives spoke is the cheaper side of Douglaston. The northern side of Northern Blvd is where the LIRR station is and that's where the real wealthy people are (not really rich, but they have money to spend). People here have cars. People who move here have cars. Riders who take the QM5, or the QM8 live in the area. I rode the Q30 to school for a few years and I used to see those riders everyday. One of the reasons we don't speak up about more bus service often is because a lot of people don't want more bus service here and think we don't need it, or don't want the subway expanded here. I can agree that we don't want the subway expanded here because it's the quiet outer lines of the city, but more QM3 service would be great. I do think it serves the same area of the LIRR for the most part (until you get into Manhattan) because it drives right along the Port Washington line, but goes a bit deeper into Manhattan than Penn Station.

LOL... Your community is like Riverdale in that regard... The thing is though more express bus service would be great for the neighborhood.  There is the same feeling here of not wanting subway service, as it would bring down the neighborhood, but that's not the case with the express bus.  At $6.00 a ride, it'll be used by folks in Douglaston and Little Neck and there wouldn't be any worry of riff-raff since it only serves Manhattan and Northeast Queens.  While cheaper than the LIRR at times (not on weekends) it 

[Vistausss]

LOL @VG8 about Forest Hills LIRR. First of all: it's not that well used as you might think. Second of all: how's the service? Not all trains stop at Forest Hills.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

LOL @VG8 about Forest Hills LIRR. First of all: it's not that well used as you might think. Second of all: how's the service? Not all trains stop at Forest Hills.

I didn't say it was.  What I said was that Forest Hills has a multitude of transportation options.  Whether they use all of them or not is a different story.  The point was that the more transportation options you have the more desirable an area can become.  

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

I didn't say it was.  What I said was that Forest Hills has a multitude of transportation options.  Whether they use all of them or not is a different story.  The point was that the more transportation options you have the more desirable an area can become.  

If it was 2006, I would sort-of agree with you

 

Now, that's not the case.

 

Forest Hills now only really has the Q23 (the QM12 runs rush hours only)

The LIRR doesn't really do anything, it's all the way in the north of the neighborhood, as well as the Q60 and the Subway.

 

Without having to walk an insane distance to the train, the community only has the Q23 to take them to the train station(s).

Majority of people who live here work in NYC. They would rather take the LIRR than take the bus because of a) traffic, b) they don't want to take their car into Manhattan and c) it's seen as the more professional thing to take. They walk to the train station, get their coffee and then board. They have no problem paying the LIRR fares because people here have $$$. The fares are not that bad honestly. We get the CityTicket on weekends and peak fares are not expensive for a comfortable seat on a train that beats the L.I.E and Northern Blvd. 30 minutes from Manhattan to the city line is not bad at all.

 

The area where the Representatives spoke is the cheaper side of Douglaston. The northern side of Northern Blvd is where the LIRR station is and that's where the real wealthy people are (not really rich, but they have money to spend). People here have cars. People who move here have cars. Riders who take the QM5, or the QM8 live in the area. I rode the Q30 to school for a few years and I used to see those riders everyday. One of the reasons we don't speak up about more bus service often is because a lot of people don't want more bus service here and think we don't need it, or don't want the subway expanded here. I can agree that we don't want the subway expanded here because it's the quiet outer lines of the city, but more QM3 service would be great. I do think it serves the same area of the LIRR for the most part (until you get into Manhattan) because it drives right along the Port Washington line, but goes a bit deeper into Manhattan than Penn Station.

Thank god at least one community in suburban Long Island prefers the train over the car

 

Anyways, yeah, the subway doesn't need to be expanded to Douglaston, especially since the LIRR does it job in that area perfectly fine.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

If it was 2006, I would sort-of agree with you

 

Now, that's not the case.

 

Forest Hills now only really has the Q23 (the QM12 runs rush hours only)

The LIRR doesn't really do anything, it's all the way in the north of the neighborhood, as well as the Q60 and the Subway..

Doesn't matter where they're located... They also have the QM4 which runs 7 days a week and the QM18 serves the area as well.

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Doesn't matter where they're located... They also have the QM4 which runs 7 days a week and the QM18 serves the area as well.

 

The QM4 doesn't even serve Forest Hills directly, and you would need to cross Queens Blvd. The neighborhood has mentioned it's despise against crossing it because it's too dangerous. The QM18 is useless for those needing it during off peak hours, and to most people in Forest Hills. That's another reason why the QM11 doesn't get the ridership it really should (but that's for another discussion). 

 

Most people who utilize public transportation in Forest Hills are in the south. The QM4 will just go in one ear and out the other, they'll only use whatever express they have (the 12, which isn't much to begin with). The rest will just take the 23. No way you're forcing the residents to use the QM4 unless you make a bus route within Forest Hills to connect to the QM4 (at an actual QM4 bus stop), but that isn't going to happen either. 

 

The residents of Forest Hills prefer to use the QM12, over QM15's, BM5's, QM11's, QM18's, and QM4's, if anything is added on the express in that area, you'd add it to the QM12 if you wanna see some decent ridership.

 

The QM12 serves all parts of Forest Hills, unlike QM15's, BM5's, QM11's, QM18's, and QM4's.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

The QM4 doesn't even serve Forest Hills directly, and you would need to cross Queens Blvd. The neighborhood has mentioned it's despise against crossing it because it's too dangerous. The QM18 is useless for those needing it during off peak hours, and to most people in Forest Hills. That's another reason why the QM11 doesn't get the ridership it really should (but that's for another discussion). 

 

Most people who utilize public transportation in Forest Hills are in the south. The QM4 will just go in one ear and out the other, they'll only use whatever express they have (the 12, which isn't much to begin with). The rest will just take the 23. No way you're forcing the residents to use the QM4 unless you make a bus route within Forest Hills to connect to the QM4 (at an actual QM4 bus stop), but that isn't going to happen either. 

 

The residents of Forest Hills prefer to use the QM12, over QM15's, BM5's, QM11's, QM18's, and QM4's, if anything is added on the express in that area, you'd add it to the QM12 if you wanna see some decent ridership.

 

The QM12 serves all parts of Forest Hills, unlike QM15's, BM5's, QM11's, QM18's, and QM4's.

Like I said, whether they want to use them or not is their choice, but they have options.  That's like the folks here in Riverdale.  They use the BxM1 over the BxM18 even though they get off below 57th street.  

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Like I said, whether they want to use them or not is their choice, but they have options.  That's like the folks here in Riverdale.  They use the BxM1 over the BxM18 even though they get off below 57th street.  

They basically have the 23 and the 12, that's it (or they walk to the subway, if it's not worth it to the 23). Ask any residents there about the QM4 (especially in the south), see how they reply.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

They basically have the 23 and the 12, that's it (or they walk to the subway, if it's not worth it to the 23). Ask any residents there about the QM4 (especially in the south), see how they reply.

Well yeah, not exactly shocking... People are lazy and dumb, so if it isn't literally in their face, they won't know about it.  It's the same reaction I get when I tell Riverdale express bus riders about the BxM18.  Most of them have no clue that it makes stops in Midtown along 5th and Madison Avenues and could cut their commutes down by a good 20 minutes.  They would just have to walk maybe a few more blocks than usual. 

[Vistausss]

Lazy? Well, I'm all in for a walk but looking at OpenStreetMap or Google Maps it doesn't seem like a pleaseant walk all the way from the south of Forest Hills to the north...

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Lazy? Well, I'm all in for a walk but looking at OpenStreetMap or Google Maps it doesn't seem like a pleaseant walk all the way from the south of Forest Hills to the north...

For some folks if they have to walk more than a few blocks it's too far from them.  My bus stop has always been a good 10+ minutes away even when I was living on Staten Island and I'm sure that if people had to walk the way that I do up hills and such to get to and from they couldn't do it.

[bobtehpanda]

Well yeah, not exactly shocking... People are lazy and dumb, so if it isn't literally in their face, they won't know about it.  It's the same reaction I get when I tell Riverdale express bus riders about the BxM18.  Most of them have no clue that it makes stops in Midtown along 5th and Madison Avenues and could cut their commutes down by a good 20 minutes.  They would just have to walk maybe a few more blocks than usual. 

 

Queens Boulevard is a 12-lane speedway known as "the Boulevard of Death", and is so dangerous that some intersections have concrete barriers in their medians (which doesn't prevent cars from launching upwards over them), but if they don't want to cross the road then they must all be lazy and dumb.