Customers Can Use New Route Look-up Tool to Learn Specifics About When and How Each Route Will Change
Project Phasing Guide of Bus Routes and Their Corresponding Effective Redesign Date Available Online
See Sample of Guide-A-Ride Insert and Informational Brochure
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The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced that the specific dates this summer that each Queens bus route is slated to change or take effect as part of the Queens Bus Network Redesign project is now available online at mta.info/queensbus, where bus customers can access a project phasing guide, outlining the timing of the redesign changes, and the new route look-up tool which allows users to select any bus route from a drop-down menu to see the latest information on their specific route(s), when the route will be changing and links to additional detailed information.
“800,000 Queens residents depend on our buses every day, and we owe it to them to find new ways to speed service,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “No matter what else is going on in New York right now, the new MTA is listening to our customers and delivering bus speed improvements – whether it’s by transformative redesign of the bus network, Automated Camera Enforcement, or congestion pricing.”
“Now all Queens bus riders have the tools necessary to plan for their trip on the new network designed to provide faster and better bus service,” said New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow. “As implementation dates near, we’ll ramp up the outreach efforts to make sure everyone’s aware about the upcoming changes. In the meantime, we strongly encourage bus riders to take advantage of the online tools which provide the best customized approach to learn more about how your trip can change.”
“Starting this summer, bus riders in Queens will get to experience an enhanced, efficient and modern bus network, holistically designed for the future, not the past,” said NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “We are proud to support the implementation of this redesign in partnership with the MTA to deliver enhanced bus service and bus stops for Queens riders, and we will continue to develop and implement bus priority projects that complement the Network Redesign service changes.
“The Queens Bus Network Redesign is a game-changer for the 800,000 borough residents who ride an MTA bus each day. As we prepare for the official rollout of the redesign this summer to speed up commutes and make our system easier to navigate, I encourage all our straphangers in Queens to get informed on potential changes to your most frequently used routes,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “I was proud to work hand-in-hand with the MTA and all our partners on this plan and I couldn't be more excited to see what a world of difference it will make in the daily lives of our neighbors as they travel to work, school and everywhere in between.”
The implementation of the new bus network will take place in two phases, aligning with regular seasonal timetable changes on Sunday, June 29, and Sunday, August 31, or the respective next regular service day. In Phase One, 16 new routes will launch, 67 routes will change, and five routes will be discontinued. In Phase Two, one new route will launch, 37 routes will change, and one route will be discontinued. The final plan includes a total of 124 routes (vs 113 existing): 94 local routes, and 30 express routes.
The new route look-up tool works with Google Translate, which enables customers to read information about their specific route(s) in their preferred language. The Google Translate tool is found at the bottom of the web page. For additional ways to learn of new travel options, customers are encouraged to visit mta.info/queensbus, where they can preview the new network with Remix, an interactive web-based mapping tool that enables customers to see if and how the route changes in the new network. For a more personalized approach, bus customers can use the Future Trip Planner, which enables inputting a start and end location and seeing trip options with the full implementation of the bus route changes on August 31, 2025.
While NYC DOT will continue to change physical signage at bus stops throughout the spring in order to complete the necessary work by the launch dates, all Queens Redesign-related service changes will take place on June 29 and August 31, 2025, or the next respective regular service day. During this time, customers can rely on the MTA app and Bus Time to provide the most accurate service information. In addition, the MTA is installing signage alerting customers to the upcoming Queens Redesign changes in the permanent Guide-A-Ride (GAR) boxes that can be found on most bus stop poles. As we proceed through the spring, signage in the GAR boxes will be targeted to highlight the specific changes customers will see this summer at that location.
As part of the public education campaign that began on Feb. 20, on-board bus announcements and additional digital and print signage will go up across bus stops, buses and the subway system this spring, alerting customers that changes to the decades-old Queens bus network are coming this summer. And in addition to promoting the phasing information across all MTA channels, the project team plans to present to Queens community boards in April and May. Pop-up outreach events will be announced as the first implementation date, June 29, approaches as well as more details about the planned Customer Ambassador Program. These events will provide riders an opportunity to directly engage with the MTA and NYC DOT staff members on the redesign.
The MTA will keep customers informed before, during, and after each phase of implementation via social media, paid advertising, and email and SMS alerts. Customers should sign up for MTA service alerts to receive real-time information and updates about their bus routes.