MTA Approves Queens Bus Network Redesign Plan

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Board today at 12:04 P.M. approved the Queens Bus Network Redesign plan, a bus service improvement plan to transform the nearly 70-year-old bus system with updates to both express and local bus service to better match the growth and travel patterns the borough has seen over the years. Complementing a five-year planning process and extensive outreach process of over 250 events with more than 18,000 comments, NYC Transit will launch a large-scale public education campaign leading up to implementation of the new bus network, which will roll out in two phases, in alignment with regular seasonal service changes at the end of June and the end of August. The final plan includes a total of 124 routes (vs 113 existing): 94 local routes, and 30 express routes.

“Queens is the most bus reliant of the five boroughs by far, and this redesign plan will create the modern bus system its 800,000 daily riders deserve,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “Faster, more frequent, and more reliable service – with more bus-to-rail connections – will help residents of the World’s Borough take advantage of all that New York has to offer.”

“Queens is a borough that relies on buses like no other, and it was imperative that we went about the redesign process the right way: evaluating routes and bus stops, prioritizing transit equity, analyzing ridership patterns, and engaging with everyday riders and community leaders,” said NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow. “Today’s vote marks a culmination of years of work to deliver a bus system that improves the quality of lives for Queens residents with shorter wait times, better all-day frequency and more reliable bus service.”

“This redesign will greatly complement the number of initiatives already underway to improve bus service and the customer experience, including automated enforcement cameras, zero-emission buses, depot infrastructure upgrades, and continuous collaboration with DOT for bus priority street improvements and real time passenger information,” said NYC Transit Senior Vice President of Buses Frank Annicaro. 

“A majority of Queens commuters rely on public transportation every day, and they deserve an efficient and modern bus network, holistically designed for the future, not the past,” said NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “We congratulate the MTA on taking this next step to enhance bus service for Queens riders and we look forward to partnering with the Authority on future bus priority projects to improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers.”

“Today is a watershed moment for our bus network here in Queens and for the 800,000 of us in this borough who rely on our buses to get to work, school and beyond. To the MTA, all our community partners and every Queens resident who made their voice heard throughout this exhaustive planning process, thank you for your critical work to improve mass transit in The World's Borough,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “This victory belongs to all our borough's hard-working commuters who have long deserved a bus system that is quick, efficient and comfortable. And with the Queens Bus Network Redesign, they are finally getting exactly that. Congratulations to all who shepherded this plan across the finish line.”

As the redesign is implemented, NYC Transit will continue to solicit comments and feedback through surveys and refine the network as needed.

The redesign focuses on four customer priorities: reliable service, faster service, better connections and simplified service. The new bus network adds a new type of route, labeled “Rush,” in addition to the existing Local, Limited, Select Bus Service (SBS), and Express routes. Designed to get riders to their destination more quickly, Rush routes have both a local and a non-stop portion to quickly connect between outer borough neighborhoods and subway stations. The combination of these different routes creates a cohesive network that offers new travel opportunities and fulfills the different needs of Queens bus customers. 

Additionally, New York City Department of Transportation’s (NYC DOT) work installing busways in downtown Flushing and Jamaica, as well as bus lanes on Northern Boulevard and 21 Street, strengthens the bus network redesign and its investment in Queens. Improvements along Northern Boulevard resulted in an increase of up to 25% in bus speeds; those along Main St / Kissena Boulevard boasted a 44% increase in bus speeds; and buses along Archer Avenue are traveling up to 57% faster since implementation of bus priority street improvements. As part of the NYC Streets Plan, released in February 2023, NYC DOT is working collaboratively with the MTA to identify additional corridors where bus priority street treatments can be implemented to improve bus rider travel time.

Equity-Informed Approach

Like past bus network redesigns, the Queens Bus Network Redesign aims to create a more efficient, reliable, and accessible bus system that better serves the needs of all riders, while prioritizing equity to address disparities in access and opportunity.

Beyond the Title VI requirements, the project team published an Equity Evaluation which shares the data behind socioeconomic factors and framework used to inform the development of the new bus network, underscoring the project’s commitment to equitable transportation. In the MTA’s equity analysis, the public can learn how factors such as transit dependency, minority representation, income, access to opportunity, and mobility needs were taken into consideration when making improvements to routes with finite resources to ensure communities with greater equity concerns continue to have strong access to transit.

Highlights of the Final Plan Addendum Network

New Routes

Four new local routes were introduced in the Addendum Network released in December 2024, raising the total of new routes in the plan to 17: 

• The Q74 Limited connects Forest Hills to points in eastern Queens including Queens College, Queensborough Community College, and many major high schools

• The Q80 provides more frequent service on Lefferts Blvd along the path of the existing Q10 Limited

• The Q89 Rush provides service along the path of the existing Q85 Green Acres branch

• The Q90 Limited connects Flushing to LaGuardia Airport via Willets Point 

Improved All-Day Frequent Network

There are 29 routes that provide 10 minutes or better service from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on weekdays; 20 routes have either increased frequency or expanded hours of operation. Key streets throughout the borough that would see frequency increases include Union Turnpike, Merrick Boulevard, Guy R. Brewer Blvd, and the western section of Northern Boulevard.

More Direct Routing, Faster Travel

There are 25 Rush routes that pick-up passengers locally on one end and then have greater stop spacing to improve travel times to the other end of the line, stopping at major transfer points and key destinations.

Bus stop changes were carefully considered and holistically examined. 84% of riders will continue to use the same stop that they do today. Increased bus stop spacing speeds up buses and improves reliability for customers, better aligning with more modern peer transit systems around the world.

Better Connections

The redesign fills in gaps in the bus network and establishes new connections with other bus routes, subway lines, the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), and improves accessibility throughout Queens by connecting to more Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-accessible subway stations. Improving connections maximizes the opportunity of taking advantage of discounted fare options like the LIRR’s CityTicket or Far Rockaway Ticket, which is a discounted ticket riders can use to travel within city limits for $5 during off-peak hours and $7 for peak hours.

The redesign improves service to John F. Kennedy Airport on the new Q80, and to LaGuardia Airport on the Q33 and the new Q90 Limited. Expanding reach and improving frequency and span of service to airports is not only convenient to travelers but more importantly, beneficial to airport employees who may have non-traditional work schedules.

New and modified routes expand the reach of the bus network, making interborough travel easier. The Q98 Limited route connects Myrtle-Wyckoff Avs (on the Brooklyn-Queens border) and downtown Flushing via the Horace Harding Expressway. The new route complements the existing Q58 which also operates between Flushing and Ridgewood, but the new Q98 provides a more direct alternative, along with connections to ​​​​subway lines, 31 other bus routes and the LIRR Flushing-Main St station.

The QM65 is a new express route connecting Laurelton and Rochdale in Southeast Queens to downtown Manhattan.

Simplified Service

All Express routes are being standardized to use the “QM” route label, instead of some using “QM” while others use “X.”

Route labels for the Local network have been simplified so that customers better understand where their bus is traveling before they board.

Learn More

Members of the public can learn more about the slated route changes on the project webpage with links to multiple resources, including route profiles which provide a helpful summary of the changes, frequencies, bus stop lists, and a map clearly outlining the new and existing routings. Bus customers can also preview routes through an interactive web-based tool called Remix. Later, the MTA will launch a trip planning tool, where customers will be able to input a start and end location to see their trip options with the bus route changes in effect. This will also be available on the project webpage.