Queens bus network redesign draws mixed reviews from riders. Here's what MTA officials are saying.
More than 800,000 daily MTA bus riders are experiencing their first weekday commute under Phase 2 of the Queens bus network redesign.
So far, reaction among riders to the $30 million overhaul, the first redesign in seven decades, has been mixed.
Redesign features 124 routes, including 94 local
The 21st Street and 41st Avenue bus stop was packed Tuesday morning on the first day back to work following a long holiday weekend. For some, the morning rush under the new phase got off to a positive start.
MTA customer service ambassadors were on standby helping commuters navigate the changes. Officials say hundreds of thousands of daily Queens riders are impacted by the plan, which includes new schedules, frequencies and service spans.
"The borough of Queens has as many bus riders as the entire city of Los Angeles. It's the biggest bus system in the country on its own," MTA CEO Janno Lieber said.
The transit agency says seven routes have been discontinued, but 11 new ones are currently in operation. Also, in some cases, bus stops have been eliminated or relocated. The overall redesigned bus network will have a total of 124 routes, with 94 local and 30 express.
Riders told CBS News New York all of those adjustments are taking some getting used to.
"Ultimately, if it speeds up service, it seems like a win-win for people," one rider said.
"If I see the Q100, I'm good. If I see the Q103, I'm good. If I see the B52, that's better for me now. Yeah, it's a good change," rider Ismail Kamorudeen said.
"Sometimes, it comes a little too early, and I notice that with the 103," another rider said.
"I have to leave a little earlier. I missed the train there, so if I miss it there, and then the 69, I have to walk all the way down and then it's crowded," another said.
Officials discuss some of the changes and riders' concerns
A concern from riders appears to be the frequency of some of the buses, particularly the Q103.
"Some of the 103 buses come at 7:30, 7:40, even 7:55 or 8:10. It's not consistent," a rider said.
"I actually looked at the schedule and the Q103 is getting more service," Lieber said. "Listen, there are going to be individuals, as I said, who haven't been aware of changes, so we have to educate them."
Charlton D'Souza, the founding president of rider advocacy group Passengers United, said he is seeing bus bunching with service gaps.
"And this is happening all throughout Queens. But when it happens in Far Rockaway, it takes on special meaning because people miss train connections, or they could miss the railroad connection or the ferry connection. So, that's infuriating riders," D'Souza said.
The MTA it will conduct a review over the next six months to ensure reliability and rider satisfaction, using feedback to correct problems and make adjustments to the new routes.
"The time they would've taken to get to Point B, their commute is a lot shorter," NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow added.