Thursday, August 18, 2011

MTA rejects bus request

From the Daily News:

Eastern Queens community leaders say Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials "didn't do their homework" before rejecting a plan that would restore service along a defunct bus route.

Civic leaders and elected officials met with the MTA last week to review a grass-roots proposal to fill the void left when the Q79 bus line was axed last year.

But agency officials quickly dismissed the proposal to extend the Q36 route that terminates on Jamaica Ave. near the Queens-Nassau County border. The Q36N would run north along Little Neck Parkway and eventually connect with the Q30 line.

"They showed absolutely no interest in it," said Bob Friedrich, president of Glen Oaks Village.

The agency pegged the additional cost at $400,000 per year, but failed to calculate how much additional revenue the route could bring in, Friedrich said.

"They didn't do their homework. They didn't do a proper analysis," he said.

MTA officials said yesterday that the revenue would not cover the additional expense.

"Reinstating service would have to be cost-neutral, and the proposal made by the coalition for an extension to the Q36 does not meet that criterion," said MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've been driving up and down Little Neck Parkway for 40 years. There was no need for a bus 40 years ago, there is no need for a bus now. Some people just need to complain and bitch and moan about everything.

Anonymous said...

How is it mahattan and bronx express busses run till midnight,everywhere else 730and they're done?

Anonymous said...

Have you been on Union Turnpike lately? They run later than that.