Improve service levels on the QM2 and QM20 express bus routes

To Whom It May Concern:

The current service levels of the QM2 and QM20 express buses is unworkable for many of our riders. During the morning rush hour, many potential QM2 and QM20 riders have to get to work or to other places very early in the morning and need to head to work or to other places before the current first Manhattan bound trips start running.

Currently many of these people drive to Manhattan instead of using public transportation which causes greater pollution and adds to traffic on our roads. There are also current express bus riders on the QM2 and QM20 who utilize the first Manhattan bound trip and are late or close to being late to work on a daily basis and want to be able to get to work earlier to have more of a time cushion or because of their job responsibilities and want to be able to use the QM2 and QM20.

Therefore it is imperative that the MTA Bus Company (hereinafter referred to as MTA Bus) implement a Manhattan bound trip on the QM2 and QM20 that leaves their respective first stops in Queens at 5:15 A.M. The MTA currently operates express bus routes with similar or lower ridership than the ridership levels of the QM2 and QM20 that have trips that accommodate riders who have to be at work or at other places very early in the morning and it is time that QM2 and QM20 riders get the same respect.

It is imperative that MTA Bus has the last Queens bound QM20 trip leave Manhattan at 12:30 A.M. instead of the current 11:30 P.M., as there are many people who either travel to Manhattan for personal purposes or work later shifts who need to be able to get back to their homes in Northeast Queens in a timely and convenient fashion.

MTA Bus operates express bus routes with similar or lower ridership than the QM20 that has weekday service that ends at around 12:30 A.M. It is also imperative that MTA Bus revise the reverse peak QM2 and QM20 schedules to have a Queens bound QM20 trip leave at 8:00 A.M. This can be done by replacing the current (as of Fall 2012) 9:30 A.M. Queens bound trip with a Queens bound 8:00 A.M. trip. There are people who reverse commute to Northeast Queens and people coming off of night shifts that need service to Queens earlier in morning, MTA Bus operates express bus routes with similar or lower ridership than the QM20 which has service to the outer market of the route at around 8:00 A.M. This would also serve to provide a more consistent off peak headway for Queens bound QM20 customers.

The MTA Bus Company also needs to provide a Queens bound QM2 trip originating from 6th Avenue and West 35th Street at 7:30 A.M. which would better accommodate reverse commuters who commute to Northeast Queens and better accommodate night shift workers coming home to Northeast Queens from their shifts. MTA Bus currently operates express bus routes with similar or lower ridership than the QM2 which has service towards the outer market of the route at 7:30 A.M.

Furthermore, it is also necessary for MTA Bus to add Super Express trip on the QM2 express bus that leaves leave 6th Avenue and West 35th Street for Queens at 5:30 P.M. It is unacceptable that other high ridership routes that MTA Bus runs such as the QM5 and QM20 have a Super Express trip at 5:30 P.M., but the QM2 which is also a high ridership line does not have a 5:30 P.M. Super Express trip, considering that the current 5:08 P.M. Super Express trip gets full each weekday rush hour and QM2 riders want a more workable Super Express departure schedule.