Queens Bus Redesign Cuts Travel Times, MTA Reports

Residents in Queens face shorter wait times and faster trips as the MTA reports measurable gains from last summer’s bus network redesign. Officials presented data at a Monday board meeting showing that local buses moved 1.7% faster on weekdays, while off-peak speeds increased by nearly 2%. The agency attributes these improvements to a comprehensive reconfiguration of routes that took effect in 2025.

The MTA launched the redesign in two phases during the summer of 2025. This effort followed six years of planning that included community input. The agency aimed to adjust bus services to match changing demographics and commuting patterns across the city. Queens now operates 124 routes, consisting of 94 local and 30 express services.

Evan Bialostozky, the MTA’s senior director of network redesigns, stated that the changes benefited riders with the longest journeys. He noted that 24 of the 25 bus routes with the greatest speed jumps citywide are located in Queens. Additionally, 41 routes in the borough saw speed boosts of 3% between the springs of 2025 and 2026.

The new network includes 17 new routes and 25 converted rush routes. Rush routes stop in transit deserts but skip stops on major thoroughfares to reach subway stations quickly. Bialostozky reported that these specific routes achieved a 4.6% speed increase overall and an 11% boost in rush segments. Riders on the Q36 Rush save more than six minutes when traveling between the Little Neck Long Island Rail Road station and Jamaica.

Service frequency has also expanded. An additional 124,000 Queens residents now have access to buses arriving every 10 minutes between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. Another 68,000 residents gained access to 24-hour service. Demetrius Crichlow, MTA New York City Transit President, said the team delivered on objectives for the borough's roughly 800,000 daily riders.

Reliability metrics reached their highest levels since 2019. In May 2026, 71.2% of Queens bus trips arrived within five minutes of their scheduled times. Bialostozky cited new connections such as the Q51 Limited, which saves riders 18 minutes between South Ozone Park and Cambria Heights. The Q74 Limited saves six minutes for trips between Forest Hills-71 Av, Queens College, and Queensborough Community College.