The Q74 bus has given a lift to thousands of people, including one man, who was forced to buy a car after the line was terminated.
Similar stories have happened all around Queens. The Q74 bus stopped running on Sunday, June 27, due to budget cuts. This prompted people to find alternate routes to get where they need to go.
“It was my primary means of transportation to come to work every day,” said Adam Rockman, assistant vice president of student affairs at Queens College.
Rockman moved from Jackson Heights to Kew Gardens for easy access to the Q74 bus to get to the school. He rode the bus to work for two years and when the line was terminated, he took on the huge expense of buying a car.
If he did not do this, he said, alternate means would have added time to his commute.
Navdeep Singh is a Queens College student who rode the Q74 bus for two years. Now, entering his junior year, he is forced to take three buses instead.
“I have to take three buses now to reach here [Queens College]. That’s 20 minutes extra I spend on the bus,” he said.
Erika Matos, a Queens College assistant who lives in Richmond Hill, took the Q74 for eight years, throughout her studies at Townsend Harris High School and Queens College, which share the same campus.
“It became part of my experience and memories of high school and college,” said Matos. “The Q74 was most direct route I have to work and school.”
Now Matos takes two extra buses and a train. It adds 15 extra minutes to her commute. She said it’s stressful because the Q74 bus actually ran according to schedule. Now she has to take the Q46 bus and transfer to either the Q25 or Q34.
“I find it unfair, [the MTA] increased the fare yet they eliminate my bus line,” said Matos.
“The MTA saves $1.2 million on an annual basis by discontinuing the Q74,” said James Anyansi, an MTA spokesperson.
