Group Ride Vehicle service began Monday morning along the defunct Q79 bus route in northeast Queens that left commuters – especially students and the elderly – without many transit options.
Councilmembers Mark Weprin and Daniel Halloran, with Taxi and Limousine Commissioner (TLC) David Yassky, recently announced the point-to-point vehicle service that will operate in Little Neck, Glen Oaks, and Bellerose.
“The purpose of this program is to provide safe and reliable service in areas that have been impacted by the MTA’s service disruptions, some of which were already challenged by limited transportation options,” said Yassky. “This is an exciting opportunity for the TLC to help introduce and test an entirely new kind of service that never before existed – one that we believe will help thousands of people get where they need to go in a safe and convenient way.”
Commuters will pay a flat fare of $2 for rides within the service area in vehicles clearly marked with the words “Group Ride Vehicle” on their exterior. Though pick-up and drop-off points will be marked by the Department of Transportation, additional drop-off points may be requested by passengers and agreed to by drivers. According to Halloran, this program shines a light on a glaring transportation problem in northeast Queens.
“Northeast Queens is badly underserved by public transit. Our communities provide one of the largest tax bases in New York City, and we deserve our fair share of services,” said Halloran. “In other neighborhoods, many commuters have options. They can take the subway or simply use another bus line. In northeast Queens, that is not the case.”
The Group Ride Vehicles will run weekdays from 6 a.m. till 8 p.m., making stops every 15 minutes during the rush hours of 6-10 a.m. and 3-8 p.m. and every 30 minutes at all other times; and weekends from 8-6 p.m., making stops every 30 minutes.
