By Philip Newman
Transit officials plan to add service to the popular Q70 bus, which links LaGuardia Airport with regional transit hubs in Woodside and Jackson Heights, and ultimately introduce Select Bus Service on the line.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said that starting in the spring the Q70 Limited would provide around-the-clock service between LaGuardia, the Long Island Rail Road and E, F, M and No. 7 subway lines.
“We always want to better serve our customers by strengthening service whenever we have sustainable resources to do so,” said Darryl Irick, senior vice president of the MTA Department of Buses.
“This added service on a growing route will further enhance the fast and reliable bus connection between LaGuardia Airport and all parts of the city via the transit hubs in Queens.” Irick said.
The MTA said the Q70 was designed to link the airport with regional transit lines 40 percent faster than earlier bus routes. Travel time between Midtown Manhattan and LaGuardia, connecting at Woodside or Jackson Heights, can be as fast as 35 minutes. .
The MTA spokesman said “this convenient option to and from the airport had seen ridership more than double—from 2,173 average weekday customers to 4,372 average weekday customers today.”
The bus line was introduced in September 2013.
The MTA also said it was working toward bringing Select Bus Service to the Q70, which will permit faster boarding and more convenient service, permitting off-board fare collection and passenger entry and exiting through any door.
SBS service is already in operation on the M60 bus connecting LaGuardia Airport and 125th Street in Harlem as well as in all five boroughs.
Initially, the Q70 Limited ran on a 12-minute frequency most of the day, with 15-minute and 20-minute headways during early morning and late evening periods and 30-minute headways during overnight periods
Due to increased ridership, buses will run every 10 minutes during midday and p.m. hours on weekends and every 20 minutes during overnight periods.
