Rider Stories

The MTA asked riders to submit feedback for the Queens Bus Redesign New Draft Plan, which we obtained through a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request. Out of 1,197 web portal comments, 219 (18.3%) were in favor of an LIC-Midtown bus connection. Riders told stories of personal struggle & frustration with existing public transit connections from Hunters Point/LIC to Manhattan. Here is a sampling of some of the rider comments:

“I am a new resident of Long Island City, having been selected in New York City's affordable housing lottery, "Housing Connect". I am also a disabled resident.  Unfortunately, the nearest subway station, Vernon-Jackson, is not accessible to me.  A bus from this area into Manhattan would be a real help for someone like me and would make all the wonderful cultural amenities of Manhattan possible.  Please think of people like me when you are making your plans for the Queens Bus Network Redesign.  I have seen and met several other residents who were selected for apartments in the "disabled" category of other buildings in Hunter's Point.  So there is definitely a need here.”

“I am a senior citizen with mobility issues from an injury. I would greatly appreciate bus service into Manhattan. When I lived in Battery Park City, I always rode the M20 bus and miss it. Thank you.”

“Long Island City really needs a bus line connection to midtown Manhattan through the Midtown tunnel. It has been very complicated to get to midtown from LIC for years, mostly due to lack of elevator service at the 7 train subway stop in LIC. For mothers with young children, carrying strollers up and down the subway stairs is very hard and also unsafe. A direct bus line through the tunnel would bring more convenient, safer and more accessible way to commute to Manhattan. Thank you!”

“As a life long resident of Hunter Point Long Island City I have seen the many changes to this community.  When the rest of the world discovered our small town in the early ninety’s and began building these large residential buildings, one of the many things brought to the attention of the community council, developers and NYC politicians representing us is that transportation would not be sufficient to support these large buildings. Here we are in 2022 and transportation is still a big problem, the 7 train at Vernon and Jackson is over crowded on a good day…forget about when there  are problems along the line and we have to take other lines which are 5 blocks away.  Those lines then become very congested also.   At times I have had to wait for 3 or 4 trains before I could even get on. I have also noticed that buses coming from Greenpoint Brooklyn are crowded with people that get off in LIC and take the number 7 at Vernon and Jackson, so we are being inundated with commuters from Brooklyn.”

“I am a health care worker and a bus route from LIC to midtown, particularly outside of ferry hours, would be a godsend for me and my family. Please create this and save thousands of LIC residents time and money wasted on excessively long commutes.”

“LIC desperately needs a bus to midtown. My husband works in hospitality and is constantly stranded after midnight at Grand Central because the 7 train is ALWAYS closed for repairs. $30 cabs every night from midtown to LIC is not sustainable for anyone that works after midnight in NYC. Hospitality workers and healthcare workers that work night shifts cannot afford this! Thank you.”

“Please create this bus route from LIC to Manhattan via the midtown tunnel! It would be a huge gift not only to adults, but also to students heading to middle and high schools! Thank you!”

“I live in LIC near hunters point and the public transit options to get to Manhattan are very limited on the weekends when the 7 train is intermittently under construction. I’m a physician and work 7 days a week, so this leads me to have to take expensive car service to the hospital. It would greatly help to have a bus route from LIC to Manhattan via the midtown tunnel. Please consider this to meet an important need for Queens residents!”

“Yes we do need a bus and though i am temporarily mobility challenged and have been a lifelong resident of queens and also a 20 year resident of lic/hunterspoint.  The express bus will cut down commute ease congestion on the 7 and the 7 doesn’t always work and is actually extremely overcrowded during morning rush. Pre pandemic cannot even get on and multiple full trains pass.  Also this bus needs to be wheelchair friendly.  After being immobile i have noticed how not accessible the subway is. MTA should definitely consider busses going into Manhattan from Hunters Point LIC.”