Queens, NY – Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D,WF-Fresh Meadows) unveiled an agreement with the MTA and New York City Transit (NYCT) to restore service to the Q46 and Q44 bus routes, three months after approving cuts along the Main Street and Union Turnpike corridors.

“I am thankful that the MTA and NYCT listened to the concerns of Eastern Queens bus riders and restored Q46 and Q44 service – outerborough transit riders must not be neglected,” said Rozic. “These service investments will give riders more options to get where they need to go, more options during rush hour, and more reason to use subways and commuter trains instead.”

The changes, the first of which are to begin in the coming season, will help alleviate some of the recent budget cuts that were felt in all five boroughs. The funding for these changes will come from the outer borough transit funds secured by legislators and will have no impact on the MTA budget.

Darryl Irick, President of the MTA bus company said: “We’re very pleased to be able to provide additional bus service along Main Street and Union Turnpike, allowing riders to get where they’re going quickly and effectively, in a way that doesn’t add costs to the MTA. Improving bus service is a huge priority to the MTA, which is why we’ve launched a comprehensive, borough by borough, bus route redesign effort so we can provide better service to all New Yorkers.”

"The restoration of bus service on the Q44 and Q46 represents a giant leap for riders," said Riders Alliance Senior Organizer Stephanie Burgos-Veras. "As part of state leaders' comprehensive transit funding package, Assemblywoman Nily Rozic delivered better bus service for thousands of Queens riders, many with punishing commutes far from any subway station. As advocates for better transit and congestion pricing, we argued that it wasn't just about Manhattan nor just about the train. Today, the proof is in better bus service for eastern Queens."

Nick Sifuentes, Executive Director of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign said: “With the recently-passed congestion pricing plan, we can finally restore services that were cut due to lack of funding for our subways and buses. If we are to encourage fewer people to commute by car, we must make sure that transit is a viable and efficient alternative, especially in parts of the city that lack subway service and tend to be more auto-dependent. Restoring the recent Q46 service cuts and canceling the planned Q44 service cuts is a big step in the right direction.”

In January 2019, NYCT decreases Q46 service by reallocating a number of trips to the local AM peak from the limited service. Following the cuts, constituents reached out to Rozic’s office to report lengthy delays and extended wait times for bus service. Rozic’s district does not include subway or train stations.