Improve service on the Q55 and extend it to Jamaica

The Q55 is a NYCT bus route that operates between the Myrtle-Wyckoff station in Ridgewood and Myrtle Avenue/Jamaica Avenue in Richmond Hill, stopping only a couple miles short of Jamaica via the Queens side of Myrtle Avenue.

The Q55 however, should get some improvements that would benefit riders and generate more revenue. The first thing is that it should be extended to Jamaica. Having the Q55 stop short at Richmond Hill benefits nobody as it is in the middle of nowhere. Q55 usage also tanks east of Woodhaven Boulevard for this reason. Extending to Jamaica would give Ridgewood one seat access to Jamaica and make people's commutes more efficient.

Currently there is no way to get from Ridgewood to Jamaica without transferring which is asinine. The demand for Ridgewood-Jamaica is more that great enough to warrant a one seat ride. An argument could be made that the Q55 directly connects to the Q56, which the later does go to Jamaica, so why spend more on operating costs to extend the Q55 when the Q56 is right there. That point is illogical as the Q56 is not very frequent (at most, it runs every 10 minutes, usually the headways are longer) and it is rather slow so it only adds time to a commute.

Besides, the Q54 directly meets the Q56 as well yet it goes to Jamaica so that argument against extending Q55s is invalid as it suggests that people that use the Q54 should terminate where Metropolitan Avenue ends and those wishing to head to Jamaica can transfer to the Q56 (which would also be very asinine). Then another argument could be made that you can then use the J train. Also very illogical as the 121 Street station is 2 blocks away from the Q55 terminus and it requires walking up stairs which would add unnecessary time to commutes.

The Q55 should extend to Merrick Boulevard and Archer Avenue (it would terminate with the Q17, Q20, and Q44 bus routes) via extensions along Hillside Avenue, Sutphin Boulevard, and Archer Avenue. The extension serves the F train station at Sutphin Boulevard and Hillside Avenue, the Sutphin Bouelvard-Archer Avenue E, J, LIRR and Airtrain station, Jamaica Center, and York College.

To get a better idea on how it would be routed, see this link: http://goo.gl/0vHaet

Connections to numerous bus routes can also be made to MTA Bus, NYCT, and NICE routes. Sending the Q55 to Jamaica would increase operating costs, but revenue generated from the extension would make up for the costs as well as benefit riders.

As well as extending the Q55 to Jamaica, the MTA should increase service on the Q55. Even without the extension, they should add service anyways, but then it would over serve areas east of Woodhaven Boulevard. Since the Jamaica extension would increase ridership, then service could be added. Midday and Saturday service should run every 10 minutes instead of the current 15 minutes and Sunday service should run every 12 minutes at least. The MTA should also try to fix bunching problems on the Q55 which is caused when a bus gets slowed down due to lots of people boarding a bus at each stop while an emptier bus does't pick up any loads and catches up with the slower, more crowded bus.

What they should do is have the more crowded bus not pick up any passengers so people can board the emptier bus until it returns to schedule.