Q10 (New York City bus)

The Q10 bus route constitutes a public transit line in Queens, New York City, United States, running primarily along Lefferts Boulevard between a transfer with the New York City Subway in Kew Gardens to Terminal 5 at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Formerly privately operated by Green Bus Lines, the route is currently city-operated under the MTA Bus Company brand of MTA Regional Bus Operations.

Route description and service

The Q10 begins at the Kew Gardens Subway station at Kew Gardens Road and 80th Road. It then turns on 80th Road, and then onto Austin Street, and turns onto Lefferts Boulevard, where it continues until Rockaway Boulevard. Q10 locals turn onto Rockaway Boulevard, and then run via 130th Street, and then via 150th Avenue, and then it runs via the Van Wyck Expressway service road to Terminal Five. At Rockaway Boulevard, Q10 Limiteds continue via Lefferts Boulevard, until it meets the Airtrain JFK, and then turns via Pan Am Road, and then goes via the Van Wyck Expressway service road to Terminal Five. Q10 Limited buses operate every day from about 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM. During the morning rush hour, some northbound Q10 locals start at 150th Avenue. During the PM rush hour, some Q10 locals start at Queens Boulevard and 80th Road, running to 150th Avenue or JFK Central Terminal.^[3]

Until 2006, an express service called the Q10A had run from the Kew Gardens subway station to JFK Airport Terminal Four, via the Van Wyck Expressway, operating non-stop from Kew Gardens to Federal Circle. There were six Q10A trips, all running toward JFK Airport during morning rush hours.^{[5][6][7][8][9]} The service was replaced by the Q10 Limited.^[5]

History

Two of the 2015- and 2016-built New Flyer XD60 buses assigned to the Q10. The bottom bus features the new style MTA scheme.

The first iteration of the Q10 came about on April 28, 1921, and was operated by the Richmond Hill Bus Corporation. The New York City Department of Plant & Structures temporarily took over the route and named it DPS Route 53.^[10] Afterwards, the Q10 route number was assigned.^[11] Originally the Q10 had three destinations; one was at Old South Road, which is at the current intersection of the Belt Parkway and North and South Conduit Avenues at Lefferts, another was at Hamilton Beach, and the final destination was Richmond Hill Circle, which was not near Richmond Hill, and it was located about a half-mile south of 130th Street and the Belt Parkway.

In 1936, Queens was divided into four zones, for bus operating franchise purposes. With the new zone setup, one company would be awarded the franchise in each zone, with any remaining smaller operations acquired by the larger company. The Q10 fell into Zone C, the zone for Ozone Park, Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, and the Rockaways, and the route was awarded to Green Bus Lines.^[10][12] On November 25, 1936, Q10 service began to be operated by Green Bus Lines.^[13]

In 1947, when Idlewild Airport opened, Green Bus Lines was awarded the exclusive transit rights which extended the Richmond Hill Circle line to Idlewild Airport.^[14]

Between 1990 and 1996, the Q10A was created, running express between the Kew Gardens subway station and JFK Airport, making no stops to Federal Circle. It only operated toward JFK Airport.

On January 9, 2006, the MTA Bus Company took over the operations of the Green Bus Line routes.^[15][16][17] Under the MTA on September 3, 2006, Q10A service was discontinued, due to low ridership and parallel service from the AirTrain JFK. The Q10A was replaced by the Q10 Limited, which made limited stops along the entire route, and ran on weekdays and on Saturdays.^[5][18] At that time, Q10 service to all JFK terminals except Terminal 4 was replaced by AirTrain JFK.^[19] On April 6, 2008, limited service was expanded to Sundays.^[20]

Beginning on September 4, 2011, Q10 local buses on the Lefferts Boulevard branch were rerouted to remain on Lefferts Boulevard south of Conduit Avenue, and to continue along Lefferts Boulevard and Pan Am Roadd into JFK Airport, where they returned to their regular route along 130th Place. The Conduit Avenue branch of the Q10 was discontinued and Q10 buses stopped accessing JFK Airport at 134th Street.^[1][21]

On May 30, 2012, due to construction at Terminal 4, the Q10 started terminating at a new stop at Terminal 5, near the former Terminal 6.^[19][22]

In spring 2013, 60-foot (18 m) articulated buses began replacing the standard 40-foot (12 m) buses on the route. The Q10 was the second route in Queens to receive articulated buses, after the Q44. The Q10 got articulated buses because its buses were overcrowded, and because it was the third busiest route in the city.^[23] The use of articulated buses received positive feedback from commuters, but opposition from some local residents and business owners to potential traffic issues and loss of parking spaces.^[24][25]

On February 24, 2013, Q10 short-turn buses terminating at 150th Avenue and 149th Street stopped running via 150th Avenue. Instead, the bus route was changed, with buses running via South Conduit Avenue between 130th Street and 134th Street. The route was changed in order to avoid congestion at the Sanitation yard on 150th Street. An additional reason for the change was to allow buses to avoid making a turn onto South Conduit Avenue from 132nd Street, because there is no traffic light at this intersection and vehicles often pass at high speeds, often causing severe delays. Additionally, 132nd Street is a narrow residential block.^[26][27]

On April 28, 2013, all Q10 buses that ran via Lefferts Boulevard south of Rockaway Boulevard became limited-stop only, discontinuing stops at Sutter Avenue, 133rd Avenue, and 149th Avenue. A limited bus stop was added at 150th Avenue. At this time, the hours of the Q10 Limited were expanded, running between 5:30 AM–11:30 PM weekdays, and 6:15 AM–11:30 PM on Saturdays and Sundays, similar to former Lefferts Boulevard branch local service hours.^[28]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Q10 (New York City bus).

• Green Bus Lines
• Q37 (New York City bus), a parallel bus route

Notes

References

Bus routes in Queens
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7 Q8 Q9 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 Q19 Q20A/B Q21 Q22 Q23 Q24 Q25 Q26 Q27 Q28 Q29 Q30 Q31 Q32 Q33 Q34 Q35 Q36 Q37 Q38 Q39 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q44 Q46 Q47 Q48 Q49 Q50 Q52 Q53 Q55 Q56 Q58 Q59 Q60 Q64 Q65 Q66 Q67 Q69 Q70 Q72 Q76 Q77 Q83 Q84 Q85 Q88 Q100 Q101 Q102 Q103 Q104 Q110 Q111 Q112 Q113 Q114
Former routes	Q14 Q45 Q74 Q75 Q79 Q89