Q37 (New York City bus)

q37
111th Street
A Q37 bus entering southbound service in Kew Gardens.
Overview
System	MTA Regional Bus Operations
Operator	MTA Bus Company
Garage	JFK Depot
Vehicle	Orion VII OG HEV Orion VII NG HEV
Began service	1939
Route
Locale	Queens
Communities served	Kew Gardens, Richmond Hill, South Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park
Landmarks served	Queens Borough Hall, Aqueduct Racetrack
Start	Kew Gardens – Union Turnpike station
Via	Park Lane South, 111th Street, 135th Avenue
End	South Ozone Park – 131st Street and 135th Road
Length	4.8 miles (7.7 km)[1][2]
Other routes	Q10 Lefferts Boulevard/JFK Airport
Service
Operates	All times except late nights[3]
Annual patronage	1,056,201 (2020)[4]
Transfers	Yes
Timetable	Q37
Route map Kew Gardens – Union Turnpike station  Q37  ​ 80th Road / Austin Street Union Turnpike / Grenfell Street 80th Road / Park Lane South Abingdon Road Metropolitan Avenue 115th Street Park Lane South / Myrtle Avenue 111th Street / Myrtle Avenue 86th Avenue Jamaica Avenue ​ 91st Avenue Atlantic Avenue 95th Avenue 101st Avenue Liberty Avenue 107th Avenue 109th Avenue Rockaway Boulevard Q37 via Aqueduct Racetrack (both directions) (Q37B bypasses Aqueduct Racetrack) Aqueduct Racetrack / Resorts World Casino Rockaway Boulevard / 113th Street / Linden Boulevard 114th Street / Rockaway Boulevard Intermittent stops 114th Street / Sutter Avenue 133rd Avenue / 115th Street 133rd Avenue / 116th Street 133rd Avenue / Lefferts Boulevard Lefferts Boulevard / 135th Avenue Intermittent stops via 135th Avenue 121st Street 122nd Street 122nd Place 123rd Street 124th Street 125th Street 126th Street 127th Street 128th Street 129th Street South Ozone Park – 135th Road & 131st Street  Q37  Legend Local & Limited stops Local stops  Q37  Terminal Subway connection LIRR connection ← Q36  {{{system_nav}}}  Q38 →

The Q37 bus route constitutes a public transit line in Queens, New York City, running primarily along 111th Street between Kew Gardens and South Ozone Park. The Q37 was formerly privately operated by Green Bus Lines, under a subsidized franchise with the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT). The route is now operated by MTA Regional Bus Operations under the MTA Bus Company brand.

Route description and service[]

The Q37 bus originates at Queens Boulevard and Union Turnpike, where a vast majority of the riders of the Q37 transfer to the New York City Subway at the Kew Gardens–Union Turnpike subway station. The bus turns via Kew Gardens Road, and then turns south via 80th Road, and then buses turn onto Park Lane. Buses at this point going northbound continue via Park Lane and then turn on Union Turnpike. After running via Park Lane, the Q37 turns onto Park Lane South, which is on the border of Kew Gardens and Forest Park. Then the bus turns east on Myrtle Avenue, and then it turns southeast via 111th Street, and it continues to run via 111th Street until Rockaway Boulevard, passing through Richmond Hill and Ozone Park. The bus route then turns into Aqueduct Race Track to serve the Resorts World Casino. Afterwards, the route continues onto Rockaway Boulevard before turning southeast via various local streets. The bus then turns east via 135th Avenue, and then the bus turns onto South Conduit Avenue before reaching the route's terminal at 149th Avenue and 150th Avenue in South Ozone Park.^[3][5]

During weekdays, some buses bypass the Resorts World Casino. These buses are designated Q37B.^[3]

History[]

Early operation[]

This route was originally operated by General Omnibus Company, which was incorporated on October 13, 1933. Service on this route began in January 1934.^[6]

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 Q37 fell into Zone C, the zone for Ozone Park, Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, and the Rockaways, and the route was awarded to Green Bus Lines.^[7][8][9]

On May 19, 1938, the New York State Transit Commission approved a modification in the Q37's route, creating a terminal loop at its Jamaica Avenue terminus instead of having the route make a U-turn on 111th Street.^[10]

On April 15, 1941, the president and treasurer of Green Bus Lines applied for a franchise to extend the Q37 from the south side of Jamaica Avenue north to Queens Boulevard in Kew Gardens, providing a connection to the Queens Boulevard subway line. Their franchise application called for an extension of the route along 111th Street to Myrtle Avenue, and then along Park Lane South, Park Lane and Union Turnpike to the subway, with buses continuing along Kew Gardens and 80th Road to head back into service in the other direction.^[11] The Board of Estimate approved the extension on June 26.^[12]

On November 18, 1941, a certificate of convenience and necessity for the extension was granted.^[13][14] The extension was inaugurated five days later.^[15] Prior to the extension, Q37 riders who needed to travel to the subway had to pay an additional nickel fare to transfer to another bus.^[16] The extension had been sought out by the Richmond Hill Civic Association and the Richmond Hill Board of Trade.^[17]

MTA takeover[]

A Q37B bus in Kew Gardens in 2018.

On January 9, 2006, the MTA Bus Company took over the operations of the Green Bus Line routes.^[18][19][20]

On October 30, 2011, daily service via Aqueduct Racetrack was added, to serve the Resorts World Casino. Also on this date, the Q37 was rerouted to operate on 133rd Avenue, Lefferts Boulevard and 135th Avenue, in both directions. Service on 116th Street was discontinued.^[1][21][22]

To provide more reliable service, the Q37's terminal loop was changed on February 24, 2013, with southbound buses heading toward the terminal at 150th Avenue and 149th Avenue traveling along South Conduit Avenue between 130th Street and 134th Street instead of along 150th Avenue. The southbound stop at 150th Avenue and 130th Street was moved one block to the north at South Conduit Avenue. 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.^[23][24]

On September 3, 2017, due to low ridership at Resorts World Casino, half of all weekday buses started bypassing the casino and were labeled Q37B.^[25] In July 2018, the MTA indicated that it would truncate the southern terminus of the Q37 bus to 131st Street and 135th Road. This was partially because of congestion on 130th Street that is caused by traffic from PS/MS 124 and a New York City Department of Sanitation facility; and partially because of low ridership along that part of the route, which sees about 300 riders on an average weekday. The Q10 continued to provide alternate service in the area.^[2]

See also[]

Route map:

• Q10 (New York City bus)

References[]