Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
MTA

Eyes on the Street: On Sunday, the Rockaway-Bound SBS is Really Crowded

Will the redesign help this? File photo: Angela Stach

For some, a simple day at the beach felt more like a day waiting for the bus.

Our eyes on the street in Queens sent us pictures this morning of a crowded Q53 bus from Woodside to the Rockaways — an SBS line that the MTA created last fall that has reduced weekday commute times, but appears to be giving weekend riders the summertime blues.

"Hey @MTA you HAVE to run more Q53 SBS to Rockaway on summer weekends. The buses are full to the breaking point from the first station in Woodside!" Angela Stach tweeted. She told Streetsblog she arrived at the route's second stop at Broadway and 75th Street in Jackson Heights at 9:30 a.m. and waited 10 minutes before the bus arrived, already packed with beachgoers.

Photos back up her assessment. A subsequent tweet shows some would-be riders unable to get on the packed bus.

"These poor folks have no chance of getting on this bus to get to the beach," she tweeted. "It goes like this at every station, lots of people left behind. Wtf @MTA @nyct?"

"Few people are getting off (since most people seem to be bound for beach, lots of kids w/ floaties, etc.)," Stach said in a text to Streetsblog. "I'll certainly NEED the beach after this ordeal." She said the trip took about an hour and five minutes — "which is great, unless you have to stand the whole way."

SBS to rockaway
These people could not even get on the bus because it was so crowded.
These people could not even get on the bus because it was so crowded.

Stach, who uses her bike to get around, said she only took the bus because there is no protected bike lane on Cross Bay Boulevard, a vital link to the Rockaways. "Biking to Jacob Riis is safer but a huge detour from Jackson Heights," she tweeted.

According to MTA Bus Time, SBS departs the Roosevelt/61st Street stop every 12 minutes. But gaps between buses further down the line stretch to 18 minutes.

It is unclear if Rockaway-bound beachgoers experience this level of service every summer weekend. Service was certainly working well on July 20, which was, alas, a Friday.

A day later, a driver was forced to leave passengers waiting at the same stop where Stach had her troubles today, tweeted Carlos Bolanos.

This story will be updated later.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Thursday’s Headlines: Gateway ‘Terminator’ Edition

President Trump abruptly announced he'd "terminated" the Gateway Tunnel project while taking aim at Chuck Schumer. Plus more news.

October 16, 2025

Trump’s Electrification Cuts are Short-Sighted: Report

EV infrastructure is far more valuable to the nation's prosperity and jobs market than the White House believes, according to a new report.

October 16, 2025

Wednesday’s Headlines: Another Highway Boondoggle Erased Edition

Maybe the worm has turned on these awful boondoggles? Plus other news.

October 15, 2025

Book Excerpt Special: ‘War on Cars’ Hosts Explore Life After the Automobile

...and why it's so urgent that we work for a better future.

October 15, 2025

State Pauses Billion-Dollar Route 17 Expansion in Hudson Valley

One of the biggest highway boondoggles in the state may finally die a merciful death, thanks to Gov. Hochul.

October 14, 2025

Delivery Workers Continue Push For Deactivation Protections

Delivery workers put pressure on the City Council to pass a bill that would give them "just cause" protections.

October 14, 2025
See all posts