G Train Service Changes

It’s likely that if you live off Brooklyn’s G train, the words “shuttle bus” make you cringe in an inconvenient repulsion. Notorious for service changes which re-route or close the line altogether, the train has garnered a reputation for it’s poor reliability and general annoyingness. “I lived off the G train for 3 months when I moved to New York and let me tell you, three months with the G train was long enough” says Brooklanite Lauren O’Donnell. “I moved off the L Line a month ago.”

With service from Brooklyn to Queens and back, the G train services New York City’s two most populated boroughs. Brooklyn alone holds 2.5 million residents, while Queens adds another 2.3 million to the stat. Doubtless to say, 4.8 million residents have led to the frequent use of the G.

The most recent disruption on the line began on February 5^th and culminated on the 8^th. The MTA said the reasoning behind the re-route was due to “several maintenance projects.” More specifically these projects include asbestos removal at stations along the line, track service, and various other improvements. The alternative for travelers is usually a shuttle bus, which runs above ground and takes them to various express stops along the train’s normal route.

The shuttle bus is where traveler hostilities are born. “I’m glad they are improving the stations along the G train,” asserts O’Donnell. “The stations are clearly frequented often and need maintenance. The frustration I had was the harebrained shuttle train business. The MTA needs to realize that a shuttle bus tacks an extra 40-60 minutes onto any journey. After waiting in line for a bus, then waiting in traffic above ground, you’re late to work.”

The MTA lists “budgets” and “lack of trains” as reasons the G train does not provide the service its traveler’s desire. MTA employee Jackson Fenton speaks frankly, “The money just isn’t there and until it is, changes are likely to be few and far between.”