I would love to see 7:30pm, 8:00pm, 8:30pm, 9:00pm buses. The existing 6:55pm is usually crowded (as are the B and Z buses at that time that I take to Westville when needed, which run later than the Q) so that's a good sign that there would be demand.

I have nothing to do with Connecticut Transit policy, but I vey much suspect the answer is no. Buses on the current schedule come no where near paying their operating costs (primarily the drivers' wages and benefits. The last time I spoke with Connecticut Transit staff (a few months ago), they stated that the farebox covers less than 30% of operating costs and none of purchase price of the buses or other capital costs.

Pretty much every mode of transportation with the exception of walking is subsidized. But the state legislature amd Congress are allergic to raising gas taxes or coming up witn alternative ways of paying for transportation systems, including mass transit.

Regarding the legislature, they allow most taxes and fees that are earmarked for specific causes, such as gas tax->transportation, cigarette tax->cessation, etc. to get raided but dumping it into the general fund. It's not like the revenue isn't there, it's that they spend it elsewhere. I'm OK with subsidizing mass transit; less cars on the roads = less wear and tear on the roads.

This will be considered at our next service review meeting.

On a related note, there is a 45 minute gap between buses in the middle of rush hour (5:40-6:25). Better spacing of buses at this time of day would be great

here's another note for the impact on business in NHV - we were just discussing whether to join the YMCA downtown NHV, but the bus route came up as a factor. Since it doesn't run that late and one can often end up working late, you have to come home and then get in your car and go out to a gym in the burbs. Not sure what we'll end up doing, but the bus route came up as a factor in this decision about whether to use a NHV business.

Also - Kevin - to your comment- if they're already operating at the farebox only covering 30%, I'm not sure this request will have any noticeable impact on that. Consider it a lost leader and reducer of other negative externalities

Thanks for the consideration CT Transit. It does seem that more riders would ride the buses in the morning if they could return us at a reasonable time at night. It would probably also be good for the restaurant business downtown as well.

The Q bus schedule needs to be revamped--with a large apartment building set to open in 2016 and parking a major concern in the Upper State Street neighborhood; new residents who are on the fence about car ownership will have an easy decision to buy the car. In addition to the long gap at 5 pm and no service after 7 pm on weeknights, CT Transit should have the Q bus route go straight down to Union Station. Doug Hausladen; what's going on with the NH transit study?????

I agree with Benhv: more frequent and later service would encourage higher ridership. The Q-Bus runs westbound to Westville, which has a large population of professionals who work in downtown New Haven. The realities of the modern economy and employment means that many people work well past 5:00 pm. Reliable service after 7:00 would enable and encourage more people to ride the bus, but they (we) can only do so, if the bus is available and wait times are reasonably brief.

dweinber also points out a critical gap in coverage in the middle of the evening rush. Many people cannot make that 5:40 bus, and are then stuck until the 6:25.

This may be a crazy idea, but what if the Westville side of the Q route was merged with the F-Chapel St route? Instead of turning around at the Boulevard, the F buses that do not continue on to the Valley could snake through Westville to cover the end of the former Q route, kind of like the FQZ Sunday route. I struggle to see why every single east-west street in the Dwight/Edgewood Neighborhood each has to have its own bus line. Maybe consolidating these two routes could free up the service hours needed to run later into the night. This would ideally coincide with converting Chapel St (and George St) to two-way travel so that both directions of the F bus could run on Chapel St and nobody would have to walk more than a block and a half to get to frequent bus service.

Fascinating Brian,
It does seem that efficiencies could be created if they consolidated some of the lines and changed the routes a bit.

More folks would partake in the rich and varied art scene, restaurants and cafes would benefit as well. Leave the car home, jump on the 223, formerly Q, leaving parking spaces to the out of towners.

Would be especially helpful if extended hours for Q bus matched cultural, civic pride, and sports events in New Haven. Prime example is Arts & Ideas Festival. Would go to more evening concerts, plays if buses ran later.

This is a really ancient string of posts, mostly 2016, a couple 2018. Obviously this request went nowhere, the Q aka the 246 still runs this same evening schedule.