Rockaway commuters just locked in a pandemic-era lifeline: the MTA is making the QM15 express bus extension into the Rockaway Peninsula permanent, Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson announced on June 19, 2026. The move cements extra Manhattan-bound express service for neighborhoods that depended on the route during A train repairs, a shift local leaders are calling a long-awaited boost to daily commutes, even as riders keep paying the express fare.
New stops and a longer schedule
Under the permanent routing, the QM15 will continue serving new stops at Cross Bay Boulevard & Noel Road; Cross Bay Boulevard & 16th Road; Rockaway Beach Boulevard & Beach 92nd Street; Rockaway Beach Boulevard & Beach 77th Street; Beach Channel Drive & Beach 67th Street; and Beach Channel Drive & Beach 54th Street, officials said. Anderson told reporters the QM15 will sit alongside the QM16 and QM17 as regular Rockaway express routes, with a weeknight and Saturday schedule slated to begin this fall to stretch service beyond traditional peak-hour trips. The change was first reported by The Rockaway Wave.
From pilot to permanent
The Arverne extension started as a pilot during the A train rehabilitation earlier in 2025, when select QM15 runs were pushed east to stand in for disrupted rail service, according to the Governor’s office. City and state officials extended the trial into 2026 while the MTA tracked ridership and travel patterns. Local coverage and public officials say the temporary tweaks proved popular enough that the agency moved to lock them in as part of the Rockaway express network, as previously reported by AMNY.
What it will cost riders
Express-bus fares were reset for 2026, and the one-way price for MTA express routes is now $7.25. Riders on QM15 trips to and from Manhattan should expect to pay that rate. Those fare changes were approved as part of the MTA’s broader 2026 systemwide fare update.
Local leaders and commuters react
Elected officials who had pressed for backup options during the A train shutdown are calling the decision a clear win for Rockaway riders and for persistent neighborhood advocacy. Council Majority Whip Selvena Brooks-Powers and Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson had urged residents to ride the expanded express service throughout the pilot period to show the MTA the routes were essential, a campaign documented in local coverage and official statements. The council office has previously described the extensions as the product of coordination between elected leaders and transit officials, and has welcomed the permanent designation.
How to check schedules
Riders should check the latest timetables and stop lists on the MTA schedules page or MTA BusTime before heading out, and keep an eye out for the fall rollout of extended hours. Real-time arrivals and the current QM15 stop pattern are also available through third-party apps such as Transit and the MTA’s BusTime service.
