City Island residents say they're fed up with waiting for better bus service to arrive.
They say the BX 29 bus sometimes has commuters waiting nearly two hours for a ride. It also doesn't run overnight, stopping at around midnight before picking back up each day at around 5 a.m. Residents say the schedule is inconvenient, and in some cases, a matter of life or death.
Gabriela Aguilar-Vallinos, 27, was hit by a car and killed just after 11:45 p.m. last month on the City Island Bridge. She was riding her bike home after work.
After her death, the City Island Civic Association started a petition demanding the MTA to review the route and expand overnight service.
"As one person started to chime in, one after the other after the other, we realized this was a serious problem. They can't rely on a service that's unreliable," says John Doyle of the City Island Civic Association.
The MTA did meet with the association in July. A spokesperson says the agency listened to their concerns and will get back to them, but residents say they are tired of waiting.
"It makes me very, very sad and it needs attention immediately," says Yolanda Cirulli.