Q38 (New York City bus)

q38
Eliot Avenue
Penelope Avenue−63rd Drive
Corona−Middle Village−Rego Park-Forest Hills
A 2012 C40LF (595) on the Q38 to Rego Park near Woodhaven/Queens Blvds.
Overview
SystemMTA Regional Bus Operations
OperatorMTA Bus Company
GarageCollege Point Depot
VehicleNew Flyer C40LF CNG
New Flyer Xcelsior XD40
Began serviceJune 17, 1934 (Q38 Penelope Avenue service)
1940s (Q45X/Q50 Eliot Avenue service)
July 3, 1960 (Combined Penelope/Eliot service)
Route
LocaleQueens, New York, U.S.
Communities servedRego Park, LeFrak City, Forest Hills, Elmhurst, Corona, Middle Village
Landmarks servedRego Center, Queens Center Mall
StartCorona – Otis Avenue and Horace Harding Expressway
ViaEliot Avenue, Metropolitan Avenue, Penelope Avenue, 63rd Drive, 62nd Drive / 63rd Road
EndForest Hills – 62nd Drive & 108th Street
Length7.3 miles (11.7 km)
Service
OperatesAll times except late nights
Annual patronage1,802,243 (2024)
TransfersYes
TimetableQ38
 Q37  {{{system_nav}}}  Q39 

The Q38 is a bus route in Queens, New York City. The route travels from the Corona and Elmhurst neighborhoods to the Forest Hills neighborhood, running in a "C" shape via the Metropolitan Avenue station in Middle Village. It runs seven days a week but does not operate overnight. Formerly privately operated by Triboro Coach Corporation, the route is now city-operated under the MTA Bus Company brand of MTA Regional Bus Operations.

The Q38 was founded as two separate routes. The Penelope Avenue route was originally started by the Affiliated Bus Transit Corporation on June 17, 1934, as the Q38, which ran from East Elmhurst to the Metropolitan Avenue station. The Eliot Avenue portion of the line was a separate Triboro Coach route, which began operating in 1940 as alternate branches of the Q45 (now the southern half of the Q47). The Eliot Avenue portion was later split into its own route, the Q45X (later the Q50). The East Elmhurst branch of the old Q38 was truncated to Forest Hills by 1948. On July 3, 1960, the Penelope and Eliot Avenue routes were combined into the current loop service, with the Q38 designation retained for the entire route. Service on Eliot Avenue will be split off into the Q14 on June 29, 2025, when operations of both routes will be taken over by the New York City Transit Authority.