The new franchise would last ten years and be subject to termination by the city at sixty days' notice after five years. On November 9, 1936, the operation of the route was transferred to the North Shore Bus Company. In December 1941, 300 bus riders complained to the Transit Commission, asking that full service on the Q26 be restored. Their petition was supported by a letter from Assemblyman Henry J. Latham, who called for a full review of service on the route. The petition charged that service had gotten worse since North Shore took over the route, and that on November 17, rush hour bus service was decreased, with service running on 30 minute headways instead of 20 minute headways without notice. In addition, it noted that the new schedule did not accommodate increased ridership during rush hours, resulting in overcrowding, and that riders had to leave earlier for work or return later from work due to worse bus service. Riders also noted that service on the route now operated hourly on Sunday instead of half-hourly. Service south of Francis Lewis Boulevard and Horace Harding Boulevard, to Jamaica Avenue at the Queens Village station of the Long Island Rail Road, became rush hours only during World War II as North Shore was required to reduce bus service to preserve rubber. This change took effect on June 8, 1942. With the curtailment of the route, riders near the new terminus at Horace Harding Boulevard benefited from a reduction of their fare. The route had a zoned fare structure, with two five-cent zones, with the first zone ending at 52nd Avenue and Hollis Court Boulevard. The change allowed riders between 52nd Avenue and Horace Harding Boulevard to go to Flushing for only five cents, instead of ten. In addition, it made it easier for Q26 riders to get seats and to board buses since there were no sidewalks along this section of Hollis Court Boulevard. To keep the route's franchise operative, one bus a day, the 6:15 a.m., continued from Horace Harding Boulevard to Queens Village station. After service was cut for World War II, the Emerald Park Civic Association called for improved service on the route, noting that service ended at 7 p.m. on Sundays and 1 a.m.. on weekdays and that service ran on 40-minute headways after 7 p.m. and all day Sunday. In 1944, the Emerald Park Civic Association fought to have North Shore construct bus shelters along Hollis Court Boulevard to protect local residents on cold winter mornings.