Drivers who block bus stops will soon be ticketed under a new program using cameras mounted to the front of MTA buses, transit officials announced on Monday.
The initiative expands an existing pilot program that used cameras on 600 MTA buses to automatically ticket drivers who illegally block bus lanes on 14 routes. Now, the technology will be updated to ticket drivers blocking any bus stop — not just ones with dedicated bus lanes.
More than 1,000 buses total on 32 routes will be outfitted with the cameras by the end of the year, according to the MTA. For the next 60 days, drivers caught parking or double parking at bus stops will receive warnings, transit officials officials said at a press conference in Washington Heights.
The fine for a first-time violation is $50, according to the officials. If a driver is caught five or more times in 12 months, the fine jumps to $250.
“Do not block our buses,” New York City Transit senior vice president Frank Annicaro said. “Stay out of our bus lanes, stay out of our bus stops and don’t double park illegally.”
The MTA did not specify which routes would be included in the initial rollout but said the existing program improved the speed of bus routes by 5%.
Cameras mounted to the front of MTA buses will issue automated tickets to drivers parked or double parked in bus stops.
Marc A. Hermann / MTA
“I often say, our goal is not just about moving equipment, moving trains, moving buses, it’s really about moving people,” said Demetrius Crichlow, interim-president of NYC Transit. “And this is one of the avenues to doing it better than we currently do.”
The $141 million automated ticketing program, known as ACE, is not affected by the uncertainty in the MTA’s budget from Gov. Kathy Hochul’s pause on congestion pricing in Manhattan, Crichlow said.
Bus speeds in New York City are some of the slowest in the country, according to the state comptroller. And the MTA said traffic congestion in the city is back to pre-pandemic levels.