Drivers, take note: The MTA will begin fining drivers who illegally block bus stops or double park near them right away, instead of first issuing a warning.
The agency announced the crackdown will commence on Monday and scofflaw drivers will receive summonses in the mail. Fines will start at $50 and rise to $250 for repeat violations.
The move is part of the MTA’s efforts to clear up bus routes and speed up buses. The agency said buses on the routes with automated camera enforcement sped up 5% on average after the cameras were instituted. The routes also experienced a 20% reduction in collisions and an estimated 5%-10% drop in emissions.
Fourteen bus routes and more than 600 buses are already outfitted with the cameras for enforcement on dedicated bus lanes in every borough but Staten Island, which is expected to join the program later this year. The MTA said more than 1,000 buses across more than 30 routes would get the cameras by the end of 2024.
“[Automated camera enforcement] is the key to enhancing bus service, speed and safety,” New York City Transit’s interim President Demetrius Crichlow said in a statement.
The MTA said the buses on the 14 routes with ongoing enforcement had their cameras upgraded to catch violators who block or double park in front of bus stops. Keeping bus stops clear allows buses to pull up to the curb and boosts safety for riders entering and exiting the bus, according to the transit agency.
The automated camera enforcement program has issued more than 438,000 violation notices to drivers since 2019, the MTA said.