Bus Mounted Cameras Will Now Ticket Double Parking and Bus Stop Violations

By Hamodia Staff

NEW YORK — Bus-mounted cameras that previously were used only for ticketing cars parked in bus lanes will now be used also for ticketing vehicles that are double parked or parked in bus stops, the MTA announced Monday.

There are 14 bus routes across the city whose buses are currently equipped with the cameras: B44 SBS, B46 SBS, Bx12 SBS, Bx19, B62, Bx41 SBS, Bx36, M14 SBS, M15 SBS, M23 SBS, M34 SBS, Q44 SBS, Q54, Q58. By the end of 2024, the program will be expanded to 33 routes. 

Previously, the cameras would only be used for purposes of ticketing vehicles in bus lanes, under the MTA’s Automated Bus Lane Enforcement (ABLE) program. But at a press conference Monday, MTA and DOT officials announced that the new camera program, called Automated Camera Enforcement (ACE), will also be used to ticket vehicles that are double-parked or parked at bus stops.

“New Yorkers deserve buses that can keep up with hustle and bustle that makes New York City great,” said New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodríguez. “We know automated enforcement changes driver behavior, with more than 80% of bus-lane blockers never receiving more than one ticket. This expanded authority will pave the way for faster, safer, and more reliable bus routes across the five boroughs, which will reduce congestion and support our economy.” 

Once captured by the cameras, license plate, location and time stamp information is transmitted to the DOT for review and processing. Since 2019, the DOT has issued 438,660 notices of violations. 

Fines for bus-lane, bus-stop and double-parking violations begin at $50 and escalate by $50 for each subsequent violation for repeat offenders, up to $250.

While transportation officials and advocates celebrated the announcement at Monday’s press conference, not all New Yorkers were happy. Car drivers say bus lanes and make it more difficult for them to drive and park on the city’s streets.

“This is just another step the city has taken in its war on drivers,” Nesanel, a Brooklyn driver, told Hamodia. “With congestion pricing, Open Streets and cutting the lanes of busy streets in half for buses, the city is continuing to penalize drivers.”

Monday began an initial 60-day warning period in which drivers who are caught on camera double parking or parking at bus stops will be issued warnings but not fined. For routes with existing ABLE camera enforcement, the 60-day warning period will apply to bus stop and double-parking violations only, and fines will continue to be issued for bus-lane violations during this time. 

Bus routes with active ACE camera enforcement have signs indicating that the route are camera enforced and the hours of enforcement.