AI-Powered Bus Lane Cameras Are Speeding up Buses by up to 36%

Cities are using AI-assisted, bus-mounted cameras to keep bus lanes clear. As Andy Boenau explains in Fast Company, “Recent studies show that lane obstructions increase bus delays 20% to 30% during peak hours.” The cameras identify vehicles blocking bus lanes and automate issuing citations.

Besides the obvious benefit of keeping bus lanes clear, the technology generates data to optimize bus routes, traffic signal timing, and overall network efficiency, strengthening the backbone of a multimodal transportation system that integrates buses, bikes, pedestrians, and private vehicles.

U.S. cities using the tech include Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City. In Los Angeles, the cameras boosted bus speeds by as much as 36 percent. Other cities report bus speed improvements of 10 to 30 percent. Cities are also using the data to make scheduling adjustments to improve travel times and reliability.

Boenau concludes, “Remember, a well-run bus system is an express sidewalk—a piece of infrastructure that dramatically expands the number of destinations within walking distance.”