Bus speeds increased by as much as 25 percent on some routes after enforcement began last August.
New York City has issued over 400,000 tickets to drivers who block bus routes or park in bus lanes in five months, reports Dave Colon in Streetsblog NYC. The camera-issued tickets made up the bulk of bus lane violations issued. “According to the data, cameras gave out 76.4 percent of bus lane and bus stop violations issued in the city, with a staggering 93 percent of those tickets given out by cameras in December 2024.”
Colon adds, “The Automated Camera Enforcement system began with 623 buses on 14 routes that came online in August after an initial warning system, and then expanded to 1,000 buses on a total of 34 routes by the end of November.”
The program seems to work for most drivers: just 13 percent of first-time violators received a second ticket, although 9 percent went on to receive a fourth or fifth.
The MTA says the program has resulted in a 5 percent overall increase in bus speeds (as much as 25 percent on some routes). Crashes involving buses have decreased by 20 percent, and bus emissions went down by 5 to 10 percent.
FULL STORY: ACE In The Hole: MTA’s Bus-Mounted Cameras Nab Over 400K Bus Stop Blockers
Atlanta Transit Officials Call for Traffic Cameras to Enforce Bus-Only Lanes
MARTA says bus-mounted cameras would be a more effective way to keep bus lanes clear and make upcoming bus rapid transit lines run smoothly and reliably.
Where NYC Busways Are Succeeding
Pandemic-era busways are speeding up bus service by as much as 39 percent.
NYC Bus Service Hindered by Congestion
Sharing lanes with car traffic may make it impossible for the MTA to increase service frequency.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?
King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents
The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.
Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.
Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie