In an effort to alleviate traffic congestion and improve bus efficiency, transit officials have announced the expansion of a ticketing program that will penalize drivers who block bus stops in New York City. The program, which initially focused on drivers blocking bus lanes, will now employ camera technology mounted on the front of Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) buses to identify and ticket drivers obstructing any bus stop, regardless of the presence of dedicated bus lanes.

Under the program, over 1,000 MTA buses on 32 routes will be equipped with cameras by the end of the year, according to the MTA. During a press conference held in Washington Heights, transit officials stated that for the next 60 days, drivers caught parking or double parking at bus stops will receive warnings. However, after this warning period ends, offenders will face fines. The penalty for a first-time violation is set at $50, while repeat offenders caught five or more times in 12 months will face a steeper fine of $250.

At the conference, New York City Transit senior vice president Frank Annicaro urged drivers to refrain from blocking buses, emphasizing the need to respect bus lanes and bus stops, and to avoid illegal double parking. The existing pilot program, which targeted drivers blocking bus lanes on 14 routes, has already shown a positive impact by improving bus route speeds by 5%, according to the MTA.

Reflecting on the broader significance of the initiative, Demetrius Crichlow, interim-president of NYC Transit, stated, "Our goal is not just about moving equipment, moving trains, moving buses, it's really about moving people. And this is one of the avenues to doing it better than we currently do." With New York City's bus speeds ranking among the slowest in the country and traffic congestion returning to pre-pandemic levels, the implementation of the expanded ticketing program aims to relieve congestion and enhance the efficiency of public transportation.

The program, known as the Automated Camera Enforcement (ACE), comes with a price tag of $141 million. However, it is not expected to be affected by the uncertainties surrounding the MTA's budget due to Gov. Kathy Hochul's temporary pause on congestion pricing in Manhattan, according to Crichlow.

While the MTA did not specify the routes included in the initial rollout, the expansion of the ticketing program marks a significant step towards improving bus commute times, reducing traffic congestion, and encouraging compliance with traffic regulations near bus stops.