New Yorkers parked in bus stops — or double-parked along a bus line — are about to be fined by post.
The MTA’s automated camera enforcement program, which spots violators’ license plates through cameras mounted on passing buses, will begin issuing summonses to drivers on Monday.
“When in doubt, you best be sure not to block a bus route,” MTA Bus Director Frank Annicaro told reporters Thursday.
“We still have some people who haven’t gotten the message, but they will,” he added. “Those, pay attention – you’ll get tickets on Monday.”
Since mid-June, the automated camera enforcement program has — ACE for cards — has issued warnings to the registered owners of double-parked vehicles and those parked at bus stops along 14 of the city’s 327 bus routes.
But starting Monday, violators will be automatically fined $50, which will scale up to a $250 fine for repeat offenders.
Transit officials said Thursday an offending vehicle would need to be detected at the same stop by more than one bus – likely a five-minute window – in an attempt to avoid fining drivers who simply pick up or drop off a passenger.
The system is already used to issue fines to drivers illegal to drive in bus laneand MTA officials say bus lane camera enforcement has led to a 5% increase in bus speeds and a 20% decrease in bus collisions.
Annicaro said Thursday that the MTA hopes to expand the program in the future.
“We will expand this in all neighborhoods,” Annicaro said. “We have 14 routes now. By the end of the year we will expand to another 20 routes.”
“We plan to go to potentially over 3,000 buses and over 90 bus routes,” he said.