New York: NYC’s Transit President Richard Davey joined the NYPD’s Bus Lane Enforcement Task Force to issue tickets to vehicles that were illegally parked in bus lanes.
The task force was working on 57 St in Manhattan when Richard Davey joined them. They issued summonses to vehicles illegally parked in bus lanes in order to keep bus lanes clear and allow buses to travel faster. Between 8am and 8:45am they also ordered vehicles to move to avoid being towed by the NYPD.
The M31 and M57 bus routes both run along the bus lane on 57 St. They are tied for the third-slowest peak period route in the whole MTA network with an average speed of 4.67mph.
“Bus lane rules are the simplest to follow – if you're not a bus, get the heck out.”
The NYPD’s Pilot Citywide Bus Lane Enforcement Task works during the morning and evening peak periods to enforce and deter parking violations in bus stops, bus lanes and busways along priority corridors. Each deployment consists of around 85 traffic enforcement agents in marked vehicles and foot-posts as well as 15 tow trucks on weekdays. The NYC DOT has identified 39 bus corridors for priority enforcement. During Phase 1 of the pilot, enforcement efforts will be focused on 18 bus corridors, selected for their high weekly ridership and reported ongoing traffic delays associated with illegal parking.
“More than a million New Yorkers depend on bus service to quickly and safely get them around our city each day and night.
“And when it comes to vehicles illegally blocking bus lanes, prevention is at the forefront of our public safety mission. It is a crucial effort aimed at decreasing traffic congestion, limiting delays, and eradicating roadway safety issues.”
The NYC DOT declared last Thursday a Gridlock Alert day, meaning that it was expecting to see some of the worst congestion of the year in the city. It said New Yorkers could “avoid getting stuck in congestion – and avoid contributing to it – by riding MTA subways, commuter trains, and buses.”
The MTA is working with the NYPD to expand traffic enforcement on bus lanes and cut down the number of double-parked vehicles blocking bus lanes and delaying services. The authority is also expanding its deployment of automatic bus lane enforcement (ABLE) cameras and rebranding as automated camera enforcement (ACE), bringing enforcement to bus stops and double parking.
The existing cameras capture drivers violating bus lane rules in real time. They have shown success in putting off drivers from blocking bus lanes. The MTA currently has 623 buses fitted with ABLE cameras on 21 routes across all boroughs. Starting in May 2024, the MTA will upgrade 14 existing routes with ACE cameras.
