Don’t block the bus. Four more bus routes in Queens and the Bronx will now have automated camera enforcement, with a 60-day warning period for drivers improperly using busways or blocking stops starting on Monday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced. After the warning period is up, the MTA will issue summonses ranging from $50 for a first offense to $250 for repeat violations.
The new cameras are equipped on the Q6, Bx20, Bx3, and Bx7 routes. During the warning period, vehicles using busways or lanes, blocking stops, or illegally double-parking will receive warning notices in the mail.
These four new routes join 39 others already equipped with automated camera enforcement (ACE). More than 1,200 buses now feature ACE, covering 510 miles of routes and serving roughly 775,000 riders daily.
According to the MTA, bus routes with ACE technology have seen average speed increases of 5 percent, with some corridors experiencing boosts as high as 30 percent. The program has reduced collisions by 20 percent and lowered emissions by an estimated 5 to 10 percent.
Additionally, vehicles blocking bus stops on ACE-equipped routes have declined by 40 percent, and only 9 percent of drivers who commit more than two violations have received fines.
The ACE program is managed by the city’s Departments of Transportation and Finance. Cameras on multiple buses capture violations, then transmit the video, images, license plate information, location, and time stamps to DOT, where city employees review and process them.
Since it launched in June 2024, ACE has expanded from a few routes to a citywide initiative, installed in all five boroughs. In 12 months, the program has shown success in improving bus speeds, reducing collisions, and keeping bus stops clear, according to the MTA.
In September 2024, the MTA expanded the program to 20 additional routes, joining 14 existing routes that were already equipped with the technology.
Each ACE-equipped route features signage indicating that it is under camera enforcement. More information is available here.
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