In order to stop drivers who violate the road and the bus lane, the MTA ordered that there will be 300 traffic control cameras in nine routes in Staten Island, the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn.
The first ABLE cameras of the latter began operating this week on route Q43 for the Selective Bus Service. The cameras are of vital importance to keep the lanes where the buses circulate clear and so that they arrive on time, providing a more consistent and reliable service.
At the moment 123 Buses are equipped with ABLE cameras on seven routes between Brooklyn and Manhattan. The latest camera installation will expand bus monitoring technology to all districts and cover approximately 50% of lane miles for buses throughout the city, as announced by the MTA in a statement.
The MTA and the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) have agreed to expand the camera application to cover up to 85% of existing bus lanes for purposes of 2023. To reach that goal, the MTA plans to add 600 new cameras.
It was reported that the NYCDOT fixed cameras will work in conjunction with the new cameras on the buses to reduce the number of illegal cars and other vehicles that invade the space where the buses operate.
New strategies
“Improving the bus network is a priority on the MTA’s agenda,” said the president and MTA Executive Director Janno Lieber. “We’ve made great progress in recent years with new strategies designed to speed up our buses, and now we’re doubling down on the use of technology to clear lanes,” he added.
Remaining routes include: S79 SBS, Bx12 SBS, Bx41 SBS, Bx12, Q43, B60, B25 and B42. Locations were determined to maximize the length of covered bus lanes, balance distribution across districts, address some of the newer bus lanes, and incorporate input from the MTA and NYCDOT over known traffic problem spots.
On each bus lane there will be signs indicating the hours that the bus lanes are operational and warning drivers of other vehicles that they will be monitored by cameras.
The NYCDOT will issue warnings to motorists for the first 60 days, in accordance with state law, to ensure they are informed about the program before imposing fines. Drivers who violate these rules during enforcement periods are subject to a citation, with fines starting at $50 and increasing, for repeat offenders, up to $123.
ABLE camera systems capture license plate information, photos and videos, along with location and timestamp information. This information is then transmitted to NYCDOT for review and processing.