ABLE Camera Program Has Issued More Than 9,700 Violations Across Three Bus Routes Where Cameras are Deployed, Improving Commutes for More than 100,000 Daily Riders

Bus Speeds on M14 SBS Route Increased 55% Since Dec. 2018 as a Result of Automated Bus Lane Enforcement Program  

MTA New York City Transit announced today that new bus-mounted cameras on the B46 Select Bus Service route will begin enforcement on dedicated bus lanes on Feb. 20, and are expected to help speed up rides for a total of 35,000 daily weekday customers on the route, which travels Malcolm X Blvd and Utica Av in Brooklyn.

The MTA began enforcement with camera systems on the M15, B44 and M14 SBS fleets last year to enhance the city’s traffic initiative to clear bus lanes, speed up rides and prioritize transit on high-volume corridors.  

“We recognize our current and potential customers desires to speed up the bus system, and continue to use the lessons learned from the M14 busway, namely well enforced bus priority, as the key to achieving a world class bus system that customers choose as their preferred transportation. The ABLE system truly makes bus lanes for buses,” said Craig Cipriano, Acting MTA Bus Company President and Senior Vice President for Buses.

NYC Transit is using an Automated Bus Lane Enforcement (ABLE) system on all B46 SBS buses serving Brooklyn’s busiest bus route, which travels on approximately eight miles of dedicated bus lanes implemented by the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT). The B46 bus route, which runs along Broadway, Malcolm X Blvd, Utica Av and Flatbush Av and connects to five subway lines and 30 bus routes, will benefit from faster travel times when these dedicated lanes remain clear of traffic.

ABLE camera systems capture evidence such as license plate information, photos and videos, as well as location and timestamp information, of vehicles obstructing bus lanes to document bus lane violations. The system collects multiple pieces of evidence to ensure that vehicles making permitted turns from bus lanes are not ticketed. The package of evidence is transmitted to NYCDOT for quality-control review and processing, and the program is administered in partnership with NYCDOT and the NYC Department of Finance.The 2020-2024 Capital Plan includes $85 million for further expansion of the program.

Motorists who remain in a bus lane without exiting at the first possible right turn, or they are captured as blocking the bus lane by two successive buses, are considered violating traffic laws and will be ticketed. During the initial 60-day grace period, motorists who block bus lanes are issued a warning that does not carry a fine. At the end of this grace period, motorists who continue to block bus lanes will be subject to a fine of $50 for the first violation, and for additional violations within a 12-month period: $100 for a second offense, $150 for a third offense, $200 for a fourth offense; and $250 for a fifth violation and each subsequent offense thereafter within a 12-month period.

NYC Transit is working with NYCDOT and NYPD to increase bus lane enforcement in highly congested areas as part of NYC Transit’s Fast Forward plan to improve bus service, increase bus speeds and attract new ridership. Other strategies include redesigning every borough’s bus network to better meet customer needs, installing traffic signal priority technology, implementing more transit priority street designs, and deploying new modern buses with better reliability and customer amenities.

ABOUT B46 SELECT BUS SERVICE: 

• Select Bus Service launched on the B46 in July 2016. The route serves approximately 35,000 customers daily as Brooklyn’s busiest bus route, and the second busiest bus route in the city.
• B46 SBS converted to articulated buses in 2020 to increase capacity from 85 customers per bus to as many as 115 customers per bus.
• Route length is eight miles running north-south through Brooklyn. It extends from Kings Plaza to Bedford Stuyvesant and Williamsburg, via East Flatbush and Crown Heights. It connects with the  subway lines and 30 connecting bus routes.
• SBS features include longer, articulated buses; special SBS branding; all-door boarding; off-board fare collection; offset and curbside bus lanes; transit signal priority; bus bulb curb extensions; and real-time arrival information signs.