Camera-powered ticketing systems for bus lane violations are now in effect for another Los Angeles County bus system.
On Monday, Culver City officially launched its Automated Bus Lane and Bus Stop Enforcement (ABLE) Program, which uses bus-mounted automated enforcement technology to ticket drivers who block or illegally park in bus lanes, in front of bus stops or along shared bike lanes.
“These illegal parking violations impact the safety, accessibility, and efficiency of public transit—particularly for riders with disabilities—by preventing buses from safely pulling to the curb and forcing passengers to board in unsafe areas,” Culver City officials wrote in a news release.
The cameras are in use on Culver CityBus vehicles, which operate seven lines and encompass 33 square miles in Culver City and surrounding communities.
The cameras collect evidence of a violation which is later reviewed manually by a human employee. Once confirmed that a parking violation has occurred, a ticket is then mailed to the vehicle’s owner.
A 60-day warning period has come to an end, meaning vehicles will start receiving citations this week. First time offenders can expect to receive a $293 citation for blocking or illegally parking in these designated spots; low-income plans are available to residents.
The parking restrictions are not new, but were previously only enforced when a traffic officer was on the scene. Culver CityBus joins LA Metro in administering parking tickets using camera mounted on its buses.
Other major cities, including Oakland and Sacramento in California, and New York City, have used similar systems with proven track records, of success, Culver City officials said.
In New York, since 2019 when camera enforcement began, bus speeds have increased by as much as 36% in certain high-traffic areas, and collisions along bus routes with the technology decreased by as much as 34%, officials said.
For additional information about Culver CityBus and the ABLE Program, click here.