Picture a Better Way to Protect Bus Lanes
On-board enforcement cameras allow buses to ticket drivers blocking dedicated lanes, speeding up transit service. Why aren’t they used everywhere?
To keep bus lanes clear, a growing number of New York City buses are equipped with automated cameras that can ticket drivers.
Photographer: John Lamparski/Getty Images North AmericaOf the many causes of transit delays, few seem more unjust than drivers who illegally park in a dedicated bus lane, triggering a slowdown for the dozens of passengers stuck behind it.
“There is a feeling of helplessness when a car blocks you,” says Joshua Schank, the chief innovation officer for Metro, the transit authority of the Los Angeles region. “People who pull over say, ‘I’ll only be there for a second.’ Well, in that second there are a lot of people going through the bus corridor.”