MBTA Approves Cameras, Fines to Target Drivers Stopping in Bus Lanes
The MBTA’s board of directors on Wednesday, Sept. 24, approved new penalties for a proposed camera system that would target drivers obstructing bus lanes in Boston. MBTA hopes that these…
Photo: MBTA
The MBTA's board of directors on Wednesday, Sept. 24, approved new penalties for a proposed camera system that would target drivers obstructing bus lanes in Boston.
MBTA hopes that these sanctions, made possible by a state law put into place in January, will "disincentivize the common and often unpunished habit," according to a Boston Globe report.
The new state law, signed on Jan. 8, sets the range for bus lane fines between $25 and $125. It also established a $100 penalty for vehicles parked at bus stops.
The T said it plans to penalize vehicles blocking bus lanes in these ways:
- Passenger vehicles will be ticketed for $25 for the first violation within 180 days, $50 for the second violation within the same 180-day period, $100 for the third violation within the same 180-day period, and $125 for fourth and subsequent violations within the same 180-day period.
- Commercial vehicles will be ticketed $50 for the first violation within 12 months, $75 for the second violation within 12 months, $100 for the third violation within 12 months, and $125 for the fourth and subsequent violations within 12 months.
Fines are expected to be enforced starting in early 2026 on the Silver Line routes SL4 and SL5, with plans to expand systemwide. Tickets will be mailed after manual review of camera footage.
The T said it will also consider an "abundance of exceptions" for violations. For example, moving into a bus lane to make room for an oncoming emergency vehicle is an acceptable excuse. Stopping in a bus lane to follow the orders of a police officer or traffic signal is another.
“While blocked bus stops might not be something that is at top of mind when it comes to key challenges facing our bus system, is it something that is extraordinarily impactful,” said Alexandra Hallowell, the MBTA's director of transit priority, in a statement shared with the Globe.
