What's happening
This bill removes limits on bus lane enforcement cameras in New York City, creates escalating fines for repeat offenders, and extends the program's duration.
Why it matters
Allows New York City to deploy bus lane enforcement cameras on any designated bus lane, not just a limited number of routes or during specific hours. this could significantly expand automated enforcement, potentially improving bus speeds and reliability for riders, but also increasing the number of drivers ticketed.
Implements a graduated system of fines for repeat offenders. , meaning penalties get steeper with each additional violation within a 12-month period—this is designed to deter habitual violators more effectively than a flat fine, potentially leading to longer-term changes in driver behavior.
Extends the bus lane camera program from 10 to 15 years. , giving the city a longer timeframe to assess the impact of the technology and enforcement on public transit efficiency and traffic congestion.
Directs that most of the revenue from these fines be allocated to mass transit. , potentially providing additional funding for public transportation improvements, which could benefit the broader commuting public.
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Who cares
New York City transportation officials
The bill would allow camera enforcement on designated bus lanes beyond the bus rapid transit program, remove the 6 a.m.–10 p.m. operating restriction and eliminate the ten-route cap.
Vehicle owners ticketed for bus-lane violations
The bill would replace the $115 maximum fine with graduated maximums of $50 for a first offense, rising to $250 for fifth and subsequent offenses within twelve months.
Mass transit agencies serving New York City
The bill would require quarterly transfers of revenue from all mobile bus-lane cameras, except revenue shared with the city by agreement, to the designated transportation assistance fund account.
New York City bus riders
The bill would expand where and when bus-lane cameras could operate and extend the enforcement program’s statutory lifespan from ten to fifteen years.
Headline styles
Expand Traffic Camera Enforcement
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Recommit, enacting clause stricken
- Referred to transportation
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to transportation
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 58–4
- Home rule request
- Ordered to third reading cal.1287
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Print number 1925b
- Amend (t) and recommit to transportation
Show 3 earlier actions
- Print number 1925a
- Amend (t) and recommit to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Expand Traffic Camera Enforcement
In Assembly Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Nily Rozic
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1925--B
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 17, 2019
Introduced by Sens. KRUEGER, COMRIE, GOUNARDES, HOYLMAN, LIU, RAMOS, SKOUFIS, STAVISKY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to removing caps on automated enforcement cameras for bus lanes in the city of New York and creating a graduated schedule of fines for repeat offenders and to amend part II of chapter 59 of the laws of 2010, amending the vehicle and traffic law and the public officers law relating to establishing a bus rapid transit demonstration program to restrict the use of bus lanes by means of bus lane photo devices, in relation to the effectiveness thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph 4 of subdivision (a), paragraph 5 of subdivision (c) and subdivisions (e) and (m) of section 1111-c of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended and subdivision (m) as added by section 6 of part NNN of chapter 59 of the laws of 2018, are amended to read as follows:
4. Within the city of New York, such bus lane photo devices [shall] may only be operated on designated bus lanes [within the bus rapid transit program and only from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.]. Warning notices of violation be issued during the first sixty days that bus lane photo devices are operated on each route in the bus rapid transit program that is established after June fifteenth, two thousand fifteen.
5. "bus rapid transit program" shall mean [up to ten] routes designated by the New York city department of transportation in consultation with the applicable mass transit agency, in addition to the Bus Rapid Transit Phase I plan routes, that operate on designated bus lanes and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02537-08-9
S. 1925--B 2
that may include upgraded signage, enhanced road markings, minimum bus stop spacing, off-board fare payment, traffic signal priority for buses, and any other enhancement that increases bus speed or reliability.
(e) An owner liable for a violation of a bus lane restriction imposed on any route within a bus rapid transit program shall be liable for monetary penalties in accordance with a schedule of fines and penalties promulgated by the parking violations bureau of the city of New York; provided, however, that the monetary penalty for violating a bus lane restriction shall not exceed [one hundred fifteen] fifty dollars, one hundred dollars for a second offense within a twelve-month period, one hundred fifty dollars for a third offense within a twelve-month period, two hundred dollars for a fourth offense within a twelve-month period, and two hundred fifty dollars for each subsequent offense within a twelve-month period; provided, further, that an owner shall be liable for an additional penalty not to exceed twenty-five dollars for each violation for the failure to respond to a notice of liability within the prescribed time period.
(m) Any revenue from fines and penalties collected pursuant to this section from any mobile bus lane photo devices [that were authorized to be installed pursuant to a chapter of the laws of two thousand eighteen that added this subdivision], not including any revenue shared with the city of New York pursuant to agreement shall be remitted by the city of New York to the applicable mass transit agency on a quarterly basis to be deposited in the general transportation account of the New York city transportation assistance fund established pursuant to section twelve hundred seventy-i of the public authorities law.
§ 2. The opening paragraph of section 14 of part II of chapter 59 of the laws of 2010, amending the vehicle and traffic law and the public officers law relating to establishing a bus rapid transit demonstration program to restrict the use of bus lanes by means of bus lane photo devices, as amended by chapter 239 of the laws of 2015, is amended to read as follows:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law and shall expire [10] 15 years after such effective date when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed; and provided that any rules and regulations related to this act shall be promulgated on or before such effective date, provided that:
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that the amendments to section 1111-c of the vehicle and traffic law made by section one of this act shall not affect the repeal of such section and shall be deemed repealed therewith. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to removing caps on automated enforcement cameras for bus lanes in the city of New York and creating a graduated schedule of fines for repeat offenders and to amend part II of chapter 59 of the laws of 2010, amending the vehicle and traffic law and the public officers law relat- ing to establishing a bus rapid transit demonstration program to restrict the use of bus lanes by means of bus lane photo devices, in relation to the effectiveness thereof
Purpose
Removes caps on automated enforcement cameras for bus lanes in the city of New York, removes time restrictions on when cameras can operate, lowers maximum penalty to $50 and establishes a graduated fine schedule for repeat offenders, directs revenues from mobile, bus-mounted bus lane cameras to the New York city transportation assistance fund, and extends sunset provision on the program to September 20, 2025.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends section 1111-c of the vehicle and traffic law to remove the cap on the number of routes that the New York City Department of Transportation may designate under the "bus rapid transit program," and along which the DOT may install bus lane cameras. Removes time restrictions on when cameras can operate. Lowers maximum monetary penalty for the bus lane camera program to fifty dollars and creates a graduate fine schedule for repeat offenders. Directs revenues from mobile bus lane cameras mounted on buses to the New York city transpor- tation assistance fund.
Section 2 amends chapter 59 of the laws of 2010 to extend the sunset provision on the authorization of bus lane enforcement cameras to September 20, 2025.
Section 3 is the effective date.
Justification
The MTA Bus / New York City Transit bus system serves over two million riders daily in New York City. However, due to worsening congestion throughout the city, bus speeds have declined significantly in recent years. This has coincided with a significant and ongoing decrease in bus ridership, as riders switch to other transit modes, increasing crowding on the subways and traffic congestion on city streets.
Beginning in 2008, the New York City Department of Transportation and the MTA have collaborated on a bus rapid transit program known as Select Bus Service, or SBS. SBS routes are outfitted with a number of special features that have resulted in bus speed increases as high as 30%, and ridership increases of about 10%. One very effective element of the SBS program has been the addition of bus lanes and bus lane enforcement cameras along SBS routes.
The NYC DOT (in it's "Bus Forward" plan) and MTA NYCT (in it's "Fast Forward Plan") have demonstrated a clear desire to expand the use of bus lanes and bus lane enforcement cameras along more bus routes in the city. However, state law currently limits the use of bus lane enforce- ment cameras to just 16 bus routes in the city. NYC DOT has installed additional bus lanes beyond the designated 16, but lacks the ability to enforce them with cameras, limiting their effectiveness as drivers often violate them with impunity.
Legislative history
New Bill
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.