B1, B6 and Q65 buses get cameras that can fine drivers up to $250

Cameras mounted on buses will soon catch drivers who block bus lanes, sit in bus stops or double-park on three routes in Brooklyn and Queens, the MTA said this week. For the first 60 days, starting Monday, violators will only get warnings in the mail.

The program covers three routes. The B1 follows Ocean Parkway between Bay Ridge and Manhattan Beach. The B6 is a crosstown Brooklyn line that links Bath Beach with East New York. The Q65 runs between Flushing and Jamaica. Once the warning period is over, the first ticket is $50. Each additional violation costs $50 more, until the fine hits $250.

How the B1, B6 and Q65 bus cameras catch violations

The cameras capture vehicles parked in an active bus lane or stop, or double-parked along the route. A car sitting in a stop or double-parked can be ticketed only after two buses spot it and it stays longer than 2.5 minutes. In a bus lane, a vehicle has more than five minutes. A driver who keeps blocking the way can generally be ticketed again every two hours. A city employee checks the evidence before any violation goes out, and enforcement runs around the clock unless posted signs say otherwise.

Some uses of the lane are still legal. A driver turning right at the upcoming corner, or pulling into a driveway or parking spot, may cross into it. Quick passenger pickups and drop-offs are fine too, but parking there to wait for someone is not.

Paying or fighting a bus lane ticket

Payment options include the web, a phone app, mail, and the city Department of Finance’s Business Centers. Anyone who thinks a ticket was a mistake can ask for a hearing, and the notice itself explains how. Because the penalties are civil, a ticket will not show up on a driver’s record or push up insurance premiums. Ignoring one, however, can bring added fees, a boot, a tow or a hold on the vehicle’s registration.

Money from the program funds MTA operations, including bus service improvements. According to the agency, buses run faster where cameras enforce the rules, and pairing cameras with dedicated lanes and street upgrades has made some segments nearly 30 percent quicker. Clear stops matter for riders with disabilities as well. If a car takes the curb, the bus may have to let people on and off in the street, which keeps some wheelchair users from boarding safely. The three new routes bring camera enforcement to 76 bus routes.