Culver CityBus to Launch Bus Obstruction Enforcement Warning Period

Culver CityBus is launching a new Automated Bus Lane and Bus Stop Enforcement (ABLE) Program systemwide to reduce parking violations obstructing public transit and improve safety, accessibility, and public transit reliability for riders. Starting Thursday, March 20, drivers illegally parked along the MOVE corridor mobility lanes and at bus stops throughout Culver City will receive warning notices in the mail.

Starting May 19, citations related to the program will be issued, and violations captured through ABLE technology will be subject to a $293 fine.

Existing bus lane and bus stop obstruction violations and fines are currently administered only when an enforcement officer witnesses the violation. ABLE technology will provide a more robust opportunity to deter these violations.

The ABLE program utilizes camera systems installed on Culver City transit buses to detect and enforce instances of vehicles illegally parked in bus stops and bike lanes, which impacts safety and accessible transit service. Vehicles parked illegally in bus lanes and bus stop zones impact the safety and accessibility of all bus riders, especially those with disabilities.

If a bus cannot pull up to the curb because the bus stop is blocked by an illegally parked vehicle, it is impossible for bus operators to safely deploy wheelchair access ramps to the curb. Obstructed bus lanes or stops also force transit riders to step into traffic lanes to board and exit the bus, making it harder for bus operators to see them.

Enforcement along the MOVE Culver City corridor will also provide an additional countermeasure to ensure improved transit times along the mobility lanes and improved safety surveillance for bicyclists. The Transportation Department will partner with the Culver City Police Department to identify violation “hot spots” for more focused on-the-ground enforcement efforts.

“Keeping dedicated transit zones clear for everyone who chooses to ride public transit or utilize the shared bike lane is essential to making Culver City safe and accessible,” Culver City Mayor Dan O’Brien said. “We’re excited to deploy proven technology solutions that will help improve longstanding problems created by parking violations in our bike and bus lanes and bus stops.”

Culver City joins other cities in California — including Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Oakland, and Sacramento — in deploying automated transit zone enforcement with bus-mounted camera systems. In New York City, where bus-mounted automated camera enforcement has been in effect since 2019, bus speeds have increased by 5% on average, and collisions have decreased by as much as 34% along bus routes utilizing this technology.

Culver City staff will manually review all evidence packages of parking violations detected by automated bus lane/bus stop camera systems. In compliance with California state law, low-income payment plans will be available. More information about the low-income payment plan and about the program as a whole is available on the Culver CityBus website at CulverCityBus.Com/ABLE.