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DC to start ticketing cars in bus lanes
Starting today, drivers will be ticketed for driving in bus-only lanes in D.C.
WASHINGTON - Starting Wednesday, drivers found blocking bus lanes in D.C. will be ticketed upwards of $200.
Over 100 Metro buses have been equipped with cameras that will capture cars driving or parked in bus-only lanes and zones. If the camera detects a car illegally parked or driving in a bus lane or zone, it will record a quick video of the car and snap a picture of the license plate and send it to DDOT.
The fine for cars parked in the bus lane is $200. There will be a $100 fine if you are parked or standing in the bus zone.
"The cameras are really a game changer because of how quickly people are usually in these spots," said District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Interim Director Sharon Kershbaum. "It was really, really difficult to enforce. The cameras mean that now, 100 percent of the time, you’re going to get a ticket."
The red-painted bus lanes in D.C., aren't just for Metro buses – school and tour buses also use the bus lanes.
The initiative is supposed to speed up commute times, as average Metro bus speed has been on a downward trend for 15 years in part due to clogged lanes.