Automated Enforcement for Bus Lanes, Bus Stops, School Buses, and School Zones
T4MA is championing policy to introduce and enact automated camera enforcement measures for bus lanes, bus stops, school buses and school zones. Despite facing challenges, we’re determined to drive progress forward.
Hundreds of thousands rely on MBTA bus service daily, yet vehicles obstructing bus lanes and stops cause delays and unreliability. While transit priority measures improve service, bus mounted cameras paired with fixed bus stop cameras can help ensure that bus lanes and bus stops remain unobstructed. The MBTA’s Transit Priority Vision aims to expand transit lanes, but without camera enforcement those efforts fall short.
In a November 2022 test, over 1,000 vehicles obstructed a one-mile bus-only lane on Huntington Ave, highlighting the urgent need for action. Automated enforcement, like EZ-Pass cameras, offers a proven solution but current laws lack the authority for enforcement.
We support proposed legislation that aims to:
- Define driving or obstructing bus lanes as traffic violations.
- Establish fines for operating in a bus lane or parking at a bus stop.
- The bill provides privacy protections and provisions for retention and destruction of data, redaction of individual faces and vehicle contents as well as access to data by police only through a warrant. (IE: Once the fine is paid, within 30 days the video records will be deleted and police can only access the recordings with a warrant).
Benefits to MBTA riders are substantial:
- Improved speed and reliability: Programs in San Francisco reduced transit delays by 3 to 20 percent.
- Increased safety: In New York, routes with automated bus lane enforcement have had 25% fewer crashes over the 4 years that their bus mounted camera program has been in operation.
- Greater accessibility: During a pilot program in 2023, Philadelphia tracked 2 bus routes for 70 days, recording 32,000 violations for bus stop obstruction.
RTA Advancement Bill
T4MA continues to fight for adequate funding through the annual state budget process and we are also urging the legislature to pass H.3272/S.2277, An act to increase regional transit accessibility in the Commonwealth also known as the RTA Advancement Bill.
This bill implements key recommendations from the 2019 Task Force Report on RTA Performance and Funding including:
- Ensuring minimum, adequate and sustainable funding for RTAs;
- Prioritizing RTA service improvements through an annual RTA Council report; and
- Ending the use of farebox recovery ratios as a performance metric for transit agencies.
These policy changes will ensure long term sustainability for the Commonwealth’s 15 RTAs to better serve residents who rely on transit to get where they need to go.
MBTA Safety Oversight
In response to findings from an FTA safety review highlighting deficiencies in the Department of Public Utilities’ (DPU) oversight of the MBTA, Senator Michael Barrett introduced legislation (S.2199) proposing a pivotal change. This legislation aims to transition transportation oversight away from the DPU to a newly established commission, drawing inspiration from models set in New York and the Washington Metropolitan Transportation Authority (WMATA).
T4MA has been engaged in advocating for this crucial reform, providing testimony in support of Senator Barrett’s bill during a hearing on May 8, 2023. The bill is still under consideration by the joint committee and remains a key topic of discussion.
Stay informed as we continue our efforts to enhance MBTA safety oversight!
Mobility Commission
T4MA stands in strong support of H.3397/S.2214, An Act to create a mobility pricing commission, championed by Representative Steven Owens and Senator Brendan Crighton.
Despite past setbacks, this bill aims to comprehensively examine how we price roadways and public transit statewide. The commission needs diverse representation to understand mobility pricing’s impact on all residents.
Currently, our system favors driving over transit, leading to severe congestion in Boston. For example, roundtrip commuter rail tickets cost significantly more than toll fees for drivers. A roundtrip commuter rail ticket from Lynn to Boston is $14, or a roundtrip pass for Zone 2 is $232/month, compared to drivers with an E-ZPass transponder who will spend $2.50 – $3 roundtrip, making driving by vehicle $7 less than commuting on the commuter rail.
International examples show the benefits of implementing congestion pricing. London saw reduced congestion by 20 to 30%, increased bus ridership by 6%, a 66% increase in cycling, and CO2 emissions reduced by 15–20%. Similarly, Stockholm experienced a reduction in emissions by 15% and a nearly 50% reduction in asthma hospitalization in children aged 0-5.
Establishing this commission is vital for envisioning a transportation future that prioritizes equity, reduces emissions, and promotes public health. Let’s move forward towards a more sustainable and equitable transportation system!
Commuter Benefits Expansion
Massachusetts residents currently enjoy deductions of up to $750 for tolls and select MBTA passes. T4MA has successfully pushed for expansion of commuter benefits to include all daily transit fares across the commonwealth. Previously commuter deductions were only for MBTA monthly and weekly passes. With this change, riders on regional transit authorities, ferries, and bike share can now enjoy the same tax deductions. We’ve advocated for a bill to extend deductions to cover all MBTA and RTA fares, including bike share memberships, lowering the threshold for qualifying expenses from $150 to $50.
While Governor Healey’s tax package made strides by including RTA passes and bike share expenses, daily fares were left out. Here is T4MA’s written testimony before the Joint Committee on Revenue.
LEGISLATIVE WINS
On Monday, July 29th, Governor Healey signed a $58 billion compromise budget for Fiscal Year 2025 which started on July 1. While over 3 weeks late, the budget makes significant investments in transportation for the MBTA and RTAs.
The budget appropriates $447 million in funding for the MBTA, a significant increase over FY2024, and includes funding for a systemwide low income fare program that will begin later this year.
The $447 million is divided between funding from the general fund and from the Education and Transportation Fund, which is funded by the surtax on millionaires.
The $447 million is divided between funding from the general fund and from the Education and Transportation Fund, which is funded by the surtax on millionaires. The MBTA will receive:
- $314,280,000 for an operating transfer for general MBTA operations funded by the Commonwealth Transportation Fund;
- $60,000,000 for capital improvements for physical infrastructure including $10,000,000 to support climate adaptation and climate readiness capital improvement projects;
- $20,000,000 for systemwide low income fares for riders;
- $36,000,000 for projects to address ongoing safety concerns at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority related to the interim and final findings of the Federal Transit Administration’s Safety Management Inspection initiated in April 2022;
- $7,500,000 for support for ferry service including pilot programs and adding additional ferry service on weekends and route expansion;
- $10,000,000 to establish a pipeline for a skilled workforce across departments including but not limited to power, signals, rails and stations and buildings for capital, operating, preventative maintenance, climate adaptation and other projects.
The budget also makes historic investments in the RTAs including: $94 million from the general fund for general operating expenses and $110 million from the Education and Transportation Fund.
The $110 million investment is divided between operating, funding for free fare statewide, and grant program. The RTAs will receive:
- $66,000,000 in funding for operations;
- $30,000,000 for statewide fare free grants for the entire year;
- $10,000,000 for grants to regional transit authorities for the creation or altering of routes that advance connectivity between existing public transportation routes;
- $4,000,000 for grants to transit providers to support expanded mobility options for older adults, people with disabilities and low income individuals through the Community Transit Grant Program.
These transit investments will provide opportunities for transit service expansion in some regions, free and reduced fares for riders across the state, and establishing a long term workforce for agencies. We know there are more needs to be addressed and more funding needed but this increased investment is a positive step forward.
On Monday, July 22nd, the Senate passed S.2884, An Act relative to bus lane enforcement, which would allow for photographic and video evidence of cars operating or parking in bus lanes and bus stops to be admissible forms of evidence for violations of these infractions. This technology is currently being used in many other cities and states including New York, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Washington DC. This bill would allow bus mounted cameras and stationary cameras at bus stops to capture images of only the license plate, not drivers or contents of the vehicle, who are parked or operating in bus lanes or bus stops.
This technology in New York City has resulted in increased bus speeds by 5%, reduced bus related crashes by 20%, and has a recidivism rate (those who have more than one infraction) of less than 8%. T4MA supports this bill to improve the bus ride for both riders and drivers.
The bill now goes to the House Committee on Ways and Means who will hopefully move this to the full House of Representatives for a vote to be sent to the Governor for her signature.
On Tuesday, July 30th, the House of Representatives passed H.4940, An Act concerning the safety of school children embarking and disembarking school buses. This bill would allow cities and towns, who opt-in, to equip school bus arms with cameras to catch drivers who drive around stopped school buses that are picking up or dropping off children.
The cameras would only capture images of the license plate and the infractions would be reviewed by a person before a ticket is issued. The City of Peabody has been running a pilot program since September 2023 and has had over 3,400 violations this school year. This bill would deter drivers from engaging in this dangerous practice and protect the lives of school children. The bill now moves over to the Senate for consideration and passage.
T4MA supports combining both automated enforcement bills to prioritize bus riders and protect school children across the Commonwealth.