Automated Bus Lane Enforcement Starts in LA on Monday

On Monday, February 17, Metro will begin issuing $293 citations to cars parked in bus lanes or at bus stops. The new program is expected to improve bus speed and reliability, and increase ridership. Initially the program will ticket just on La Brea Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard.

The Metro Bus Lane Enforcement (BLE) program is a partnership with the L.A. City Transportation Department (LADOT). The program uses on-bus cameras to document parking violations.

Metro and LADOT have been issuing warning tickets since November 1. These warnings are already resulting in fewer cars parked in bus lanes, making bus travel faster.

Metro also announced an early 2025 BLE phase 2, anticipated on bus lines utilizing bus lanes on 6th Street, Aliso Street, Cesar Chavez Avenue, Flower Street, Figueroa Street, Grand Avenue, Olive Street, and Spring Street.

If you drive, don’t risk a ticket! Don’t park in bus lanes or at bus stops.

Additional program information:

• Metro’s The Source blog Our Bus Lane Enforcement (BLE) program started November 1: Here’s what you need to know
• Metro Bus Lane Enforcement program webpage
• Earlier Streetsblog coverage: BLE ticketing postponed (December 2024), L.A. City final approval (October 2024), Metro begins installing on-bus cameras (April 2024), Metro approval (October 2023), and additional bus lanes posts.

(Full disclosure: Metro’s bus lane camera contractor Hayden AI is an advertiser with Streetsblog. Hayden AI was not consulted on this post.)

About The Author

Joe Linton

Joe Linton is editor of Los Angeles Streetsblog. He is also a longtime urban environmental activist. His main areas of interest have been restoring the Los Angeles River and fostering bicycling for everyday transportation. He’s worked for many Los Angeles livability non-profits, including Friends of the L.A. River, Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, C.I.C.L.E., Livable Places, and CicLAvia. He also served as deputy to Los Angeles City Councilmember Ed Reyes.

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