The MTA is encouraging the use of mass transit for another gridlock alert day. Now, in an effort to speed up the slowest buses in the country, the NYPD helping get vehicles out of bus lanes.
On Thursday morning, some traffic agents sometimes just gave a warning to violators on West 57th Street. Others were slapped with a $115 dollar ticket, even if they were making a delivery, for being there when the bus lane is in operation.
57th Street is one of 18 bus lanes across the five boroughs the NYPD is targeting with its new bus lane enforcement task force.
“The M57 is the third slowest bus in our system,” said New York City Transit president Richard Davey. “It’s about 4.5 mph. Super, super slow.”
This new task force is not only issuing tickets to violators but also towing them, with 15 dedicated tow trucks. The tickets cost $185 and traffic agent Maya Yilmaz said people aren’t always happy.
“It’s not easy to earn the money and I understand that,” said the nine-year veteran agent.
But Yilmaz said she has a job to do. She and fellow agents said they’re not falling for driver shenanigans like putting an old ticket under the wiper.
“That’s an old ticket trick,” said Davey, after seeing a truck with a ticket already on the windshield.
The task force is already making progress. The NYPD said since Dec. 4, they’ve issued about 1,200 summonses and towed 149 vehicles. Agents issued seven tickets just between 8 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. Thursday morning along a three-block stretch.
“Bottom line is this, do not park in a bus lane,” said deputy chief Michael Pliecki of the NYPD Transportation Bureau. “They are for buses and chances are you will be the subject of enforcement if you do.”
The NYPD said they will evaluate the program and see if it’s worth expanding. The MTA will also expand its use of automated cameras in May, not only targeting cars blocking bus lanes, but double-parked cars.
The MTA said only 8% of drivers who get a bus lane ticket get another one.